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- Anne Milgram, Attorney General
State Police Racial Profiling Consent Decree Dissolved
Federal judge acts on joint petition by state and U.S. Justice Department
Trenton, NJ – U.S. District Court Judge Mary L. Cooper today dissolved the federal consent decree that provided for federal oversight and monitoring of the New Jersey State Police for the last 10 years. Over that period of time, the New Jersey State Police made significant reforms in the management and training of troopers, justifying the termination of the consent decree.
The consent decree, which was entered into by the State and the U.S. Justice Department following an investigation into profiling of minority drivers on the state's highways, was dissolved on a joint motion by both parties.
Last month, Governor Jon S. Corzine signed into law the Law Enforcement Professional Standards Act of 2009, which codifies the reforms implemented by the State Police to end racial profiling. The law mandates continued state oversight and monitoring of the State Police, creating an office within the Attorney General's office that will continue the oversight role that had been performed by federal monitors under the consent decree.
"The action in court today recognizes the significant steps that have been taken by the State Police to eliminate racial profiling," Gov. Corzine said. "At the same time, it confirms that the state intends to remain vigilant on its own in ensuring that the reforms adopted to eliminate racial profiling are permanent."
"The State Police have achieved significant reforms in the training, supervision and monitoring of road troopers, making them a model for law enforcement throughout the country," Attorney General Anne Milgram said. "The State Police worked hard to change its culture and was found by the federal monitors to be in full compliance with the consent decree for several years."
State Police Superintendent Colonel Rick Fuentes said, "The court-ordered lifting of the federal consent decree represents a watershed moment for all of the more than four thousand members of the New Jersey State Police who have worked tirelessly to gain and maintain the public's trust and confidence through transparency, sound managerial oversight and holding fast to the best practices of police professionalism and reform."
Changes at the Division of State Police include new management, training and supervisory policies to carefully monitor road stops. Trooper cars have been outfitted with dashboard cameras, and the division intends to convert all cameras to a new digital system.
Two federal monitors had found the division to be in compliance with the consent decree for several years when Governor Corzine appointed an advisory committee on police standards to conduct an independent review of State Police practices in 2006. The committee recommended that the substantial changes in operating procedures adopted by the State Police be permanently codified in legislation.
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