Mercer Times

The Attorney General’s Office released information today regarding major disciplinary actions taken against New Jersey law enforcement officers in 2023. This initiative is part of an ongoing effort to enhance transparency and public access to police discipline and use of force information. The release complies with directives issued in November 2022 by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, which expanded the definition of major discipline and required more detailed reporting on misconduct leading to disciplinary action.

“The information released today reflects our commitment to increasing accountability in policing. For the first time since information regarding major disciplinary actions has been made public, we have made significant changes to the requirements by expanding the information provided. Increased transparency helps increase confidence in law enforcement, leading to greater public safety,” said Attorney General Platkin. “New Jersey’s law enforcement officers – the vast majority of whom serve with professionalism and honor – benefit from this increased public trust, enabling them to more safely and effectively serve New Jersey’s residents.”

The updated reporting requirements took effect on January 1, 2023, making this the first year under the new standards. The report now includes details about certain forms of misconduct irrespective of the type or severity of discipline imposed on officers. These include sustained findings related to discrimination or bias, excessive force, untruthfulness, filing false reports, improper searches or arrests, mishandling evidence, or acts of domestic violence.

As with previous years' reports, this release also covers officers who were suspended for over five days, demoted, or terminated in 2023. The revised definition includes any officer who resigned or separated from their agency while under investigation if their misconduct fell within specified categories or would have led to significant disciplinary action.

Under AG Directive 2022-14, all New Jersey law enforcement agencies must submit annual major discipline reports for review by the Office of Justice Data (OJD) and the Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA). These reports must contain names and detailed synopses of misconduct cases so that readers can understand the factual scenarios leading to disciplinary actions.

In 2023, attendance-related offenses such as lateness were most frequently reported among major disciplines. A total of 538 major disciplines were recorded from 167 agencies involving 460 unique officers; pending cases are not included in this data.

Additionally, annual summaries of internal affairs investigations are required by law enforcement agencies and are submitted to OPIA under current regulations.

The releases form part of broader initiatives by Attorney General Platkin aimed at making New Jersey’s criminal justice system more transparent and fostering greater trust between law enforcement and communities. Other measures include a data warehouse offering de-identified arrest information and expanded demographic data on state law enforcement agencies.

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