What that did was allow multiple incidents to take place without any type of accountability, Thomas said. Abbassi wont begin his stint in Paterson until an unspecified date in May, state officials said. Law enforcement officers have fired their weapons at least seven times targeting people in Paterson, resulting in six deaths. A lot of people want to give the AG an opportunity, said one of the citys most outspoken activists, Ernest Rucker, in an interview on Friday morning. PATERSON With a revised mission on the horizon, Patersons community policing division is looking to open a second base of operations in the citys Northside neighborhood in the 1stWard, officials said. The councilman said many people have asserted that the department is too short-staffed. Platkin saidAbbassi willstart working in PatersoninMay. His announcement didnt mention the shooting of 31-year-old Najee Seabrooks directly, but it reflected activists concerns about how the department was being run. Its all still in the early stages, Maher said. Charlie Stile: Platkin on Paterson: 'A major commitment' and a major new test for NJ's attorney general. In the meantime, a New Jersey State Police officer will serve as the departments interim head. A federal appeals court has temporarily agreed to keep part of New Jerseys handgun carry law in effect as court proceedings play out. The two elected officials both of whom have repeatedly professed their innocence offered very different opinions on the letter. "More training or whatever, but we need more people," Paterson resident Marcus Castro said. First published on March 28, 2023 / 12:30 PM. and increase training. All rights reserved. takeover It put the city and its residents in jeopardy.. Email: editor@patersonpress.com. Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. if (y < 1000) y +=1900; A Paterson firefighter was charged with allegedly stealing a gold necklace from a criminal suspect while the man was in police custody, according to the var dayNames = new Array("Sunday","Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday"); It said Abbassi was justified in his actions because he was relying on information provided to him by his fellow officers. The chart showed no other changes in command duties, leaving in place the captains who had been in charge of such areas as narcotics, patrols and internal affairs. "This has been going on for a long time. | Editorial. The worst thing we can do is simply put a Band-Aid on the systematic issues that led to Najee Seabrooks death, said Sullivan, the organizations deputy policy director. We need you to know that you are not the supervisor of the municipal council; however, the toxic council culture is rooted in the unfinished business of our justice system.. "August","September","October","November","December"); 11:19 PATERSON In a city where activists often demand quick results, several community leaders who spoke during Thursday nights meeting with Attorney 2023 www.northjersey.com. NJ Attorney General To Take Over Paterson Police Operations, Live Stream Link Here There is no safety without trust, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in announcing a state takeover of the day-to-day operations of the Paterson Police Department and plans to include mental health professionals in responses to barricaded Under these circumstances, I cannot deliver on my duty to protect the people of Paterson and to keep officers safe who are sworn to protect them.. Im entitled to a fair and expeditious trial, Jackson added. Shifting some community policing services to the crime-ridden 1 st Ward seems to fit the changes being planned under the state takeover of the Paterson police Sayegh says he's reviewing the state plan and figuring out a timeline. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Paterson Councilman Alex Mendez's election fraud case will stretch into summer, The fatal police shooting of a Paterson activist and its aftermath, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Last month, a Paterson police officer was charged with aggravated assault and official misconduct after shooting a man in the back while responding to sounds of gunfire. New Jersey lawmakers eye tax break for offshore wind developer Orsted, New Jersey casinos want 10 more years of internet gambling, but NJ may only approve for 2 more, New Jersey governor and lawmakers announce deal on property tax break for seniors, Court temporarily allows part of New Jerseys handgun carry law to remain in effect. Abbassi also will undergo the requisite training for New Jersey police officers, Platkin said. But the Attorney General's Office said Abbassi will hold his own series of community meetings after he starts work in Paterson next week. We will do everything we can to continue to improve our Police Department for the residents of Paterson.. New Jersey Attorney General's Office takes control of Paterson Platkin also formed a working group to study and make recommendations on interactions between police officers and violence intervention officers. This is not a step I take lightly. Murrays longtime second in command in the Ceasefire nonfatal shooting unit, Lt. Anthony Hyatt, was moved up the ladder above captains and deputy chiefs in the organization table and will oversee special investigations. All Rights Reserved. Something has to change, and it will change starting now. The shooting left the man, Khalif Cooper, paralyzed. Earlier this morning, I exercised my authority as attorney general and superseded the Paterson Police Department.. Platkin said a face-to-face interview he had with Abbassi earlier this year clinched his decision. Mental health counselors from a nearby hospital, St. Josephs University Medical Center, also were not called during the nearly five-hour standoff a decision the hospitals president criticized in a strongly worded statement. Dalton Price has been hired to serve as interim coordinator of school safety at the Zellie Thomas, the lead organizer of Black Lives Matter Paterson, said he was cautiously optimistic that Mondays announcement would eventually usher in similar change. How much money will Paterson police get under state Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. PATERSON City officials are asking for millions of dollars in additional state aid to cover possible expenses stemming from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkins takeover of the Paterson Police Department. You never hire someone making $164k pension and giving them $105k more when unemployment is soaring in your dump of a community. "I am also grateful that Attorney General Platkin has announced that he will bring ARRIVE Together to Paterson," Murphy said. But the Attorney General's Office said Paterson will be responsible for funding the Police Departments operational budget and the salaries of its employees. But the board determined that two of the allegations were substantiated: one for threatening to arrest a woman without sufficient reason and another for entering and searching a home without legal authority. She joined The Times in 2018 as a senior editor. NJ attorney general plans Paterson police takeover community She said Seabrooks had been texting with colleagues, asking to see them, but that police blocked the co-workers from entering the apartment. Paterson Press on Monday sent the Attorney General's Office questions about the budget for its Paterson Police Department intervention. The move is good not only for residents whove come to distrust city police, the attorney general said. Seabrooks, who was a crisis intervention worker and mentor with the nonprofit Paterson Healing Collective, had called 911 at least seven times and told dispatchers that people were threatening him and he needed immediate help. Please enter valid email address to continue. Take Over Paterson Police Then, 14 years later, the department was disbanded altogether, largely in an effort to break the police officers union, and rebuilt with an emphasis on using a less confrontational approach. CNN The New Jersey Attorney Generals Office announced it has assumed control of the Paterson Police Department until new leadership can be installed, saying Multiple speakers asserted that mental health professionals are better equipped than police officers to handle such cases. Phil Murphy and fellow Democratic leaders in the Legislature say they have reached a deal on a property tax rebate plan that had been a sticking point amid negotiations over the states more than $50 billion budget. In 1998, the state took over Camdens police department after concluding that the force was understaffed and inefficient and had ignored recommendations to improve. He probably also has some B.S. Thursday nights meeting with Attorney General Matthew Platkin, Paterson residents tell state attorney general they dont trust citys Police Department, The fatal police shooting of a Paterson activist and its aftermath, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. BOE is packed with some of the least intelligent people in NJ. Barbara Martinez of the Healing Collective said authorities should stop sending a militant police force to respond to 911 calls involving people in emotional distress. Its important that this comes from the residents, the assemblywoman said. Casey Melvin, one of the Healing Collectives leaders, said it was too early in the process to comment about the attorney generals actions. That doesnt show me they want the community to be part of the solution, Jackson said. Platkin said the state would bring more resources to the Paterson Police Department, but he did not provide details. Im hopeful that by listening to community members, said Mr. Thomas, who lives in the city of 158,000 where a majority of residents are recent immigrants, Black or Latino, they will be willing to reimagine what public safety looks like., Tracey Tully covers New Jersey. But Abbassi last month issued a strategic vision for the department with a much different emphasis for community policing. Retired police officer hired for top Paterson school district Abbassi would be a state employee, the mayor said, when asked what the new officer in charges salary would be. Paterson NJ Police Department Takeover by NJ // Array of day names It should've been nipped in the bud way before Mayor Sayegh got into office," resident Calvin Gomez said. Platkin and the man he picked to take charge of the Paterson police, Isa Abbassi, repeatedly have said the states intervention represents a long-term commitment to change a longtime problem. NJ takes over Paterson police after crisis workers shooting New Jerseys attorney general said Monday that his office has taken control of the police department in the states third-largest city, Paterson, less than a month after officers there fatally shot a well-known crisis intervention worker during a tense standoff. These tactics might have prevented Najee Seabrooks' death, a 31-year-old violence intervention specialist, Paterson says goodbye to Najee Seabrooks, activist killed in police shooting, Can Najee Seabrooks' fatal shooting be the moment to change Paterson's police? / CBS New York. This delay has undermined our democratic process and questioned the public expectation of trust in your office, Kuykendall and Fulmore said in their letter. A retired police lieutenant has been tapped for the school districts top security job. fatal police shooting of community activist Najee Seabrooks, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Frederick LaGarde Jr. addressed Platkin directly in his comments. Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Platkin said the NYPD picked Abbassi to take a key command position in Staten Island after the controversial police custody death of Eric Garner in 2014. PATERSON, N.J. On the same day two of its officers were charged with allegedly beating a man and lying about it late in 2020, the state of New Jersey announced that the Paterson Police Depa Ribeiro and Speziale could not be reached for comment. There's more to do for Paterson police. Patrick Murray, a 38-year street cop, was moved to the administrative role of chief of staff and executive officer, according to the Police Departments revised table of organization. We need terminations, Thomas asserted. Abbassi, who served 25 years with theNYPD, helped build community relationships afterthe death of Eric Garner on Staten Island. Elijah Westbrook is an Emmy Award-winning journalist. Arrive Together, a program that sends mental health professionals with officers when they respond to calls from people in emotional distress, will also be expanded to Paterson, he said. 0:00 0:53 PATERSON City officials are asking for millions of dollars in additional state aid to cover possible expenses stemming from New Jersey Attorney Major Frederick P. Fife of the New Jersey State Police, a former special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, assumed operational control of the Paterson Police Department on Monday morning. The two other recorded deaths involved people who died while in police custody. I want us to give him a chance, Martinez said of Platkins intervention. The top three things he listed for his redefined community policing were: In contrast, during the past decade, officers in community policing rarely participated in arrests, according to current and former members of the Paterson police department. The mayor is traveling this week to Nebraska to learn about a community-oriented police program in Omaha. Thomas last week called for the dissolution of the special investigations division, which Murray had headed, citing the December 2021 fatal police shooting of Thelonious McKnight by a detective from that group. Platkin said the takeover amounted to a pledge to residents and officers that the state is committed to safety in the city. "I dont think the community will accept anything different., Earlier:Paterson residents tell state attorney general they dont trust citys Police Department. FILE - New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin speaks in Trenton, N.J., Feb. 3, 2020. The state takeover of the Paterson Police Department, Platkin on Paterson: 'A major commitment' and a major new test for NJ's attorney general. Multiple members of the Paterson Police Department said city cops believe the Attorney General's Office moved Murray and Hyatt into the new roles because of their track record of experience working with state law enforcement agencies on Paterson investigations. Paterson Press sent Jackson and Mendez copies of the letter from Kuykendall and Fulmore to get the council members comments. Platkin said the takeover amounted to a pledge to residents and officers that the state is committed to safety in the city. Officials at the Paterson Housing Authority confirmed the agency has been involved in lease negotiations that would allow community policing to use the community center on Temple Street for its programs. But Mendez said Kuykendall and Fulmore shouldnt be rushing the Attorney General's Office. Give us a reason to support you, she told Platkin. WebPATERSON'S ARAB MAYOR PLOTS AGAINST POLICE CHIEF AND HIS REASON IS NOT SURPRISING. He also said the state will revamp its protocols statewide for dealing with people who have barricaded themselves in a room or building as Seabrooks had done for more than five hours before he was killed. However, we urgently request face-to-face interaction to help reduce ambivalence and feelings of distrust, which continue to be a significant concern throughout the city., Kuykendalls letter said a private meeting that had been scheduled for April 19 was abruptly postponed., Election fraud case: Paterson Councilman Alex Mendez's election fraud case will stretch into summer. | Editorial, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. READ MORE:Social justice institute calls for federal investigation after fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks. For a Notorious Police Department, This Killing Was the Last Straw. READ MORE:In wake of shooting of Najee Seabrooks, N.J. attorney general announces takeover of Paterson Police Department. This is not a step I take lightly. Needs that city and state officials say weren't always met, such as aiding a person having a mental health crisis. New Jerseys attorney general, Matthew J. Platkin, said the state had seized control of the Paterson Police Department on Monday morning. 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The status quo is not addressing these longstanding issues, he added. Platkin said the goal of the takeover is restoring confidence in the Paterson police and he would not specify how long the state intervention would last. // -->. There is a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in this city, Mr. Platkin said during a news conference in Paterson. Earlier: The NJ attorney general plans a Paterson community forum without the city's new top cop. Paterson Black Lives Matter leader Zellie Thomas on Monday expressed his disapproval of the possibility of Murray's playing a bigger role in the citys department. The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice has called on the Justice Department to investigate the citys police department, and the ACLU of New Jersey said the shooting shows the need to invest in non-law enforcement responses to mental health calls. The attorney general's takeover of the Paterson Police Department followed the March 3 fatal shooting of Najee Seabrooks, a violence intervention specialist with the Paterson Healing Collective. But we have to see whats going to come of this. City Hall officials said the $5 million on the application was basically a made-up number designed to stake Patersons claim to extra money, not based on any accounting of needs and costs. Paterson Press obtained a copy of the new command structure from sources. While seeking information about the Seabrooks case and subsequent state takeover, the letter went into the most depth regarding the election fraud charges against Paterson City Council members Michael Jackson and Alex Mendez, which has been pending since June 2020. He joined CBS2 News and CBS News New York in January 2022. A march in support of Najee Seabrooks who was shot and killed by Paterson police officers in Paterson, N.J., in March. Newark's been under a court-ordered federal monitor for almost five years, costing the city millions of dollars. In the past, community policing mostly has been involved in feel-good events with residents like concerts, cookouts and camps. Takeover I mean, isn't $164,000 a year not enough? document.write(dayNames[dt.getDay()] + ", " + monthNames[dt.getMonth()] + " " + dt.getDate() + ", " + y); His death shook his co-workers, who were at the scene and texting with him, said Liza Chowdhury, Seabrooks boss at the Paterson Healing Collective. Paterson Press asked Platkin about the civilian complaints against Abbassi. Officials on Monday did not say whether the state intervention would affect the role of the Passaic County Prosecutors Office in connection with the Paterson police. The mayor noted that many people have said those programs caused them to see cops in a different light. Councilman Luiz Velez said he hoped the state would allocate extra money to the Police Department for training, equipment, salaries and community relations. Mason Maher, president of the union that represents Patersons ranking police officers, said he and Policemen's Benevolent Association President Alex Cruz met with Abbassi through Zoom on Thursday. Minutes before Platkins speech, city employees removed the metal fence barriers that have blocked the front entrance to police headquarters since protests erupted after Paterson police officers fatally shot Najee Seabrooks on March 3. But the statement issued by the office late Friday afternoon in response to those questions contained no numbers. "This groundbreaking initiative represents a sea change on emergency response to individuals facing mental health crises, and will decrease the danger to everyone involved., Our view:Can Najee Seabrooks' fatal shooting be the moment to change Paterson's police? There is a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in this city, said Platkin, flanked by members of his staff and the New Jersey State Police at a press conference outside Paterson police headquarters.