New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin promised Paterson residents gathered Thursday at St. Luke’s Church that he’d come to listen, to hear their concerns about how police treat people, especially those in mental crisis. “If you take nothing away from tonight, I want you to know that I get the pain that this community has felt and I also know … the trust between law enforcement and this community has been broken,” Platkin said.
Platkin order the state to take command of Paterson’s police department on March 27, weeks after police shot and killed Najee Seabrooks, who had suffered an emotional breakdown and called for help. Seabrooks’ mother made an emotional plea to Platkin: “All I want is justice for my son, cause he did a lot for his community, and I hope the community is behind him.” Residents told personal stories about their encounters with police.
Najee’s family and advocates who work with Paterson’s poorest residents emphasized over and over that the department needs more than a cosmetic fix. “We need terminations. We need accountability,” said Black Lives Matter organizer Zellie Thomas. “Because if you’re talking about accountability, we need to see it … People need to feel that if they call 911 for help, they’re going get help, resources and assistance, not violence or death.”
Platkin vowed he would take their concerns personally.
