Calls for NJ State Police chief’s resignation after disturbing text, ‘bias’

🔴 Group text shows trooper asked for pics of 14-year-old victim

🔴 State police "weaponized" internal affairs investigations, report finds

🔴 NAACP calls on removal of NJSP head

The New Jersey chapter of the NAACP is calling for new leadership to head the State Police.

It comes after two investigations found systemic abuses and discrimination in the agency — including accusations that a now-retired trooper asked for pictures of a teenage sexual abuse victim and weaponized the internal affairs process against a Black trooper.

The Attorney General's Office released the reports last month.

In a press release, NAACP State Conference President Richard Smith said that it was not news to him and called for Col. Patrick Callahan, the State Police superintendent, to resign.

“The New Jersey State Police is an institution consumed with bias against anyone who does not look like the colonel,” said Smith.

Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement that the reports showed longstanding issues in the State Police but made no indication that Callahan was on the chopping block.

"I am committed to working with Attorney General Platkin and Colonel Callahan to ensure that all of the recommendations contained in the reports are enacted without delay. The New Jersey State Police must make meaningful reforms to ensure that all of its troopers are treated fairly and professionally," said Murphy.

Trooper asked for pics of 14-year-old victim

According to the OAG's Office of Public Integrity and Accountability report, a now-retired state trooper sent a text to a group chat with other state troopers related to an ongoing investigation.

Another state trooper, who was not in the group chat, was accused of inappropriately touching a 14-year-old girl and giving her alcohol. He knew the victim was attending a high school wrestling match so her age was not in question, the report said.

Now-retired Lt. Joseph Nitti sent a text that objectified the underage victim, the report said.

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"Can we at least see a pic of her. I’d like to see what all the hub bub is about,” the text said, according to the report.

Nitti said during an OPIA interview that he, as an investigator, wanted to know how old the victim looked so he could better understand the perpetrator's mindset, the report said. The other troopers in the group chat said during interviews that they agreed with Nitti that the text was not inappropriate.

NJSP troopers "weaponized" internal affairs

The OPIA report also said that Nitti misused the internal affairs process.

The state police internal affairs office got an anonymous complaint that accused a trooper of making a racist comment about a then-senior Black member of the NJSP. Nitti was close with the accused trooper, according to the report.

An investigation didn't find enough evidence to support that the comment was made.

Instead, Nitti went to great lengths to investigate who sent the anonymous complaint. He sought DNA tests, typewriter samples, fingerprints, and more in an attempt to identify the person, the report said. The sender was never identified.

In the end, Nitti urged the internal affairs office to file a finding against the Black trooper for not reporting the rumors about the racist comments. However, the OPIA found that the investigation "should never have been opened" and violated the agency's policies.

Callahan has vacated the findings against the Black member, according to the Attorney General's Office.

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