NJ's top law official wants to license cops

Andrew Ford
Asbury Park Press
USA Today Network - New Jersey

.... After protests tore through several New Jersey cities following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, the state's top law enforcement officer renewed a call to license police and push other reforms, some addressing issues highlighted by the Asbury Park Press and Star-Ledger.
..... "Like so many Americans at this difficult time I'm still reeling form the footage of ... George Floyd's murder," Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said. "Like so many Americans, I, too am angry."
..... Grewal spoke Tuesday [06/02/2020] at Governor Phil Murphy's daily briefing on coronavirus, providing a progress report in his efforts to strengthen accountability for New Jersey police.
..... Grewal said he supports licensing police officers in New Jersey, one of a handful of states that don't. Along with several reforms unveiled in December, [2019] Grewal ordered the state's Police Training Commission to produce a report on licensing cops, which was due Monday. [06/01/2020] work on that report was delayed due to the coronavirus, according to James Sharrock, vice chairman of the commission.
..... The commission will next meet June 17. [2020]
..... Grewal's office also is exploring a statewide program to train officers to deal with people with mental health issues.
.... He said he is ready to roll out a state wide program to gather police sue-of-force data and issue new rules for police use of force, and he plans to develop more staff to respond to civil rights incidents.
..... "To be clear, we began planning all of these programs long before this week's protest, and we'll continue them long after the protests end," Grewal said.
..... Grewal's reforms in part address issues raised in past news stories.
..... The Press exposed a host of police accountability gaps after the 2015 killing of Tamara Wilson-Seidle, who was fatally shot in Asbury Park by her ex-husband, off-duty Neptune police Sargent Philip Seidle, after as of domestic turmoil. Press stories exposed many systemic issues, some of which promoted reforms. Press reporting showed:
* Million in taxpayers funds are spent to hush lawsuit claims of police abuse.
* A lack of random drug testing standards.
* Flawed handling of informaiton about police credibility issues.
* A police academy physical test failed women 13 times as often as men.
..... Police car chases hurt many cops and bystanders and usually don't end with an arrest, and New Jersey and Newark lead the nation for racial disparity in car chase deaths.
.... The Star-Ledger compiled a database of use-of-force incidents across the state that showed shoddy record-keeping and officers with excessive sue of force incidents.

Andrew Ford: @AndrewFordNews; 732-685-4634; aford3@gannettnj.com

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