“Camden is a role model for the nation,” said Bramnick (R-Union).  “They have been able to build trust within a community that for a very long time did not exists and lower crime rates.  This city is on to something that others around the country can use to make similar progress.”

Bramnick noted that in 2013 then-Gov. Chris Christie and local leaders disbanded the existing police department and established a new policing model.  A first of its kind, it was based on community policing, advanced training to help police officers defuse violent situations and an enhanced partnership with state and federal law enforcement.  As a result, excessive force allegations against police are down 95 percent since 2012.

See the attached guidelines by the U.S. Department of Justice entitled: Camden’s Turn: A Story of Police Reform in Progress.