THE OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT: THE PEOPLE’S BASTION AGAINST POLICE MISCONDUCT IN NEW JERSEY

In the United States of America, police brutality and overreach have been and continue to be insidious problems. Protests erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, after the shooting death of an unarmed African-American teenager at the hands of a Ferguson police officer. A subsequent United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) investigation into the conduct of the officer and the Ferguson Police Department uncovered “clear racial disparities that adversely impact African Americans,” which were partly motivated by “discriminatory intent.” The report indicated that an “emphasis on revenue has compromised the institutional character of Ferguson’s police department…” While these issues were ultimately uncovered in Ferguson, the investigation was initiated only after the shooting and riots, and irrevocable damage had already been done to the victim and his community. View More.