PLAINSBORO, NJ – The NAACP is calling for the removal of the man leading the New Jersey State Police after the attorney general released a scathing report on the agency.
NAACP New Jersey State Conference President Richard Smith says the recent report exposed the underbelly of the New Jersey State Police.
“The report and memo released by Attorney General Platkin are not news to us,” Smith said.
The state-funded investigation uncovered discriminatory hiring practices and found that the internal affairs process was weaponized against some troopers. The attorney general recommended policy reforms.
Advocates are calling for reforms across the New Jersey State Police
Smith is calling on Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy to fire Superintendent Patrick Callahan and his top deputy.
“Because we believe neither can fulfill the recommendations that you or the law firm that conducted the investigation proposed,” Smith said.
Smith says bias in hiring practices is highlighted by a lack of diversity in the ranks of the state military. There are currently just over 3,300 state troopers in New Jersey. According to the NAACP, only about 6% of them are black.
Advocates spoke to reporters in Plainsboro on Friday, calling for reforms across the department.
“If you don’t make systemic change in policing, it’s not just about the person at the top, you have to make systemic change across the ranks,” said former NYPD Lt. Darrin Porcher.
“Deconstructing and rebuilding racist police forces is the strong medicine needed to tackle a seemingly intractable problem,” said Lawrence Hamm of the People’s Organization for Progress.
Murphy said the state police must make meaningful reforms, but did not respond to calls to fire the chief.
CBS News New York reached out to the New Jersey State Police for a response but did not hear back.
Nick Caloway
