On July 13, 1999-thirty years after an incident of police brutality helped spark the Newark riots-a broad coalition of organizations called upon Governor Whitman to make the State Police accountable to independent bodies, not just the Attorney General’s office. The organizations included the ACLU-NJ, Black Ministers Council, NJ Coalition Against Police Brutality, NJ Lesbian and Gay Coalition, and People’s Organization for Progress.

The NJ NAACP has since joined the call for real reform, and other organizations that want to end bigotry and bad policing are encouraged to contact the ACLU-NJ.

“A civilian complaint review board and an outside auditor will ensure that the State fulfills its promise of a new, improved State Police force,” said Rev. Dwight Gill of the Black Ministers Council. “Without those mechanisms, the public will continue—with good reason—to doubt the integrity of the State Police.”