CJ Griffin Interviewed by Politico Regarding Access to Police Internal Affairs Records
CJ Griffin, partner and director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center, was recently interviewed for a Politico article discussing the gubernatorial candidates’ positions on police transparency. One candidate’s proposed changes would limit the release of police internal affairs records. Griffin, who argued Rivera v. Union County Prosecutor's Office, the New Jersey Supreme Court case that set the standard for which internal affairs reports are eligible for release, fears some of the proposed policy changes would “send us back the dark ages.”
“You can say you’re protecting law enforcement, but you’re really only protecting bad behavior. The only ones that have to worry about the release of internal affairs files are the ones who engaged in misconduct,” Griffin said.
“We pay police salaries; we pay all their settlements. We deserve to see their misconduct, just like the misconduct of lawyers, judges and others is public information,” said Griffin.
To read the full article in Politico Pro, click here.
