Gov. Murphy empowers N.J. State Police to confiscate medical supplies

TRENTON, N.J. – If you have a private stash of gloves? Masks? Or pretty much anything the State of New Jersey thinks it needs to fight COVID-19? The New Jersey State Police are now empowered to take it from you.

Governor Phil Murphy signed EO-113 on Thursday which allows for the seizure of medical supplies and eventual “compensation” pursuant to “procedures established by the Disaster Control Act, N.J.S.A. App. A:9-51.”

Murphy’s order directs the superintendent of the state police “to take or use personal services and/or real or personal property, including medical resources, for the purpose of protecting or promoting the public health, safety, or welfare.”

“While we look forward to these facilities cooperating with us and providing this equipment as needed, this order gives (police) the express authority to requisition it for distribution to our acute care hospitals and other healthcare facilities,” said Murphy at his Thursday briefing. “And needless to say, they badly need the equipment.”

Click here to view the order.

The apparent prelude came when the Murphy Administration ordered certain businesses (notably collision repair shops) to provide the state with an inventory of protective equipment by March 27th.

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