PATERSON — Six months after Governor Phil Murphy signed a groundbreaking law aimed at preventing incidents like the fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks in March 2023, the implementation of its key provisions has yet to begin.
The law, named in memory of Seabrooks and Andrew Washington, who was similarly killed in Jersey City, mandates the establishment of a state advisory council. This council is tasked with setting best practices for handling emergency responses to individuals in mental health or substance abuse crises.
According to the legislation, the advisory council was scheduled to convene within 45 days of its signing on January 12, holding six public meetings annually with transparent proceedings published on a state government website.
However, as of now, the advisory council has not convened any meetings.
In a recent development, state officials disclosed progress in implementing another aspect of the Seabrooks-Washington law. Grants have been awarded to nonprofit organizations in Paterson, Camden, Newark, and Trenton to initiate pilot programs for community crisis response teams.
Paterson’s initiative, the Paterson Compassionate Care Collaborative Project led by Reimagining Justice Inc./Paterson Healing Collective and involving local stakeholders like the Black Lives Matter group and St. Joseph’s University Hospital, received a notable grant.
Funding was also allocated for pilot programs in Jersey City and Middlesex County, though new applications are being sought for these locations due to a lack of eligible submissions.
While the law earmarked $12 million for these pilot programs, details on the allocation of funds per county were not explicitly confirmed in the recent announcement by Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Governor Murphy.
Queries regarding appointments to the advisory council remain unanswered by the governor’s office, which cited its policy against discussing pending appointments.
Activists and community leaders have expressed disappointment over the delay in implementing the law. Lawrence Hamm, a prominent Newark activist, voiced concern over potential future incidents similar to Seabrooks’, highlighting ongoing issues of police accountability in crisis situations.
Yannick Wood from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice commended the launch of pilot program applications but stressed urgency in their rollout, emphasizing the need to shift from police responses to mental health interventions in crises.
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, representing Paterson, acknowledged the administrative challenges in forming new governmental bodies but affirmed the administration’s commitment to enforcing the Seabrooks-Washington law.
Zellie Thomas, a leader in Paterson’s Black Lives Matter movement, reiterated the community’s desire for mental health professionals to lead crisis responses instead of law enforcement.
Questions remain about the pilot programs’ policies concerning individuals in crisis who possess weapons, a concern amplified by Seabrooks’ case where he brandished a knife during the fatal encounter.
The state advisory council, once operational, is expected to outline comprehensive guidelines for community crisis response programs, a mandate now overseen by the AG’s Department of Law and Public Safety following legislative amendments.
Simultaneously, investigations into the handling of Seabrooks’ and Washington’s shootings by law enforcement remain ongoing under the purview of the AG’s Office.
As stakeholders await further developments, the implementation of the Seabrooks-Washington law stands as a critical step towards reforming emergency response protocols in New Jersey, aiming to prioritize mental health interventions in crisis situations.