SandSJ Responds to the Findings of DOJ Investigation of the Trenton Police Department

For Immediate Release  

Contact: Racquel Romans-Henry  |  racquel@sandsj.org 

November 21, 2024 

In response to the Department of Justice’s announcement today that the Trenton Police Department (TPD) and the city of Trenton engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that routinely violates the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution and federal law, Rev. Dr.  Charles F. Boyer, Executive Director of Salvation and Social Justice, issues the following statement: 

Trenton, New Jersey--- Salvation and Social Justice commends US Attorney Philip Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and the dedicated team at the DOJ for their investigation into the conduct and practices of the Trenton Police Department. The findings of this investigation while damning and alarming do not come as a surprise. This report merely  memorializes on paper the harsh realities that too many Trenton residents have had to endure for years. 

It's important to recall how we got to this point. It was September of 2023, when SandSJ hosted a town hall with US Attorney Sellinger at Greater Mount Zion  A.M.E. Church, organizing a mass showing of community members and advocate partners who shared the needs and concerns of the people of Trenton. Overwhelmingly what we heard were harrowing accounts describing misconduct, violence, oversurveillance and unjust arrests of Black residents at the hands of Trenton police department. Just a month later, the investigation was launched  thanks to the courage and resolve of the people who showed up to that town hall. One year later, with the release of these findings, we stand firm in that resolve to end this culture of police abuse in our communities through substantive policy change.  

If we are serious about reforming a system that is rooted in unjust targeting and brutalization of Black communities, then we must start by: 

• Establishing Civilian Complaint Review Boards (CCRB) through Trenton local ordinance.  These boards will provide necessary oversight and accountability, ensuring that the voices of our community members are heard and that their concerns are addressed effectively. 

• Ensuring that the Federal Monitor, appointed to oversee the court order’s reforms to the TPD policies as a result of this investigation, establishes a team that includes trusted community and subject matter experts.  

• Increasing state, county, and municipal funding of community-led crisis response teams as an alternative to police in the city of Trenton. The findings in this investigation further confirm that the best way to ensure the health and safety of Trenton residents is to minimize the police footprint in the city and invest in community-led models of public safety. 

• Enacting Senate Bill 2348 codifying the Attorney General’s Use of Force Directive. With an upcoming Trump administration on the horizon, Black communities will have limited recourse in facing state sanctioned violence as Trump has vowed to stop the DOJ and FBI from investigating police departments who routinely violate civil rights. Codifying the Use of Force Directive would significantly strengthen protections against police use of force beyond this current administration and what has become an increasingly hostile federal government. 

SandSJ will continue to engage the community for feedback, ensuring that the voices of the directly impacted are centered as we continue to fight for the liberation of our communities in 2025 and beyond.