ACLU wants N.J. policy on police informants
The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey is calling for a uniform statewide policy on law enforcement’s use of confidential informants. An ACLU representative wants to make sure no one is coerced into becoming an informant.
Police agencies around the state use those informants to gather information about criminal activity, but ACLU New Jersey policy counsel Alex Shalom says there are no consistent regulations.
“There doesn’t exist one comprehensive statewide document that tells police officers how they should be interacting with confidential informants and that as a result puts both confidential informants in jeopardy and police officers and their investigations,” said Shalom.
The ACLU is pushing for a statewide procedure to determine who can be a confidential informant. It would also like to see training for police officers on just how to use them.
A spokesman for New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow says the state is committed to improving all aspects of law enforcement and will consider the recommendations.
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