“Targeted On Purpose?” New Jersey Sues Clark Township Over Years Of Alleged Racial Policing

New Jersey officials say this wasn’t bad policing — it was policing by design, and it targeted Black and Latino drivers for years.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights filed a civil lawsuit against Clark Township, the Clark Police Department, and former officials — including longtime mayor Salvatore Bonaccorso.

After investigating policing from 2015 to 2025, the state alleges township leaders and senior police officials directed officers to aggressively target Black motorists to discourage them from being in Clark.
Investigators say traffic stops weren’t isolated — they were systematic and leadership-driven, reinforced by openly hostile racial attitudes.

• Black and Hispanic residents make up under 11% of Clark’s population

• Yet they accounted for over 37% of traffic stops (2015–2020)

• More than half of out-of-town stops involved Black or Hispanic drivers

• Black drivers were searched nearly 4× more than white drivers; Hispanic drivers 2×+
  Tactics allegedly included targeting roads near the Garden State Parkway, focusing on minor violations, and using questionable marijuana-odor claims to justify searches.The lawsuit — filed after the Union County Prosecutor’s Office ended its takeover of the department — seeks court-ordered reforms, ongoing monitoring, and compensation for those harmed.
  Civil Rights Director Yolanda N. Melville called the alleged conduct a blatant abuse of power, while the AG said it violates New Jersey’s core constitutional and civil rights protections.

Bottom line: The state says Clark’s policing wasn’t about safety — it was about who was behind the wheel.