NAACP, N.J. officials to meet over lack of black trooper recruits
Lawyers for the NAACP will meet with New Jersey’s attorney general and the State Police superintendent next week to determine what can be done to increase the number of black candidates for state trooper.
Only five African-American candidates were selected for the new 123-member trooper recruit class.
NAACP attorney David Rose says blacks have been disproportionately excluded because they didn’t pass background investigations.
“The state police go way, way back in history to teenage events and they look at many things that most police departments do not look for as a disqualifying reason,” Rose said. “So we’re wondering why they do that.”
Gov. Chris Christie, who said he’s concerned about the low number of black recruits, said he won’t cancel the class. Christie says two classes were delayed because of budget problems, and more troopers are needed to provide law enforcement and homeland security.
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