NJ’s attorney confronts gun violence, corruption, police reform - and a paradox

New Jersey State Attorney General Matt Platkin is faced with a paradox: He says his top priority is helping local police departments reduce crime and keep the citizens of the state safe. But at the same time, Platkin says he wants to reduce the presence of law enforcement in communities with high-crime rates and where police use of force is a problem. 

“We have to make sure that as we are dealing with the rise in crime that we're not taking steps backward on building trust between law enforcement and the communities,” Platkin said. “Not only do I think that'd be the wrong thing to do, I don't think that is how you actually encourage and promote true public safety.”

The 36-year-old Platkin is among the youngest attorneys general ever confirmed in New Jersey history. In January, he took over a branch of government that has broad powers and 8,000 employees.  The agency has come under criticism for many years for not pursuing big corruption cases or taking over local police agencies that have become dysfunctional. But in his first year, Platkin has moved quickly to take on corruption, police dysfunction, police use of force, and target the gun violence that has long animated his work. 

“My job, first and foremost, is being entrusted to keep people safe,” Platkin told Gothamist.

Platkin, 36, was just finishing his first year in office at the end of January when I had the chance to spend a day with him. It was six hours of non-stop events and meetings. In New Jersey, the Attorney General is appointed by the governor and then confirmed by the State Senate. Once confirmed, the top law enforcement official cannot be fired by the governor,  and has broad powers, including the authority to take over any investigation, police department or prosecutor’s office in the state. The attorney general also supervises the state police, and takes on consumer protection, white-collar crime, political corruption and corporate malfeasance. 

Platkin said his primary focus is reducing crime while also reining in the police presence in communities plagued by crime.  To that end, he meets weekly with the top brass at the state police, who have a data analysis project that examines every shooting in the state by the Investigations Branch of the New Jersey State Police.