LIVES OF MAYBE 40 PEOPLE AND
VERY MUCH DIFFERENT THAN
GRADUATING FROM A CIVILIAN
INSTITUTION.
>>> NOW TO WHAT IS BEING CALLED
THE NATION’S MOST AMBITIOUS
POLICE REFORM IN THE POLICE
KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN
MINNEAPOLIS.
STATES BEGAN EXAMINING THEIR USE
OF FORCE POLICIES FOR THEIR
POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
YESTERDAY, NEW JERSEY’S ATTORNEY
GENERAL, GURBIR GREWAL,
ANNOUNCED HIS STATE’S FIRST
OVERHAUL FOR POLICE USE OF FORCE
IN 20 YEARS.
AMONG THOSE CHANGES, A
REQUIREMENT THAT NOTICE BE GIVEN
BEFORE FORCE IS USED.
AND THAT MEDICAL ATTENTION BE
ADMINISTERED WHEN IT IS.
AND NEW JERSEY’S ATTORNEY
GENERAL GREWAL IS JOINING US
NOW.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
TELL US WHAT ELSE THE NEW
POLICIES INCLUDES AND HOW
EXACTLY DO YOU ADMINISTER
MEDICAL ATTENTION AND IN THE
MOMENT OF DEALING WITH THE
POTENTIAL SUSPECT, HOW DO YOU
LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE USE OF
FORCE?
EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME.
IT’S REALLY A PARADIGM SHIFT FOR
HOW WE INTERACT WITH CITIZENS
HERE IN NEW JERSEY AND THAT’S
THE GOAL.
OUR 20-YEAR-OLD USE OF FORCE
POLICY STARTED WITH FORCE AND IT
ENDED WITH FORCE.
IT NEVER MENTIONED
DE-ESCALATION, SO WHAT WE’RE
ASKING OUR OFFICERS TO DO IS IN
EVERY INSTANCE, RESPECT THE
SANCTITY AND DIGNITY OF LIFE AND
USE FORCE AS A LAST RESORT.
IF FORCE IS USED THEY HAVE A
DUTY TO GIVE THE WARNING IF
FEASIBLE AND IF FORCE IS USED
AND THE INDIVIDUAL WITH WHOM
THEY’RE INTERACTING IS INJURED
THEY HAVE A DUTY TO RENDER THE
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROMPTLY IF
SAFE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE REALIZE THAT POLICY IS JUST
PAPER SO WE’RE UNDERTAKING A
MASSIVE RETRAINING OF ALL 38,000
COMES TO DRIVE THIS HOME AND
SETTING UP A STATE OF THE ART,
FIRST IN CLASS USE OF FORCE
PORTAL TO SEE HOW WE’RE DOING
WITH THIS NEW POLICY.
>> EDDIE GLAUDE?
>> AS A RESIDENT OF NEW JERSEY
I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION
THOUGH.
THESE ARE SOME EXTRAORDINARY
GESTURES OR A POLICY INITIATIVE.
WHAT’S THE ACCOUNTABILITY
COMPONENT?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FOLKS FAIL TO
LIVE UP TO THE POLICY?
I MEAN, WE’RE HEARING WHAT THE
POLICY CONTAINS, BUT WHAT --
WHAT ARE ITS MECHANISMS TO
ENSURE THAT POLICE OFFICERS
ABIDE BY THESE NEW POLICY
INITIATIVES?
>> YEAH, THAT’S A TERRIFIC
QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THAT’S WHY WE BUILT
OUT SOMETHING THAT WE’RE
EXTREMELY PROUD OF IN THIS
STATE, WHICH IS A PORTAL WHERE
EVERY OFFICER WITHIN 24 HOURS
HAS TO REPORT ANY USE OF FORCE.
AND THAT PORTAL IS ONLINE.
IT’S STATE OF THE ART AND IT
REQUIRES AND OUR NEW POLICY
REQUIRES THAT EVERY POLICE
EXECUTIVE MONITOR AND REVIEW
EVERY USE OF FORCE.
OUR COUNTY PROSECUTORS HAVE
VISIBILITY INTO IT AND MY OFFICE
DOES AS WELL.
THAT REAL TIME ACCOUNTABILITY
WILL GIVE US A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE’RE USING
FORCE AND IF TRENDS ARE GOING IN
THE WRONG DIRECTION WE COULD
INTERCEDE EARLY.
THIS IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I
KNOW THE INTRODUCTION SAID IT
WAS DONE IN THE WAKE OF THE
KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN
MINNEAPOLIS.
WE STARTED THIS HARD WORK THREE
YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE REALIZED
THAT WE DO OUR WORK IN THIS
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AGAINST
A BACK DROP AND A HISTORY OF
UNJUSTICE AND UNLIKE THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION AND THE FEDERAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL WE BELIEVE THAT
SYSTEMIC RACISM IS REAL.
WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING THIS OUT
FOR YEARS AND WE ANNOUNCED IT
YESTERDAY.
>> MR. ATTORNEY GENERAL, IT’S
WILLIE GEIST.
ANOTHER NEW JERSEY GUY HERE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS HERE.
TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY,
ALL GREAT STEPS.
I’M LOOK THROUGH THIS AND I KNOW
ONE PLACE WHERE YOU’LL HEAR FROM
THE POLICE GROUPS IS CRISIS
INTERVENTION.
IF THEY ENCOUNTER SOMEBODY IN
THE MIDDLE OF A MENTAL HEALTH
EXPERIENCE, THIS HAPPENS QUICKLY
IN MY WAYS, YOU DON’T HAVE TIME
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
HOW WILL IT LOOK LIKE AS YOU
GAME IT OUT?
HOW WILL A POLICE OFFICER
IDENTIFY THE PERSON AS BEING IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS AND CALL IN SOMEONE ELSE?
>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE’RE EMPHASIZING IN THE
NEW POLICY IS TIME AS A TACTIC.
WE’RE SAYING IN THE PAST WHERE
YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT NOT TO
RETREAT, THAT REPOSITIONING IS
NOT RETREATING THAT YOU CAN
CREATE SPACE AND CREATE TIME FOR
THOSE PROFESSIONALS TO COME IN
AND TO HAVE THOSE CRISIS
INTERVENTION TEAMS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE SEEN THE POLICIES WORK
IN JURISDICTIONS LIKE CAMDEN
WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS WITH
THOSE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISES
AND SAFELY RESOLVE THEM.
I THINK THAT’S PROOF OF CONCEPT
FOR WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WE’VE VERY FAR AFIELD
IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE’RE LEFT TO DEAL WITH MENTAL
HEALTH CRISES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
ALL MANNER OF PROBLEMS.
SO BY FUNDING THESE NEW PROGRAMS