Assembly measure mandates de-escalation, reporting, and medical aid standards in statewide reform effort
TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey lawmakers are advancing new police accountability legislation that would require the state Attorney General to overhaul law enforcement’s use-of-force policy for the first time since 2001, establishing uniform statewide standards on when and how officers can apply force.
Key Points
- Assembly Bill A3280, sponsored by Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D–15), mandates a full rewrite of New Jersey’s police use-of-force policy.
- The bill requires de-escalation, intervention, and reporting protocols for officers witnessing potential excessive force.
- The Attorney General must issue the revised statewide policy within eight months of the law’s enactment.
Lawmakers push modernization of decades-old standards
Under A3280, the Attorney General would be required to publish a revised policy detailing the appropriate use of physical and deadly force by law enforcement officers across all New Jersey agencies. The bill, pre-filed for the 2024–2025 legislative session, reflects mounting calls for uniform, transparent policing standards and oversight.
Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, who represents parts of Mercer and Hunterdon counties, said the measure ensures “clear, modern, and community-focused” rules that emphasize restraint, accountability, and the preservation of life.
Key reforms and officer responsibilities
The proposal directs the Attorney General’s office to include a comprehensive list of reforms in the revised policy, including:
- Mandatory de-escalation and crisis intervention tactics when feasible.
- Prohibition on force beyond what is proportional to the threat or offense.
- Mandatory reporting and intervention by officers who witness potential excessive force.
- Strict guidelines on firearm use, including when officers may draw or point weapons.
- Requirements to provide medical assistance to anyone injured during an incident.
- Expanded training standards on vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with mental or developmental disabilities.
The bill also calls for standardized procedures to investigate citizen complaints, evaluate force incidents, and update training programs on a recurring basis.
Implementation timeline
If enacted, the Attorney General would have seven months to prepare the updated rules and an additional month to publish the full policy publicly. Once issued, the new guidelines would replace the 2001-era standards that currently govern all New Jersey police agencies.
Supporters say the legislation will strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve by creating consistent, transparent expectations statewide.
Tags: New Jersey Legislature, police reform, use of force
