Section 52:17B-236.2 - Findings, declarationsThe Legislature finds and declares that:
a. New Jersey's system of policing and incarceration has staggering racial disparities.b. Since 2015, fatal police encounters in New Jersey have resulted in the deaths at least 86 members of the public. Almost half, or 48 percent, of those who lost their lives were Black.c. New Jersey has one of the highest racial disparities among victims of police violence in the country: Black New Jersey residents are killed at a rate 8.3 times higher than white residents.d. Between October of 2020 and February of 2021, there have been over 3,500 documented police use-of-force incidents across the State. Of these incidents, at least 46 percent involved police using force on Black individuals.e. According to studies, individuals with untreated severe mental illness are involved in one-fourth of all fatal police encounters, making those with untreated mental illness 16 times more likely to be killed by a police officer.f. Over the last few years, 911 calls for mental health crises in New Jersey have increased exponentially.g. In 2012, New Jersey passed the Overdose Prevention Act, which includes Good Samaritan protections that are intended to encourage people to call 911 if they are with a person who is experiencing an overdose. Yet, research on the effectiveness of Good Samaritan laws shows that overdose bystanders continue to delay or refrain from calling 911 due to fear of police involvement, social penalties, and stigma.h. According to national studies, the majority of all police killings in the United States escalate from nonviolent situations, such as traffic stops, mental health checks, and domestic disputes.i. Current research demonstrates that police-centered models of public safety have far-reaching harms, especially for young Black men. Even in the absence of violence, frequent police stops are linked to adverse mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.j. Other jurisdictions have found that responding to a variety of calls for service, especially those that involve a mental health crisis, with an alternative crisis response team not only reduces the possibility of escalation and thus use of force, but also provides monetary savings to the cities implementing these models.k. Research on the state of policing shows that front-line officers are experiencing physical and mental health challenges related to burnout and the cumulative stress of responding to behavioral health incidents.Added by L. 2023, c. 259,s. 2, eff. 1/12/2024.