TRENTON
– Attorney General Peter C. Harvey
today announced the results of the 12th
Independent Monitors’ Report
(339k pdf - plugin)
which commends the State Police for achieving
100 percent compliance with all requirements
of the Consent Decree. The report represents
a milestone achievement in that it shows
the State Police have moved beyond substantial
compliance to full compliance with every
task of the Consent Decree.
In its report, filed Tuesday with the
U.S. District Court in Trenton, the Independent
Monitoring Team indicates that the State
Police, in achieving a historic 100 percent
“success rate,” has continued
“truly remarkable” progress
in such key areas as trooper training,
personnel supervision, and field operations.
“The latest Monitor’s Report
clearly reflects the resolve and commitment
of our office to reach full compliance
with all phases of the Consent Decree.
The hard work and dedication of the State
Police and the Office of State Police
Affairs has resulted in extraordinary
compliance with the Consent Decree,”
said Attorney General Harvey. “This
12th installment paints the most positive
picture yet of a high quality law enforcement
organization embracing systemic change.”
“I
have always viewed the Consent Decree
as an opportunity to improve the State
Police. This latest report demonstrates
clearly the sustainability of our reform
efforts and provides solid evidence that
our hard work is fostering permanent change,”
said State Police Superintendent Col.
Rick Fuentes. “In my role as Superintendent,
I will encourage every trooper to realize
his or her full potential and raise the
bar for performance.”
In addition, the Report indicates that
State Police motor vehicle stops reviewed
by the monitoring team were “remarkably
trouble free,” and that errors detected
by the monitors this reporting period
involved technical, not Constitutional,
issues. Moreover, 100 percent of these
technical errors were first noted and
corrected by supervisory personnel.
The new Monitoring Report reflects information
compiled during a six-month period spanning
October 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005
by Independent Monitors Dr. James Ginger
and Albert Rivas, Esq., who as part of
their work conducted a variety of on-site
review activities.
Regarding training, the report notes that,
“The Monitors find the focus, attention
to detail, commitment of resources and
results achieved by the (State Police)
Academy this period to be exceptional.
They reflect a strong commitment to, and
interest in, the training function by
the Superintendent of the New Jersey State
Police.”
Daniel Giaquinto, director of State Police
Affairs in the Attorney General’s
Office, noted that the Monitoring Team
was impressed by the performance of State
Police supervisors. In reviewing in excess
of 300 car-stop-related actions by Troopers,
Supervisors had a 100 percent efficiency
rate in identifying Trooper errors.
The Monitors’ Report describes new
State Police supervisory initiatives as
“reflective of a strong commitment
to the supervisory function ... to a level
heretofore not observed by the monitoring
team.”
The report also commends the State for
continued progress in developing a state-of-the-art,
and first of its kind, personnel performance
and management system known as MAPPS.
Functional since Jan. 1, 2004, MAPPS is
being used to manage operations on a day-to-day
basis. Prior to its development by the
Office of the Attorney General –
as required by the Consent Decree –
the MAPPS system did not exist anywhere
in the United States.
“The
system can be used to review Trooper and
supervisory performance, compare Trooper
performance to other members of the Trooper’s
work group, and to compare performance
across work groups,” the monitors
note.
In addition, the monitors noted that MAPPS
yields exceptionally meaningful data on
day-to-day operations of the New Jersey
State Police, and places the NJSP at the
forefront of intelligence-driven policing
in the country.
To
access a copy of the 12th Monitor’s
Report and the Executive Summary visit
www.NJ.gov/oag/monitors.htm.
_ag-ph_update.gif)
