Frequently Asked Questions

 Are the police officers in the Highland Park Police Department being trained in de-escalation techniques/using peaceful conflict resolution strategies?

1. All of our officers have completed multiple trainings in the last 14 months that include:

   • Implicit Bias and De-escalation
   • Police Professionalism
   • Special Needs/Mental Health De-escalation
   • Cultural Diversity

     Other trainings attended by various Highland Park police officers include:

2. Are the police officers in the Highland Park Police Department forbidden from using carotid restraints (chokeholds, strangleholds, etc)?

   All officers are trained to follow the New Jersey Attorney General’s Guidelines.

   Per the NJ Attorney General:

   “New Jersey law enforcement officers are not permitted to perform chokeholds, carotid artery neck restraints, or similar tactics on any individual, except in the very limited situations when deadly force is necessary to address an imminent threat to life. Our state’s police academies have long instructed recruits on the dangers of “positional asphyxiation,” a form of asphyxia that prevents suspects from breathing adequately, including by kneeling or otherwise placing weight on a subject’s neck. Police Training Commission Defensive Tactics Manual § 5.3.2 (2009). Because these tactics create a substantial risk of death or serious bodily harm, officers who cause a subject’s death or injury while performing them face potential criminal liability that prohibit chokeholds, carotid artery neck restraints, or hog-tying of subjects unless the officer is faced with a deadly force situation due to the imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to themselves or another party.”  

   Guidance to County Prosecutor's Office - Use of  Force

3. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department forbidden from transporting civilians in dangerous positions, such as face down in a vehicle?

   Subjects are not permitted to be transported face down in a vehicle for any reason.

4. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department required to intervene if they witness another officer using excessive force? Will officers be reprimanded if they fail to intervene?

   In New Jersey, any officer that witnesses another officer using excessive force is required to intervene. Failing to do so is a criminal offence - Official Misconduct – which is a second degree crime in NJ.

5. Is there a clear and enforced use-of-force policy that details what force is acceptable in a wide variety of civilian-police interactions?

   The Highland Park Police Department has adopted the Attorney General’s Use of Force policy as its own. All officers are trained to use sound tactics and judgement when deciding what level of force is required. If an officer determines that the use of force is absolutely necessary, they are trained to use the minimum amount of force to accomplish their task. Options ranging from gestures and verbal commands, through hands on tactics, to the deployment of natural agents such as OC spray, the deployment of an impact tool such as a baton, or even lethal force.

   All officers are also trained in Use of Force reporting as required by the NJ Attorney General’s Directives and Guidelines.

   All use of force incidents are reviewed by the Highland Park Police Department administration.

6. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department forbidden from shooting at moving vehicles?

   All police officers in NJ are prohibited from shooting at moving vehicles barring extreme circumstances where there is a risk of death or serious bodily injury posed to an officer or other person, and no other means exist to end the dangerous situation.

7. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department required to give a verbal warning to civilians before drawing their weapon or using force?

   The issuance of a verbal warning is encouraged whenever possible prior to any use of force or enforcement action. However, each instance is handled on a case by case basis when measured against the level of the danger of imminent death or serious bodily injury faced by the officer, other involved parties, or bystanders.

8. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department required to report each time they threaten to or actually use force?

   Whenever an officer uses physical, mechanical, or deadly force, each involved officer is required to complete a report and other forms as required by the New Jersey State Attorney General’s Office.

9. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department thoroughly vetted to ensure that they do not have a history of abuse, racism, xenophobia, homophobia/ transphobia, or discrimination?

   All Highland Park police officers undergo a comprehensive application process and background check prior to hiring. This process includes numerous references, interviews, and home visits, as well as professional psychological testing investigating the candidate for any of the traits mentioned above.

   Additionally, Officers may be sent for additional psychological testing as part of an internal affairs investigation or as part of the resolution from a sustained complaint finding.

10. Are officers in the Highland Park Police Department trained to perform and seek necessary medical action after using force?

    Highland Park police officers are trained to assess and assist anyone with a limited degree of first-aid level medical attention at any time. Additionally they are required to obtain medical attention from EMTs and/or Paramedics whenever there is a report of pain or injury during any encounter they have with the public, including following the use of force by police officers.

11. Is there an early warning system in place to identify and correct officers who use excessive force or have any other discipline issues?

    The Highland Park Police Department uses a program called Guardian Tracker to maintain an Early Warning database as required by NJ AG Directive 2018-3. The Guardian Tracker is an important tool designed to detect patterns and trends in police conduct. This system monitors officers over a broad range of categories including Civil Actions taken against an officer, Internal Affairs or Citizen Complaints against the officer, and Excessive Force complaints.

12. How many complaints does an officer have to receive before they are reprimanded? Before they are terminated?

    There are no minimum numbers of complaints required before corrective action may be taken. If there is a sustained finding from even a single complaint, an officer may be counseled, retrained, or disciplined (up to and including termination).

    We work closely with the Borough’s Human Resources Department to make final determinations on serious discipline (long-term suspensions) or termination as appropriate.

13. What can I do as a concerned citizen?

• Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training
• Community Policing: Teens Together
• Critical Incident Stress Management
• Essential of Effective Supervision
• Interpersonal Communications
• Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention & De-escalation
• Mental Health First Aid for Veterans/First Responders
• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement - Policing in a New Era
• Verbal Judo – When Words Fail

Highland Park Police officers attended over 3400 hours of training in 2019.  These trainings are ongoing and officers will continue to attend them on an ongoing basis, as they are available.

Communicate with our Police Department. Attend meetings. Follow our Facebook page and stay involved.