uncertainty and confusion abound in Paterson where the appellate Court ruled that the Attorney General illegally took control over the Paterson Police Department in 2023 that control came after several deadly police shootings and dozens of criminal charges against officers that attorney general Matt platkin said created a crisis of confidence in the city's police force but the courts have cited with mayor Andre Sayegh who sued to regain control senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan spoke to Residents lawmakers and others who are reeling from this groundbreaking decision confusion is the biggest feeling out here right now because people are just trying to figure out what's going on activist Corey Teague says shock waves rocked Paterson today with residents wondering who'll be running the police department after a state court dropped a bombshell ruling the judge has decided New Jersey's attorney general illegally took over Paterson's trouble police almost two years ago ruling the AG does not have the legislative authority to supersede Municipal police departments without their consent the court ordered control should revert back to the original police chief and City Hall the AG appealed within hours I really don't want to see us backtrack I want to see us be able to continue to move forward and if anything build on the relationship that's already kind of been established Community Police and uh throughout every war that has been very visible and uh a safety measures that been put in place in particularly in our main quarter such as Broadway that I've never seen in my lifetime and I'm a lifetime Patterson resident locals who back the AG's takeover say it's driven down Paterson's crime rate and restored some Community Trust especially following outrage over the police shooting of a resident suffering a mental health crisis AG Matt Platkin stated we remain deeply committed to Paterson and to The crucial work of making the city safer for all its people including as this wrongful decision is appealed the Attorney General's office stepping in was a step in the right direction it was accountability a recognition that this police department the city was not fixing the issues that existed for years and without those issues being fixed you're never going to have a productive relationship you just aren't for now everything's on hold while the Attorney General's office asks the Supreme Court to hear an appeal they warn justices a takeover reversal risks chaos in the chain of command for the police department imminently as to who leads the department while fragile police reforms remain underway which will undermine the public safety for all residents it doesn't create confusion what it need what it this is what is needed collaboration that's what we needed to begin with and no one should usurp an elected official's Authority especially under false pretenses mayor Andre Sayegh who along with his former Chief of Police filed the lawsuit challenging platkin March 2023 takeover says crime rates here started dropping before then he adds the AG got an extra 20 million in state aid for policing patteron and seya wants that to continue the court has said the Takeover was not needed but resources are needed so if they are sincere meaning the Attorney General he's not going to turn this bigot off he's going to say look I really want Paterson to succeed the mayor applauds platkin recent decision to appoint 40-year veteran Paterson Police Captain Pat Murray as the Department's new officer in charge under the ruling the state will retain control of the internal affairs unit which had rarely disciplined officers no one worked to actually fix the problem at its core and when the state stepped in when the AGS stepped in instead of cooperating they sued I think everyone should be asking what are you going to do now it's almost like the city's holding its breath what happens next is up to Jersey's high court I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight news [Music]