The County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey on Saturday released a message calling images of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis “deeply disturbing.”
The association said the case was being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, “as it should be.”
Floyd died Monday after an arrest in which an officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck, despite pleas from Floyd that he couldn’t breathe. That officer, Derek Chauvin, and three others were fired, and Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but that has not been enough to quell a wave of national protests and, in some places, rioting.
The association emphasized the trust in law enforcement that departments around New Jersey have worked to earn.
“We believe that New Jersey is home to some of the finest law enforcement officers in the country,” the association said. “The County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey is committed to ensuring that members of our local, county and State Police forces provide fair treatment and justice to all our residents. Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a member of law enforcement as a result of bias or other improper behavior is encouraged to take the matter up with that officer’s chief, or contact their county prosecutor’s office directly so their complaint can be thoroughly investigated.”
People are also reading…
The association praised state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal for his work in maintaining a positive relationship between police and citizens.
“We are privileged to have the leadership of New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who just this past fall issued a comprehensive package of policy initiatives designed to reinforce and clarify the Garden State’s commitment to excellence in policing,” the association said. “These statewide reforms are intended to promote the culture of professionalism, accountability and transparency that are hallmarks of New Jersey’s best law enforcement agencies. Through Attorney General Grewal’s ‘Excellence in Policing Initiative,’ the state is building a national model for strengthening accountability and trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.”
