ACLU-NJ Applauds Bergen County Sheriff's Decision to Hold Off on Military Vehicle Acquisition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

News reports this morning indicated that Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino has announced his intention to delay the acquisition of two mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs) for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department from the Department of Defense. The ACLU of New Jersey sent Sheriff Saudino a letter on August 1 urging him to withdraw the department’s application for the vehicles.

In response to the Sheriff’s announcement, the following is a statement from Ari Rosmarin, public policy director of the ACLU-NJ:

“We applaud Sheriff Saudino for listening to Bergen County residents and putting the brakes on his plan to bring two battlefield vehicles to the streets of Bergen County. As the ACLU-NJ cautioned weeks ago, militarizing local law enforcement could come with troubling ramifications for Bergen County communities, and the people of Bergen County must have a chance to weigh in before such a decision is made in their name.

Bergen County is not a war zone. The ACLU-NJ continues to urge Sheriff Saudino and other Bergen County policymakers to withdraw the request for armored vehicles and to reject the militarization of county law enforcement.”