By: Fern Sidman- Jewish Voice News

The New Jersey State Police is bracing for a sweeping leadership reshuffle as Lt. Col. Sean Kilcomons — the agency’s second-in-command and the subject of an explosive antisemitism allegation — prepares to depart the force ahead of Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s inauguration next month. According to a report on Thursday in The New York Post, which first broke the story and obtained key internal correspondence, Kilcomons will follow outgoing Superintendent Patrick Callahan out the door by the start of the year, marking a dramatic end to a turbulent chapter for the state’s most powerful law-enforcement agency.

Sources told The New York Post that Sherrill, a Democrat and former congresswoman, had no desire to retain Kilcomons amid an unresolved investigation into an inflammatory remark he allegedly made at an official event. The accusation — that the senior officer uttered a slur targeting the Jewish son of New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin — ignited public outrage last spring and continues to cast a shadow over the department.

The alleged incident took place on April 25, 2024, during the State Police’s “Bring Your Child to Work Day,” when Platkin and his son approached a State Police helicopter that was on display for families. According to a formal complaint filed with the Attorney General’s Public Integrity and Accountability Unit and detailed by The New York Post, Kilcomons allegedly declared, “I don’t want that Jew’s kid in the State Police helicopter.”

The remark, if verified, would constitute one of the most overt acts of antisemitism by a high-ranking law-enforcement official in recent state memory. It immediately spurred calls for a full investigation, including from community advocates and civil-rights leaders, who argued that such language from a top commander raises profound concerns about institutional culture and bias within the force.

The Attorney General’s Office opened an inquiry, but as of this week, a spokesperson told The New York Post that there were “no updates” — a silence that has only intensified scrutiny as Sherrill prepares to assume office with promises of government accountability and reform.

Kilcomons’ departure coincides with the retirement of Superintendent Patrick Callahan, the longtime face of the NJSP. Callahan announced Monday that he would not be renominated by the incoming administration, according to a press release issued by term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy.

When asked whether Sherrill intended to retain Callahan or Kilcomons, her transition team pointed The New York Post to an X post she made earlier in the week praising Callahan’s service as “commendable” and wishing him well — a carefully worded signal that her administration was prepared to move forward with new leadership.

In a letter sent to troopers and obtained by The New York Post, Callahan expressed gratitude for his decades-long career, writing that serving as superintendent “has been the highest honor of my life.” Yet the timing of his departure, paired with the unresolved controversies engulfing the department, has raised questions about how much of the institutional turbulence his administration bore — and how much Sherrill seeks to leave behind.

The call for turnover at the top did not come merely from political circles. As The New York Post highlighted, prominent civil-rights figures — particularly from New Jersey’s Black community — have long criticized both Callahan and Kilcomons for what they describe as systemic discrimination and abuse of authority within the State Police.

Bishop Jethro James, a State Police chaplain and well-known activist, was blunt in his assessment of Kilcomons. In an interview with The New York Post, he labeled the departing officer a “racist” and declared that his exit “is a long time coming.”

James argued that Kilcomons’ alleged conduct not only risks legal exposure for the department but also undermines public confidence in the integrity of state law enforcement. “At least he will no longer have any say in the day-to-day operations of New Jersey state troopers,” he said, adding that for that outcome “I am grateful.”

Such sentiments shine a spotlight on the depth of mistrust that has built up around the agency’s upper ranks — mistrust fueled by years of reports alleging discrimination, retaliation, and misuse of internal affairs procedures.

Two separate inquiries released by the Attorney General’s Office last year found what investigators described as “deeply troubling and systemic problems” inside the State Police. According to summaries cited by The New York Post, these included claims of discrimination against minority troopers, manipulation of internal disciplinary processes, and a culture of intimidation that discouraged reporting misconduct.

These findings fed growing calls for a sweeping overhaul of the department’s culture and management structure. Kilcomons, in particular, became a lightning rod for criticism after whistleblowers claimed he fostered a hostile work environment — allegations that, combined with the antisemitic remark attributed to him, made his continued presence increasingly untenable.

Compounding the internal controversies, the agency is also the subject of a separate misconduct investigation triggered by a dramatic decline in traffic enforcement from July 2023 to March 2024. According to a New York Times report cited by The New York Post, the reduction followed the release of a study alleging racial disparities in traffic stops performed by state troopers.

A union representing State Police supervisors said in court filings that the report effectively warned troopers that any traffic stop could be interpreted as a potentially unconstitutional act. The filings claimed that this fear caused officers to curtail enforcement activities across the state.

While the union insisted it never instructed troopers to stop writing tickets, it acknowledged advising members of the “perils of motor vehicle stops” in the wake of the report. Callahan’s spokesperson told the Times, and was later quoted by The New York Post, insisting the superintendent did not endorse reducing enforcement — a denial that nonetheless raised questions about communication, morale, and leadership within the agency.

Taken together, the antisemitism allegation against Kilcomons, the internal affairs abuses uncovered by state investigations, and the traffic-enforcement paralysis paint a portrait of a law-enforcement institution in the throes of deep dysfunction. The simultaneous departure of both of the agency’s top commanders amplifies the stakes: the NJSP is now poised for a generational leadership transformation at the very moment when public trust is most fragile.

For Governor-elect Sherrill, the challenge is twofold. She must install leaders capable of restoring credibility to an institution rocked by scandal, and she must signal to both troopers and the public that her administration will not tolerate prejudice, retaliation, or ambiguity in the enforcement of civil rights.

The departure of Kilcomons — a figure who, according to The New York Post report, became synonymous with controversy — may represent the first step in that process. But the structural issues uncovered by state investigations will require far more than changes in personnel. The next superintendent will confront an agency struggling with morale, culture, community relationships, and the legal fallout from years of alleged misconduct.

Whether the incoming administration can repair the damage remains an open question. The turbulence surrounding the State Police is not merely a matter of public-relations optics; it reflects deep-rooted institutional weaknesses that have been exposed in rapid succession. The allegations of antisemitism, racial discrimination, misuse of authority, and inconsistent enforcement practices form a constellation of crises, each reinforcing the impression of a department drifting away from its professional obligations.

As The New York Post reported, the story of Kilcomons’ exit is not an isolated episode but a symbol of broader unrest within the NJSP. His retirement, along with Callahan’s, creates an opportunity for renewal — but also a vacuum that must be filled swiftly and decisively if the agency is to regain public confidence.

For now, the only certainty is that New Jersey’s incoming governor will inherit a law-enforcement force in the midst of profound transformation. Whether that transformation leads to reform, repair, or further turmoil will depend on what comes next — and on how deeply the Sherrill administration is willing to confront the problems documented so thoroughly in the pages of The New York Post.