[ad_1]<\/p>\n
In response to the outcry surrounding the actions of police officers who handcuffed a Black teen at the Bridgewater mall, acting Attorney General Matt Platkin reminded law enforcement in a letter Friday of a directive banning \u201cracially influenced policy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Platkin, who\u00a0<\/span>assumed the role of the state\u2019s chief law enforcement officer<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on Monday, notes in the letter \u2014 addressed to all law enforcement chiefs \u2014 that the 2005 directive bars officers from considering a person\u2019s race or ethnicity when deciding whether the person has engaged in criminal activity.<\/span><\/p>\n Platkin\u2019s letter says he will not comment on the specifics of the incident seen in the video, noting it is under investigation by local authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRegardless of that investigation\u2019s outcome, even the appearance of racially disparate treatment is detrimental to community and law enforcement relations, and to public confidence in the criminal justice system,\u201d he wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n The\u00a0<\/span>56-second video<\/span><\/a>\u00a0shows two teenagers \u2014\u00a0<\/span>identified by MyCentralJersey.com<\/span><\/a>\u00a0as Umar Joseph Franco, a Hispanic 15-year-old, and Black eighth-grader Z\u2019Kye Husain \u2014 fighting, first verbally then physically. When officers arrive on the scene, Franco is on top of Husain. Officers pull Franco off and one leaves Franco seated on a nearby couch while the other officer pins Husain to the ground and handcuffs him.<\/span><\/p>\n The video ignited a firestorm over the disparate treatment given to Husain compared to Franco. The Somerset County Prosecutor\u2019s Office is investigating the officers\u2019 handling of the scuffle and looking into whether racism played a role in officers cuffing Husain.<\/span><\/p>\n Gov. Phil Murphy said he was \u201cdeeply disturbed\u201d by the recording. Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench said he is \u201ccompletely confident that the prosecutor\u2019s review will be impartial, objective, and thorough,\u201d and thanked the public for \u201crefraining from jumping to conclusions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Social justice advocates and police accountability groups decried the incident, citing studies that show police are far more likely to use force against Black suspects than whites.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n