“Tyre Nichols should be alive today – not just as a matter of principle or justice, but as a matter of human dignity. The footage our nation watched tonight was unconscionable. Law enforcement officers are faced with incredible responsibilities often under the most challenging circumstances, and nearly all dispatch those duties with respect for the lives and safety of those they serve. There is no excuse for this violence – it erodes the trust between community and law enforcement that people across this state tirelessly work to build and strengthen. We will not let violence win and we will re-double our efforts to maintain and grow the strong partnerships we have built.

In New Jersey, we take pride in our duty to protect and serve the public and the use of force requirements embraced by our law enforcement community reflects that pride. At the core of our use of force policy is the principle that the sanctity of human life and service to the community is paramount: it reads that in serving the community, officers shall make every effort to preserve and protect human life and the safety of all persons. This is their obligation, and it is the law.

With support from Governor Murphy, I intend to continue doing everything in my power to rid this state of violence of any kind and make New Jersey a more just place to call home for every resident. Tonight, I share the grief felt by people across this state and country. I have spoken with many of our residents who are in pain right now, and I know this murder rips the scabs off wounds that have hardly healed. In New Jersey, law enforcement will be part of that healing. We will listen to our residents, and we will continue on the path towards justice together.

As our state’s chief law enforcement officer, as a father, and as a human being, my heart is with the people who loved and lost Mr. Nichols. And my prayer is that we end this violence – so no one else ever experiences the profound sadness of a mother who cannot hug her son tonight and a son who will grow up not knowing his father.”