A coalition of advocacy and nonprofit organizations has criticized proposed legislation that would remove the New Jersey State Police from oversight by the state Attorney General’s office. The bill, S4613, is sponsored by Senators James Beach, Michael Testa, and Anthony Bucco. If enacted, it would separate the State Police from the Department of Law and Public Safety, which is led by Attorney General Matt Platkin.
The Attorney General’s office has implemented reforms aimed at increasing accountability and transparency within the State Police. These efforts have included addressing issues related to racism and ableism in policing practices. The office has also issued directives limiting cooperation between local police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), responding to concerns about community disruption caused by federal immigration enforcement.
Additionally, the Attorney General’s office has worked to improve safety for people with disabilities during interactions with law enforcement officers. The office has played a role in legal actions opposing federal policies perceived as threats to civil rights and due process protections for immigrants and people of color.
Reverend Charles Boyer, founder of Salvation and Social Justice, said: “The New Jersey State Police has a long, well-documented history of racism embedded in their culture. To allow them to separate from the oversight of the Attorney General’s office is not just irresponsible—it’s an assault on the Black community. Their record with Black people is abominable, and if the legislature permits this, it will echo the same disregard for justice we see under the Trump administration.”
Surraya Johnson, Director of the Criminal Justice Reform Program at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice stated: “There is no good reason to remove the New Jersey State Police from the oversight of the Attorney General’s office. That oversight is more critical than ever right now, when law enforcement has been tasked with violating the rights of residents in New Jersey and around the country.”
Dena Mottola Jaborska, Executive Director of New Jersey Citizen Action commented: “It’s vital that Attorney General Platkin continue his office’s efforts in shaping our state police force into a more transparent institution that is accountable to the general public. Allowing the New Jersey State Police to operate independently when federal authorities are increasingly unchecked sends the absolute wrong message to New Jerseyans, and in particular to immigrants, people of color, and our most vulnerable residents. We urge our legislature to seek other ways to improve the state police’s effectiveness, and allow Attorney General Platkin to build on the progress his office has made so far.”
Marleina Ubel, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective added: “Stripping the Attorney General’s oversight of the State Police is a direct attack on government accountability and civil rights in New Jersey. This change would eliminate one of the few independent checks on a law enforcement agency with a long history of systemic racism and abuse. The Attorney General’s office not only pushes for reform — it also provides critical data that expose ongoing harm. Weakening this oversight sends a dangerous message: that the State Police should operate without scrutiny, and that justice and public trust are not a priority. Our communities should be demanding stronger oversight, not weaker.”
Jim Sullivan, Interim Policy Director at ACLU-NJ said: “On the heels of independent investigations that indicate the persistence of systemic racism in policing and employment practices within the New Jersey State Police, this bill would strip the Attorney General – the state’s chief law enforcement officer – of their necessary oversight powers. This misguided legislative effort could not come at a worse time, as we can no longer expect the U.S. Department of Justice to serve as a backstop to hold state police accountable for discriminatory conduct. New Jerseyans – and all people who enter our state – deserve better.”
Antoinette Miles, State Director for New Jersey Working Families Party stated: “We are deeply troubled by this disturbing piece of legislation, which appears aimed at rolling back critical criminal justice reforms championed by the Attorney General’s Office. At a time when our civil rights are under attack from Donald Trump and extreme Republicans in Washington, we need our elected officials in Trenton to be working with General Platkin more closely than ever to ensure that New Jerseyans’ rights are protected. This dangerous bill, the apparent product of a political vendetta, threatens to erode the progress we have made, and we are calling on legislative leaders and Governor Murphy to reject it.”
Organizations voicing opposition include Salvation and Social Justice; New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; New Jersey Citizen Action; New Jersey Working Families Alliance; American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey; Make The Road NJ; New Jersey Policy Perspective; and Latino Action Network.
