Civil Rights Activists In Newark Push For NJ Police Reform Bill

NEWARK, NJ — Civil rights advocates in Newark are among those pushing state lawmakers to pass a police reform bill that would pave the way for local “civilian review boards” in New Jersey.

If it becomes law, A-1515 would give municipalities or counties the ability to create a civilian review board that would serve as a watchdog for local police departments. Boards would be composed of local residents with relevant work experience or training.

Towns or counties would be allowed to empower their boards to perform duties that include carrying out investigations of local police departments/operations, recommending policy changes to local authorities, reviewing complaints from members of the public, recommending discipline for officers and reviewing internal affairs probes.

The bill would create a “special, dedicated non-lapsing fund” to power the effort, and appropriate $800,000 to get the ball rolling. Read the full text here.

The proposed law cites the City of Newark as a place where a civilian review board has made a difference – but needs more legal authority to do its job.

The bill’s sponsors provided the following background about Newark’s civilian review board:

“On April 30, 2015, Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark, New Jersey signed an executive order establishing a Civilian Complaint Review 24 Board (CCRB) to monitor the Newark Police Department. On March 17, 2016, the Newark Municipal Council passed an ordinance that authorized the CCRB to conduct its own investigations of civilian complaints of police misconduct, as well as review the Newark Police Division’s Internal Affairs Unit’s investigations of police misconduct, and make discipline recommendations to the city’s Public Safety Director.”

However, the New Jersey Supreme Court struck down key parts of Newark’s ordinance in 2020. The court ruled that the city’s CCRB cannot be granted subpoena power, can’t conduct investigations at the same time as the police department’s internal affairs office is conducting its own, and that only “legislative action” could grant these powers to Newark’s board.

• See Related: NJ Supreme Court Limits Newark's Power To Probe Police Abuse

That legislative action is now on the table – and it needs to see some action, advocates insist.

Newark Communities for Accountable Policing (NCAP) will be among those testifying in favor of the bill on Monday in Trenton before the state assembly’s Committee on Community Development and Affairs Committee.

“This bill should be law by now,” angrily asserted Zayid Muhammad, an organizer with NCAP.

“We literally lined up dozens of advocates and affected families more than two years ago demonstrating overwhelming support for the bill that the whole country is pulling for,” Muhammad said.

“It’s time to get this done,” he urged.

Newark’s CCRB has also seen stiff opposition from local police unions, NCAP members have pointed out. Read More: Activists Rally Outside Newark Police Union Headquarters

The state bill on civilian review boards is also seeing support from Lawrence Hamm, a 2024 U.S. Senate candidate with roots in Newark and Essex County.

“This call goes all the way back to 1961 – more than 60 years ago – when George Richardson, New Jersey’s first African American legislator made such a call,” the longtime activist and founder of the People’s Organization for Progress said.

• See Related: Newark's Fight Against Police Abuse Could Empower Other NJ Cities
• See Related: Newark Tries To Bring Battle Over Policing To US Supreme Court

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