N.J. POLICE LEADER FIRED AS CRITICS CLAIM BIAS

TRENTON, N.J.

- -- Gov. Christie Whitman fired the head of the New Jersey State Police on
Sunday after he said in a newspaper interview that minority groups were
more likely to be involved in drug trafficking than others.

The Black Ministers Council of New Jersey and the state chapter of the
NAACP had been calling for State Police Superintendent Col. Carl Williams'
ouster for weeks, saying he was not acknowledging a history of racist
procedures by the State Police.

Whitman said Sunday the state's law enforcement system must be carried out
free of bias. She said Williams' comments "are inconsistent with our
efforts to enhance public confidence in the State Police."

Her spokesman, Pete McDonough, said Williams' comments were the last straw
in an already hostile situation between minorities and police officers.

Williams has come under fire over allegations that the agency practices
racial profiling, targeting minorities for traffic stops.

In an interview with The Star-Ledger of Newark published Sunday, Williams
said he did not condone racial profiling, but said it is naive to think
race is not an issue in drug crimes.

"Two weeks ago, the president of the United States went to Mexico to talk
to the president of Mexico about drugs. He didn't go to Ireland. He didn't
go to England," Williams said.

"Today with this drug problem, the drug problem is cocaine or marijuana. It
is most likely a minority group that's involved with that," said Williams.

Williams, 58, has repeatedly said he has never condoned racial profiling.
But he told the newspaper some generalizations can be made.

"If you're looking at the methamphetamine market, that seems to be
controlled by the motorcycle gangs, which are basically predominantly
white," he said. "If you're looking at heroin and stuff like that, your
involvement there is more or less Jamaicans."

McDonough said Williams' comments were unacceptable.

"The comments were insensitive and absolutely counter to bolstering
confidence in law enforcement," McDonough said. "There are vast segments of
the New Jersey public whose confidence in the system is shaken."