RE: New Jersey Faith Leaders Call for Police Accountability and the Advancement of Use of Force Legislation
We, the undersigned faith leaders, congregants, community members, advocates, and people of conscience of this great state, urge this body to hold a hearing for and advance Senate Bill 2348, Codifying the Attorney General’s Use of Force Directive. This critical legislation would significantly strengthen protections against police use of force in New Jersey, making it a national leader with some of the strongest statutory prohibitions and guidance on the use of force in the country.
New Jersey is one of the most inequitable states in the nation, with Black residents disproportionately subjected to police use of force at alarming rates. Statewide, Black residents are three times more likely to face police force than white residents. Despite these facts, New Jersey lawmakers continue to pass legislation that undermines transparency efforts and erodes public trust. Notably, Senate Bill 3939, which allows law enforcement officers to review body-worn camera recordings before creating an initial report, was signed into law in 2022 at a time when other policing bills addressing transparency, civilian review boards, criminalized chokeholds, and qualified immunity were left languishing in the legislature.
Last year, Senate Bill 2930 reduced transparency in the state’s record access, despite the collective outcry from social justice advocates and broader New Jersey voters. This bill was fast-tracked and signed into law, further eroding public trust and creating additional barriers to police accountability.
Despite the tireless efforts of advocates and directly impacted communities, New Jersey continues to fall short in addressing police violence and racial inequality. Jameek Lowery, Khalif Cooper, Jujuan Henderson, retired US Army Major Gulia Dale III, Hasani Best, Maurice Gordon, Najee Seabrooks, Andrew Washington, and Victoria Lee are just a few examples of those who tragically had their lives taken or irreparably harmed by police. We can and must do better as a state, and Senate Bill 2348 is the way we begin to do just that.
In December 2020, then-Attorney General Grewel released a new statewide Use of Force policy. Since then, the current administration has added additional provisions, positioning New Jersey as a state with one of the strongest use of force guidelines in the country. Senate Bill 2348 would require the Attorney General to regularly review the Use of Force directives and make changes as needed, ensuring that Use of Force standards and guidelines address community concerns by holding public hearings throughout the state and upholding the core principles of:
* Respecting and preserving the sanctity of life and serving the community;
* Prioritizing de-escalation measures before resorting to use of force;
* Promoting the use of only objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional force;
* Using deadly force only as an absolute last resort;
* Intervening and reporting;
*Rendering medical assistance; and
* Reporting and reviewing instances of use of force.
The landscape in 2025 is different than that of 2020. While the problems persist, the situation is more dire than ever before. Under this current federal administration, Black communities will have limited recourse in facing state-sanctioned violence as President Trump has vowed to stop the DOJ and FBI from investigating police departments that routinely violate civil rights. Data shows that communities of color in our state are over-policed, over-incarcerated, and disproportionately impacted by police misconduct. Codifying the Use of Force Directive is a necessary and timely step if this state’s leaders intend to honor their commitments to New Jersey residents and strengthen this state's protections against what has become a hostile federal government.
We stand collectively with and in support of these communities most affected by police abuse and misconduct. We stood with them in protest of injustice in 2020, and we stand with them now as they move their protests to policy change amidst ongoing instances of police violence. We demand police accountability and the abolition of systemic racism. We work with our communities to lament these injustices, demand meaningful policy changes, and ultimately live in liberation.
Our ask is simple: honor the commitment made to communities more than five years ago by advancing meaningful legislation that addresses systemic racism within New Jersey policing. Adopt Senate Bill 2348. The time is now for the state to assume bold, courageous, and necessary leadership that New Jerseyans were promised and deserve.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Organization]