PR/ State PBA President Patrick Colligan Statement AG On “Major Discipline” Directive

“The State PBA has for decades fought to make New Jersey’s law enforcement officers the most professional and best trained in the nation. While we too are angered when police officers abuse their power, we also believe that everyone deserves to be treated equally under the law. Police officers especially. Unfortunately, the Attorney General’s “Major Discipline” Directive does not treat every officer equally.

“While the term “major discipline” sounds like an officer has severely violated the public trust, in reality police officer discipline wildly differs from town to town. Major discipline in some places could be handed down for a uniform violation. The Attorney General’s Directive is far too broad and it treats all officers unequally. While we have pledged to work with the Attorney General on enhancing our profession this new policy does not recognize those arbitrary differences. The Policy is going to smear officers unfairly who have not violated the public trust and I would respectfully suggest it needs to go back to the drawing board.

“I have directed Legal Counsel for the State PBA to review the policy to ensure that officer rights are protected.”