New Jersey attorney general announces new reforms for New Jersey State Police
The reforms come after investigations by two outside firms found the department repeatedly failed to conduct objective, unbiased investigations into complaints by whistleblowers.
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Big changes are in store for the New Jersey State Police.
The reforms were announced by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. They come after investigations by two outside firms found the department repeatedly failed to conduct objective, unbiased investigations into complaints by whistleblowers, including women and minorities.
Platkin says he is enacting more than two dozen reforms, including increased oversight of complaints to internal affairs against NJSP leadership, reforms to the hiring process to make the state police more closely match the diversity of New Jersey and mandatory training on discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.
Platkin says he believes the reforms will foster greater transparency and accountability within the department, its troopers and the public.
Law enforcement analyst Richard Rivera, who advocates for whistle-blowers within law enforcement, says the changes are long overdue.
“This is something that's been in the making for decades upon decades,” Rivera says. “We knew about these abuses that were taking place and finally, it seems like somebody's going to do something about it. But what the results will be need to be seen, because we've been down this path many times with the State Police.”
Platkin’s office did not announce a timetable for implementing the reforms.
