ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 4653
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: FEBRUARY 13, 2025
The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly
Bill No. 4653.
This bill requires the Attorney General to establish a crowd
management training program and provide resources to local law
enforcement under certain circumstances.
Under the bill, the Attorney General, in consultation with the
Superintendent of State Police, the New Jersey Office of Emergency
Management, and the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of
Police, is required to establish a training program for any local or
municipal police department or force located within a municipality
that, within the preceding twelve months, hosted two or more large-
scale social gatherings, a flash mob, or a pop-up party.
The bill defines a “flash mob” or “pop-up party” as a gathering of
50 or more persons, typically organized through social media or other
electronic communication, that occurs without advance notice to the
municipality or other local governmental unit and impacts public
safety. “Large-scale gathering” is defined as any public or private
gathering with greater than 500 attendees.
The training program is required to include, but should not be
limited to:
(1) general crowd management techniques;
(2) crowd management techniques applicable to juveniles;
(3) strategies for responding to social media activity related to
large-scale gatherings;
(4) best practices for coordination and resource sharing with
neighboring law enforcement agencies; and
(5) best practices for ensuring the safety of attendees, the public,
and law enforcement during a flash mob or large-scale gathering.
In addition, the bill requires the Attorney General to make certain
resources available to any local or municipal police department or
force that has participated in the training program established pursuant
to the provisions of this bill. Finally, the Attorney General is required
to establish a process for law enforcement to request immediate
support during a flash mob or pop-up party.