WEEHAWKEN, NJ — An extemporaneous group of Union City and Weehawken residents have gathered
to organize a peaceful demonstration, in light of the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so
many other Black Americans, to demand justice for victims of police violence around the country and for
reforms here in Hudson County.

Some North Hudson residents believe that “our cops aren’t like those other cops,” and therefore, we have
neither the responsibility nor the need for reforms. Yet even if we accept the premise that our police
departments do not have the same problems as those in Minnesota or Louisville, then the reforms we
seek should be easy to implement. Our proposals are in the best interest of the community and serve to
strengthen it and its relationship with the police. Therefore, it stands to reason, our neighbors in the police force should welcome our calls for reform.

Our proposed reforms are simply the right thing to do. They seek to end the moral imbalance in our
culture that places a higher value on maintaining an unjust state of law and order rather than building a
just society for all.

To that end, the organizers of North Hudson for Justice, following the leadership and initiatives taken by
national Black social justice movements, demand the following from federal, state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies:

● The immediate adoption of the #8CantWait policies proposed by Campaign Zero. These include:
○ Banning chokeholds and strangleholds.
○ Requiring de-escalation.
○ Requiring a warning before shooting.
○ Exhausting all other means before shooting.
○ Requiring offices to intervene, stop, and immediately report the use of excessive force by
other officers.
○ Restricting officers from shooting at moving vehicles.
○ Requiring a use of force continuum.
○ Requiring comprehensive and publicly available reporting on the use of force by officers.
● The reallocation of funds from police departments to social and community services.
● The implementation of independent civilian review boards with full subpoena power to oversee
and review police conduct.
● The requirement of all police body cameras to be on at all times and unable to be turned off by
officers.
● The affirmation of the public’s right to access all police body camera footage.
● The implementation of a community-first hiring policy which requires 75% of any department’s
staffing to be composed of local residents.

● The creation of a Hudson County police academy whose curriculum is publicly available so future
officers may receive proper training in the community they are meant to serve.
● The immediate dismissal and suspension of benefits for officers who abuse their power.
● The creation of a nationwide “bad cop” registry and a ban on police officers fired for misconduct
from being hired or transferred to other departments.
● The destruction or disposal of all equipment acquired under any defense surplus equipment
disposal program, including the 1033 program.
● The abolition of no-knock warrants.
● The abolition of civil forfeiture before convictions, with no proceeds going to police departments.
● The end of active police presence in our local schools.
● The adoption of a participatory budget process where community members decide how to spend
public money.
● The elimination of qualified immunity for police officers.

EVENT SUMMARY

WHO: North Hudson for Justice, a grassroots organization of local residents united to demand justice for people of color here in Hudson County and around the country.

WHAT: A rally featuring local speakers and a commemoration of those lost to police violence.

WHEN: Sundat 6/7/2020 3pm

WHERE: Hamilton Park, 737 Boulevard East, Weehawken, NJ 07086