Pubdate: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 Source: Associated Press Copyright: 1999 Associated Press Author: Thomas Martello N.J. REPORT ADMITS RACIAL PROFILING TRENTON, N.J. (AP) The New Jersey Attorney General's office acknowledged Tuesday that some state troopers have engaged in "racial profiling" in pulling over motorists. Complaints that the State Police target blacks and Hispanics along the heavily traveled New Jersey Turnpike are "real, not imagined," according to a report issued by the agency. At the same time, Attorney General Peter Verniero said the state is dropping its appeal of a 1996 court ruling that troopers demonstrated racial bias in making arrests along the turnpike. The court decision could affect dozens of pending criminal cases. "We don't agree with everything that was said in that case, but in view of the report and our statistical analysis, the appeal is no longer appropriate," Verniero said. The report came one day after two troopers were indicted on charges they falsified reports to make it appear that some of the black motorists they pulled over were white. The U.S. Justice Department also has been investigating racial profiling allegations against New Jersey's state police. Similar accusations have been made in Florida, Maryland, Connecticut and elsewhere along the Interstate 95 corridor. The state report concludes that, while six out of 10 motorists stopped are white, troopers are far more likely to subject minorities to searches and aggressive treatment. The statistics show 77.2 percent of motorist searches were of black or Hispanics, while only 21.4 percent involved white motorists. New Jersey overall is 74 percent white, nearly 13 percent black and more than 9 percent Hispanic. The report suggests a clear policy saying State Police may not consider race, ethnicity or national origin in deciding who is stopped. It also recommends that the department monitor traffic stops more closely. State Police leaders have consistently argued that the agency does not engage in racial profiling. Earlier this year, Gov. Christie Whitman fired State Police Superintendent Col. Carl Williams after he said minorities were responsible for most of the state's cocaine and marijuana traffic. The racial controversy could hurt Whitman among black voters as she positions herself for a U.S. Senate run in 2000. On Monday, state officials announced misconduct indictments against two troopers involved in last year's wounding of three young minority men along the turnpike. The troopers fired 11 shots at their van, claiming the vehicle had suddenly backed up toward them. The indictments were not directly related to the shooting but involved other traffic stops in the first four months of 1998. Troopers John Hogan and James Kenna were accused of making false statements on the race of minority motorists they pulled over. The data was being gathered for a State Police survey prompted by the 1996 court decision. Lawyers for Hogan and Kenna have said the two are being used as scapegoats in the broader debate over racial profiling. - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry