The New Jersey state Office of the Attorney General has taken control of the Paterson Police Department following years of problems, including criminal charges against a dozen officers , millions in legal settlements and fierce criticism of police use of force in the state’s third-largest city.
“There is a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in this city,” Attorney General Matt Platkin said during a Monday afternoon press conference on the steps of Paterson’s public safety complex. “That cannot continue. It will change, starting now. Effective immediately, my office has assumed control of all law enforcement functions of the Paterson Police Department.”
