Legislative Push to Restructure New Jersey State Police

In a significant move led by New Jersey lawmakers, there is a bipartisan effort to redefine the structure of the state police, positioning it as an independent entity directly answerable to the governor. This initiative seeks to remove the department from the supervision of the Democratic state Attorney General Matthew Platkin.

Details of the Proposed Legislation

The proposals, which have been presented in both the state Assembly and Senate, aim to transfer all resources of the state police from the attorney general’s Department of Law and Public Safety and establish it as a separate cabinet-level agency. Advocates of the move argue that this change will liberate the state police from what they describe as the restrictive micromanagement of the attorney general.

Democratic State Senator James Beach, a prominent supporter of the bill, criticized the current oversight by the attorney general, stating, “I don’t think a politically-appointed lawyer who does not know anything about policing should be the person responsible for the State Police to report to,” according to Politico. However, both Senator Beach and Attorney General Platkin’s office have not commented further on this matter.

Republican Support and Rationales

Republican Senators Anthony Bucco and Robert Singer are advocating for this restructuring as a remedy for current bureaucratic inefficiencies. Senator Bucco expressed concerns about delays in promotional approvals due to the large size of the attorney general’s office, while Senator Singer highlighted the contentious interactions between the attorney general and various government levels, as reported by New Jersey Monitor.

Civil Rights Groups’ Cautious Stance

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Although the legislative move hasn’t faced outright opposition from lawmakers, civil rights groups have expressed some reservations. The New Jersey State Conference of the NAACP has tentatively endorsed the separation of the state police from the attorney general’s oversight but emphasized the need for the establishment of an inspector general with subpoena power to ensure the efficacy of the legislation, according to NAACP attorney Gregg Zeff.

Lauren Bonds from the National Police Accountability Project noted that having the state police report directly to the governor is generally the standard practice and supported this model.

Background of Attorney General Platkin’s Tenure

Attorney General Matthew Platkin has been proactive during his term, building on the initiatives of his predecessor, Gurbir Grewal. Platkin released a comprehensive report last year accusing the state police of racial bias in promotions and maintaining a culture favoring white male troopers. This led to significant changes, including the removal of the police’s human resources unit and the introduction of external investigators within the internal affairs unit, actions which were applauded by the ACLU of New Jersey as crucial accountability steps.

Impact of Proposed Changes

The implementation of this restructure could have immediate consequences if passed before the upcoming summer recess. It would allow the winner of the November gubernatorial race, contested between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill, to appoint New Jersey’s inaugural police commissioner right on their first day in office. Delays could mean that the structural changes and the ensuing shift in oversight might not occur until after another legislative session, thereby allowing Attorney General Platkin’s contentious reforms to persist.