SandSJ’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Charles F. Boyer, Responds to the Trump Administration’s Decision to End Justice Department Investigations in Trenton and Other Cities

"Today’s news comes as no surprise. Since day one, the Trump Administration has been relentless in their attempts to dismantle any and all protections for Black people and our communities. To arbitrarily dismiss the numerous accounts of violence, over-surveillance, unjust arrests of Black residents in Trenton and beyond, signals the level of willful ignorance playing out across the country.

"Yet, this decision further reminds us of what is at stake in every election. We cannot afford to have candidates straddle the fence on these issues, as Trump makes it very clear whose side he’s on.

"In the meantime, while New Jersey still holds onto some sense of democracy within our Statehouse, we call on Attorney General Matt Platkin to pick up the ball dropped by the Trump administration by taking over the Trenton investigations.

"We also call on our top leadership in the legislature, Speaker Coughlin and Senate President Scutari, to move forward with the reforms needed to protect Black communities--without further delay:

• Advance legislation supporting the establishment of strong Civilian Complaint Review Boards (CCRB) with subpoena power and the power to hold concurrent investigations.  This board will provide necessary oversight and accountability, ensuring that the voices of our community members are heard and that their concerns are addressed effectively. 

• Increase state funding of community-led crisis response teams as an alternative to police. The findings in this investigation further confirm that the best way to ensure the health and safety of Black residents throughout the state is to minimize the police footprint in our communities and invest in community-led models of public safety. 

• Enacting Senate Bill 2348, codifying the Attorney General’s Use of Force Directive. Codifying the Use of Force Directive would significantly strengthen protections against police use of force beyond this current Administration. o

"Under this Trump Administration, Black communities have had a target on our backs like never before. It is up to our state’s leadership to be the firewall we need to ensure that the Constitutional Rights of Black people in New Jersey are not further eroded."