By: Richard L. Smith
Today, influential members of the People's Organization for Progress, including U.S. Senate candidate Lawrence Hamm, are set to testify in support of the groundbreaking and controversial Civilian Complaint Review Board Bill (A1515-McKnight).
This event will take place before the New Jersey Assembly's Community Development and Affairs Committee at the N.J. Statehouse Annex in Trenton.
Lawrence Hamm, the founding chairman of the People's Organization for Progress and a noted insurgent candidate for the U.S. Senate, joins forces with his vice chairperson, Ingrid Hill.
POP officials say Hill has become a pivotal figure for mothers who have lost loved ones to police violence, actively involved in support networks such as the Stolen Lives Project over the last several years.
The hearing, scheduled to start at 10 am at the Statehouse located at 131-137 West State Street, Trenton, is set to be a platform for advocates and experts alike. Hamm, recognized nationally as a champion for social justice, is no stranger to such hearings.
He previously testified during the federal investigation into the New Jersey State Police for racial profiling two decades ago. His testimony comes at a time when there are renewed calls for similar investigations into the State Police.
The bill in question aims to empower communities desiring to establish a Review Board (CCRB) with significant authorities, including Subpoena Power, the capability to conduct Independent and Concurrent Investigations, a Community-driven approach, and a Disciplinary Matrix to guide police chiefs.
Hamm recalls the historical roots of this movement, citing a call for such measures made over sixty years ago by George Richardson, New Jersey's first African-American legislator.
Hamm'samm says, "It's whose time has come."