TRENTON — The Senate Judiciary committee is set to consider whether to re-confirm the long-time head of the State Police. Col. Rick Fuentes, 60, was first appointed in 2003 by Gov. James E. McGreevey. He was reappointed by Gov. Jon Corzine and has served under his third governor, Chris Christie, for more than a year. Fuentes is a career...
TRENTON — The Senate Judiciary committee is set to consider whether to re-confirm the long-time head of the State Police.
Col. Rick Fuentes, 60, was first appointed in 2003 by Gov. James E. McGreevey. He was reappointed by Gov. Jon Corzine and has served under his third governor, Chris Christie, for more than a year.
Fuentes is a career lawman who rose through the ranks in the state police, which he joined as a recruit in 1978. He has Ph.D. in criminal justice from City University of New York.
He came to lead the department on the heels of a racial profiling scandal but emerged from federal oversight. More recently he has faced scandals involving incidents of off-duty bad behavior by troopers, including a sex scandal and drunk-driving incidents.
Related coverage:
• N.J. State Police troopers face strict new DWI policies
• N.J. State Police superintendent is pulled over for speeding on Garden State Parkway