Jayden Forniel’s early encounter with law enforcement left a lasting impact on him. At just seven years old, living in Newark, he witnessed the police forcefully enter his home and arrest his father on charges of drug trafficking.
This traumatic experience shaped his perspective on the police.
“After that day, I’ve struggled with trusting the police and similar institutions,” Forniel, now a junior at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, shared during a recent school discussion.