Advocates Criticize Bill To Remove State Police Oversight

Advocates are speaking out against a new bill that would remove the State Police from under the Attorney General’s oversight.

The bill was introduced in mid-June by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. It would move the State Police from the attorney general’s Department of Law and Public Safety to a new Department of State Police under the governor’s office.

Advocates argue the State Police must remain under the attorney general, stating in a press release Wednesday that the bill comes “[a]t a time when federal law enforcement and judicial practices have become politically weaponized under an increasingly authoritarian Trump administration.”

“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,”

said New Jersey Citizen Action Executive Director Dena Mottola Jaborska. “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.”

Advocates from several groups sent out a press release on Wednesday to address concerns over the bill. These groups include Salvation and Social Justice. They also include the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, New Jersey Citizen Action and the New Jersey Working Families Alliance. Also involved were The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, Make the Road NJ, New Jersey Policy Perspective and the Latino Action Network.

The release cited the State Police’s history of alleged racial profiling and misconduct as a reason for continued oversight. The agency was placed under a federal consent decree in 1999 after the U.S. Department of Justice found a pattern of racial profiling in traffic stops.

Multiple reports on the New Jersey State Police have found persistent failures to address racial profiling, flaws in hiring and promotion practices, inadequate internal misconduct investigations, favoritism toward drivers with law enforcement connections, and a decline in traffic stops, prompting calls for significant reforms and oversight.

“The New Jersey State Police has a long, well-documented history of racism embedded in their culture,” said Rev. Charles Boyer, founder of Salvation and Social Justice. “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.”

In a statement, the New Jersey Policy Perspective emphasized that independent oversight is a critical safeguard on law enforcement, cautioning that scaling it back has historically led to more misconduct and eroded public trust, according to concerns raised by watchdog groups and communities.

“In our work and conversations with communities across New Jersey, one thing is clear: Residents want more accountability, not less. This includes people who broadly support law enforcement — they want police they can trust, and strong, nonpartisan oversight helps make that possible,” the organization stated.

The State Police and lawmakers did not respond to requests for comment. Bill sponsor Sen. Michael Testa (R-Cumberland) told the New Jersey Monitor that he supported the legislation because of directives from the attorney general’s office, which limit police interaction with ICE and youth.

“I want the state police to have the handcuffs taken off of them and put the handcuffs on the criminals, where they belong,” he told the Monitor.

A spokesperson for the attorney general declined to comment.