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Info (but no names) released on 10,000 NJ police officers' internal affairs cases
By
Karen Yi
Published Sep 8, 2022
Modified Sep 8, 2022
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Inhauscreative via Getty Images
By
Karen Yi
Published Sep 8, 2022
Modified Sep 8, 2022
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More than 10,000 New Jersey officers were under investigation last year for allegations of misconduct or other rule violations, according to a new public dashboard that details internal affairs cases.
The attorney general’s office for the first time on Wednesday released aggregate internal affairs data that discloses what kinds of complaints have been filed, which agencies they were filed at, the status of each investigation, and whether any discipline was taken. The data, however, doesn’t name the officers involved.
“Now for the first time in state history, the public will be able to see, all in one location, the allegations and disciplinary action taken in internal affairs cases across New Jersey,” acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement.
The significant public disclosure comes amid increased calls from police reform advocates for additional transparency in police misconduct cases. It’s the first time the state’s law enforcement agencies have reported their internal affairs cases to the state at such a detailed level.
Previously, departments submitted their cases to the county prosecutors, who then sent overall numbers to the attorney general’s office.
Marleina Ubel, a policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective, called the move a “historic step towards police transparency and accountability.” But she called on lawmakers to pass legislation making police disciplinary records public — which would include naming individual officers. Internal affairs records remain exempt from public view under the state’s public records law, but a New Jersey Supreme Court ruling earlier this year said such records could be released if public interest outweighs confidentiality concerns.
The dashboard includes information on whether a complaint was made by a civilian, whether it was made anonymously, the race and ethnicity of the officer, whether a complaint was sustained, whether it was closed and the clearance rate of cases by department. It allows the public to compare departments side by side. The dashboard lists internal affairs cases for more than 500 departments, with 35 not reporting any active cases in 2021.
“Not many agencies or states release this information. Bringing this data to light will enable the public to look with a broader lens to see if the internal affairs system is working the way it should be,” said Tom Eicher, executive director of the state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. The public integrity office falls under the attorney general’s office.
In February, the attorney general’s office also released data detailing major discipline cases across the state’s departments that resulted in suspensions of five days or more, or a termination, though some government transparency advocates have criticized the data within as too vague, with many details on incidents only provided at the discretion of individual law enforcement agencies. The office also provides a public dashboard that tracks use of force by police officers.
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new jersey
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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