A New Jersey Appellate Division ruling has been issued on the side of Newark’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, or CCRB, restoring several functions that were previously stripped by a lower court. As WBGO’s Ang Santos reports, it reverses a decision made last year in favor of a lawsuit brought by the Newark Fraternal Order of Police.

A New Jersey Appellate Division ruling has been issued on the side of Newark’s Civilian Complaint Review Board restoring several functions that were previously stripped by a lower court.

“The CCRB can function as intended under the ordinance including providing an oversight role by investigating alleged police misconduct, conducting hearings, participating in the development of a disciplinary matrix, making recommendations, and issuing subpoenas,” Mayor Ras Baraka said reading from the ruling at a City Hall press conference.

The Fraternal Order of Police brought the lower court suit, saying the CCRB ordinance exceeds its authority.

“It’s nothing against the police,” said CCRB chairmen Richard Robinson. “The police are magnificent. It is now a measure where we can actually eliminate some of the bad apples that have been associated with this great fraternal organization, and we can be more productive.”

Avion Benjamin, First Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Newark says the CCRB proactively addresses the issue.

“And provide transparency, make better relationships between the community and the police officers that are sworn to protect that community," she said.

Newark’s Civilian Complaint Review Board was introduced after the US Justice Department filed a complaint against the city in 2016, referencing a previous DOJ report that detailed violations by city police officers, while calling the Internal Affairs unit ineffective.