This bill mandates that all law enforcement agencies in New Jersey establish an extremist review council within their internal affairs units. The council is tasked with investigating complaints of official misconduct against law enforcement officers who are alleged to have engaged in hate-related activities, either on or off duty. This includes making public expressions of hate, participating in hate group activities, or being a member of a hate group. The bill defines "hate group" as any organization that supports or advocates for violence or genocide against individuals based on their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.

To implement this requirement, the bill amends Section 10 of P.L.1996, c.115 (C.40A:14-181) to ensure that the guidelines for internal affairs are consistent with the existing policies of the Police Management Manual. The new language specifies that the internal affairs policy must include the establishment of the extremist review council and outlines the definitions of "hate group" and "public expression of hate." The act is set to take effect four months after its enactment, although the Attorney General may take necessary anticipatory actions for its implementation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40A:14-181