New Jersey Use of Force Policy 2020: AG Overhauls Regulations, Mandates Training

• New Jersey's then-Attorney General Grewal introduced the first revision to the statewide Use of Force Policy in two decades in December 2020.
• The updated policy, promulgated under Attorney General Directive No. 2020-13, includes supplements for conducted energy devices and vehicular pursuits.
• All 38,000 New Jersey law enforcement officers were mandated to complete a two-day de-escalation training program by December 31, 2021.
• A statewide Use of Force Portal requires officers to report incidents within 24 hours, feeding into a public-facing NJ Use of Force Dashboard.
• Over 500 New Jersey law enforcement agencies began electronically submitting use-of-force data to the portal in late 2020, enhancing transparency and accountability.

This marked the first update to the policy in two decades, fundamentally overhauling the responsibilities of law enforcement personnel.

In a significant move to redefine interactions between officers and civilians, then-Attorney General Grewal unveiled a comprehensive revision to the statewide New Jersey Use of Force Policy 2020 in December 2020. This marked the first update to the policy in two decades, fundamentally overhauling the responsibilities of law enforcement personnel. The new framework was formally promulgated under the authority of Attorney General Directive No. 2020-13 and Attorney General Directive No. 2021-14, establishing a new standard for New Jersey police use of force regulations.

Beyond the core policy changes, the directive included two crucial supplements addressing specific scenarios. One supplement provided detailed guidelines concerning the use of conducted energy devices, commonly known as stun guns, and other less-lethal equipment. The other supplement focused on regulations surrounding vehicular pursuits, ensuring a holistic approach to various use-of-force situations. This comprehensive update aimed to enhance public safety and clarify operational procedures across all law enforcement agencies in the state, setting a new benchmark for the New Jersey stun gun policy and other critical areas.

To ensure widespread adherence to the updated guidelines, then-Attorney General Grewal mandated an extensive training program for all 38,000 state, county, and local law enforcement officers throughout New Jersey. This immersive, two-day training focused on de-escalation techniques and other strategies designed to minimize the necessity of force. Officers were required to complete this specialized instruction by December 31, 2021, with the program incorporating two established and respected training methodologies to maximize effectiveness, thereby reinforcing NJ police training requirements.

Further bolstering New Jersey law enforcement accountability, the revised policy introduced stringent requirements for post-incident review. Supervisory officers are now obligated to review every instance of force used by their subordinates. This review serves a dual purpose: to ascertain the propriety of the specific use of force and to pinpoint any systemic issues that might necessitate additional retraining or other corrective measures. Moreover, every law enforcement agency in New Jersey—including the State Police, the 21 County Sheriff’s Offices, and over 500 local police departments—must conduct an annual analysis of use-of-force incidents. This analysis aims to identify trends, including potential racial disparities, and must be submitted to the County Prosecutor for thorough review.

A cornerstone of the new policy's commitment to transparency is the launch of a first-of-its-kind statewide dashboard designed to track all use-of-force incidents in New Jersey. The Use of Force Policy mandates that within 24 hours of any force application against a civilian, the involved officer must submit detailed information to a dedicated statewide “Use of Force Portal.” This portal, operated by the Attorney General’s Office and developed in collaboration with Benchmark Analytics, has created the most comprehensive statewide database in the country for monitoring law enforcement use of force.

By late 2020, a significant milestone was achieved as all 500-plus law enforcement agencies across New Jersey began electronically submitting data into the portal. The Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity & Accountability, alongside the Office of Justice Data, subsequently developed an online NJ Use of Force Dashboard. This public-facing platform allows researchers, reporters, and the general public to access detailed use-of-force information, with the option to download the complete dataset in various formats. While the dashboard remains under active development and its information is presented “as is,” it represents a substantial leap forward in New Jersey law enforcement accountability, with future versions expected to offer additional or clarified data, and user feedback actively encouraged.

Source: Original reporting via New Jersey Attorney General's Office