U.S. ends monitoring of N.J. state police

Federal oversight of the New Jersey State Police over racial profiling has ended after 10 years.

U.S. District Judge Mary L. Cooper signed the order dissolving the consent decree yesterday. Federal monitoring was imposed following the 1998 shooting of minority men by a state trooper on the New Jersey Turnpike.

The consent decree went into effect after the state police were charged with profiling minority drivers. It was dissolved based on a joint motion by the state and the U.S. Justice Department.

Gov. Corzine signed a bill in August creating the Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards within the state Attorney General's Office to oversee the state police. The organization was found to be compliant for several years before the decree was lifted.    - AP