State President James Ford urges bipartisan legislative action, stronger protections for law enforcement officers, and greater accountability for violent offenders.

TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police (NJFOP) stands in solidarity with the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5, and the entire law enforcement community following the tragic shooting death of Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber on October 10, 2026.

Officer Seiber, a 40-year-old, 10-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, leaves behind a wife, two young children, and a grieving law enforcement family. Another Philadelphia police officer was seriously wounded in the attack.

On behalf of the thousands of law enforcement professionals represented by the NJFOP, State President James Ford extends his deepest condolences to Officer Seiber's family, friends, fellow officers, and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy.

"Enough is enough. How many more police officers must be murdered? How many more families must receive that devastating knock on the door? How many more communities must bury their protectors before we collectively acknowledge that something must change?" said NJFOP President James Ford.

"Officer Shane Seiber was more than a badge and a uniform. He was a husband, a father, a colleague, and a public servant whose family will now face a lifetime without him. We also pray for the full recovery of his wounded fellow officer. Their sacrifice demands more than our sorrow. It demands our attention and our commitment to meaningful change."

The NJFOP believes that honoring fallen officers must extend beyond condolences, memorial services, and moments of silence. It must include meaningful conversations and responsible legislative action aimed at protecting those who protect our communities.

Here in New Jersey, the NJFOP is calling for legislative consideration of Assembly Bill A135, which would allow juveniles, regardless of age, who are charged with intentionally or knowingly killing a law enforcement officer under the circumstances specified in the bill to be considered for waiver from juvenile court to adult criminal court, subject to judicial review.

The NJFOP believes this legislation warrants serious consideration as part of a broader discussion about accountability for the most serious acts of violence against law enforcement officers.

Equally important, Assembly Bill A1171 and Senate Bill S200 address juvenile waiver more broadly, extending beyond crimes committed against law enforcement officers. These companion bills would expand the circumstances under which juveniles charged with certain serious offenses, including homicide, robbery, carjacking, aggravated sexual assault, terrorism, and human trafficking, may be considered for prosecution in adult criminal court, regardless of age, subject to the statutory waiver process and judicial review.

At the federal level, the NJFOP calls upon every member of New Jersey's congressional delegation to support and vote for the Protect and Serve Act, legislation intended to establish additional federal criminal penalties for certain deliberate attacks against law enforcement officers because of their status as law enforcement personnel.

"Protecting police officers should never be a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. It is a public safety issue, a community issue, and fundamentally a matter of recognizing the value of human life," Ford stated.

Beyond these specific legislative proposals, the NJFOP is urging lawmakers, prosecutors, law enforcement leaders, and criminal justice stakeholders to engage in meaningful bipartisan conversations about the handling of repeat violent offenders and individuals with significant criminal histories.

Those conversations must include a serious examination of sentencing practices, pretrial detention standards, repeat-offender accountability, and whether existing criminal justice policies adequately protect our communities from individuals who demonstrate a continuing pattern of serious violence.

"We can respect constitutional protections, recognize the importance of rehabilitation, and support a fair criminal justice system while also acknowledging that individuals who repeatedly commit serious acts of violence pose a significant threat to our communities and the officers who serve them," Ford continued.

"Public safety and officer safety are not competing priorities. They are inseparable. When violent offenders repeatedly endanger our neighborhoods, it is our residents and law enforcement officers who ultimately pay the price."

The NJFOP recognizes that meaningful criminal justice reform requires thoughtful discussion, careful consideration of constitutional rights, and collaboration among stakeholders with differing perspectives. However, those discussions must also recognize the responsibility of government to protect innocent lives and hold individuals accountable for serious acts of violence.

"Every day, our officers put on their uniforms knowing the risks associated with their profession. They accept those risks because they believe in service, sacrifice, and protecting others. What they should never have to accept is a society that becomes complacent about violence directed toward those sworn to protect it."

The NJFOP remains committed to working with elected officials from both political parties, fellow law enforcement organizations, community leaders, and criminal justice professionals to identify practical, responsible solutions that strengthen accountability and improve public safety.

"Today, our hearts are with our brothers and sisters in Philadelphia. Tomorrow, and every day thereafter, our responsibility is to turn our grief into meaningful action. We owe that to Officer Seiber, to his family, to every fallen officer, to every officer still answering the call, and to the communities depending upon them.

Enough is enough. Our officers deserve to come home. Their families deserve to have them home. And our communities deserve to be safe."

— James Ford, President New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police