New Jersey AG Revises Statewide Use of Force Policy

To ensure compliance with these new rules, the Attorney General’s Office has launched a number of officer training and accountability programs, including a first-of-its-kind statewide dashboard for tracking all use-of-force incidents in New Jersey. Learn more below. Use of Force Policy In December 2020, Attorney General Grewal announced the first revision to the statewide “Use of Force Policy” in two decades. The new policy overhauled the responsibilities of law enforcement officers when interacting with civilians, including by: The policy was promulgated pursuant to Attorney General Directive No. 2020-13 and Attorney General Directive No. 2021-14 , and included two supplements: one regarding the use of conducted energy devices (or “stun guns”) and other forms of less-lethal devices; and one regarding vehicular pursuits: Use of Force Dashboard The Use of Force Policy requires that, within 24 hours of using force against a civilian, the law enforcement officer must report detailed information to a statewide “Use of Force Portal.” Operated by the Attorney General’s Office and developed in partnership with Benchmark Analytics , the portal provides the most comprehensive statewide database in the country for tracking the use of force by law enforcement. In addition, users can download the full dataset in various file formats. In late 2020, New Jersey achieved an important milestone: all 500+ law enforcement agencies in the state began electronically submitting information into the portal. The Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity & Accountability and the Office of Justice Data, developed an online dashboard that allows researchers, reporters, and members of the public to access use of force information. Users can access the dashboard using the buttons below. In addition, users can download the full dataset in various file formats. After exploring the dashboard, users are encouraged to complete a short survey to provide feedback and improve the site’s usability and accessibility. Provide Feedback View Dashboard Download Full Dataset Please note that the Use of Force Dashboard remains in active development. Continuing to use the dashboard indicates your understanding that the information in this dashboard is presented “as is.” Future versions or publications of this dashboard may contain additional or clarified information. If you believe the the dashboard contains an error, please email beta@njoag.gov . To educate police officers about the new Use of Force Policy, Attorney General Grewal ordered that all 38,000 state, county, and local law enforcement officers in New Jersey complete an immersive, two-day training program on de-escalation and other tactics for limiting the use of force. All officers must complete the training no later than December 31, 2021; This unique training program incorporates two proven and respected training programs: In addition, Attorney General Grewal directed that law enforcement agencies take a number of steps to ensure that they are properly reviewing use-of-force incidents after they occur. The new Use of Force Policy requires, for example, that supervisory officers review every use of force by their subordinate officers, both to determine whether the particular use of force was proper and to identify systemic issues that may require retraining or other remedial measures. The Policy also requires that every New Jersey law enforcement agency – including the New Jersey State Police, the 21 County Sheriff’s Offices, and more than 500 local police departments – conduct an annual analysis of use-of-force incidents to identify trends, including any racial disparities, and submit the analysis to the County Prosecutor for review. Investigating Use of Force Incidents There are few investigations more important—or more challenging—than those involving the use of force by law enforcement officers against civilians. In December 2019, Attorney General Grewal issued AG Directive 2019-4 , known as the Indepe