New ‘Deadly Force’ Guidelines to Be Rolled Out for NJ Police

New Jersey police officers will soon undergo new training sessions to educate them on the most recent update to their use-of-deadly-force policies.

According to NJ.com, the NJ attorney-general's office has issued the first update in twenty years to the rules that dictate when police can chase a suspect down, strike them, or use their weapons in an effort to provoke submission. Apparently, there are in fact some police forces within the state that are already adopting these newly-laid out practices and have been for a while now. But, for those that haven't started the process before the official changes were announced, training will soon begin.

The point of the update is to make sure no life is taken accidentally without warrant or merit. The new updates will restrict officers from using force as a means to stop a suspect from resisting arrest. The new mandates will also require police to provide immediate medical attention to anyone that deadly force had been administered.

These rules don't just apply to suspects confronted on foot. NJ.com also reports that shots fired at a moving car have also been prohibited. Of course, there are caveats to the moving vehicle mandates, but as a general rule, if no one inside the vehicle is causing harm to anyone else, police can no longer open fire as a means to ensure apprehension.

You can read all about the new mandates HERE. The official adherence to these new protocols won't be enforced until next year.

Source: NJ.com