SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — A report from New Jersey’s comptroller found issues of bias and racial profiling have gone unaddressed for years by the New Jersey State Police.
Data collected by Acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh found top brass with the state police have known for years that drivers of color, particularly Black and Hispanic drivers, were more likely to be searched, more likely to be arrested and more likely to experience use of force during traffic stops than white drivers.
Walsh says police leadership has dismissed the notion that implicit bias is a contributing factor. “They see these disparate trends and there’s no steps taken, including evaluating whether some form of bias is causing the disparate treatment,” he said.
“Instead, it seems like there’s a bit of collective shrug of shoulders on the part of the state police.”
In his report, Walsh says many of the so-called “corrective actions” law enforcement officials said they’ve taken over the years through the Law Enforcement Professional Standards Act were largely performative.
“Although they did a lot of work, they really never meaningfully grappled with the data that showed persistent adverse treatment of racial and ethnic minority motorists on New Jersey’s highways,” said Walsh, who added that state police officials refused to participate and turn over information he requested for the investigation.
New Jersey attorney general Matt Platkin calls Walsh’s findings inexcusable and deeply disturbing. He says it is his hope the state police are a partner in addressing the deeply troubling concerns. Regardless, he promises to fix it.
Sarah Fajardo, the New Jersey ACLU’s policy director, agrees the findings are disturbing, but says she is happy to see someone shining a light on the issue. “At the heart of this issue is that New Jersey really deserves better. New Jerseyans deserve better,” she said.
KYW Newsradio reached out to the state police for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.