The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and the ACLU-NJ released To Record and Protect, a policy brief urging Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to implement an amendment to police policy to affirm the rights of parishioners who record police encounters .
“George Floyd. Eric Garner. Walter Scott. Freddie Gray. Alton Sterling. We know these names because concerned viewers bravely recorded tragic police violence, ”the letter reads. “How many names do we not know yet and how many stories will we not hear just because nobody was there to record?”
The groups warn that police officers who attempt to intimidate or otherwise prevent residents from taking pictures may violate the rights of the First Amendment. The groups are calling for a directive outlining the scope of the First Amendment Act and forbidding officers to discourage, intimidate or retaliate anyone who verbally criticizes the police or records their behavior.
“As we seek to increase transparency and build trust, empowering members of the community – just like Darnella Frazier who filmed the murder of George Floyd – to hold law enforcement accountable by doing exercise their First Amendment rights to criticize and record police behavior, ”said.
Last week, Grewal announced a police body camera policy for the New Jersey police force requiring all uniformed patrolmen to be equipped, extending the mandate of the policy to additional police officers, and ensuring the appropriate use of cameras.
In November 2020, Governor Phil Murphy signed a law requiring every uniformed police officer in New Jersey to wear a body-worn camera by June 1. Since then, law enforcement, district attorneys and the attorney general have taken steps to implement the policy to use police body cameras.
Previously, fewer than half of law enforcement agencies in the state had BWCs. In January, Murphy signed another bill that provides $ 58 million in grants to support the nationwide program for body-worn cameras.
“Body-worn cameras are supported by both the police and the public because accountability is mutual – everyone is better off knowing they are in front of the camera,” Grewal said. “Body cameras not only promote safer and more professional interactions with law enforcement agencies, they also aid police in gathering evidence and serve to reduce unsubstantiated complaints against officials. Officials report that body-worn cameras can even help de-escalate unstable situations. “
Comments are closed.