By Lee Williams
SAF Investigative Journalism Project
For decades the New Jersey State Police have maintained a “good ol’ boy” culture, according to one man who is trying to bring sunlight into the darkened corridors of police power.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for police, but they are not more special than you or me,” said New Jersey resident, John Petrolino.
Petrolino is a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer, author, board member of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, husband and father of a nine-year-old son.
Problems first began when Petrolino attempted to obtain a New Jersey carry permit. The four-month process cost him hundreds of dollars for the permit itself plus training and background-check fees and must be renewed every two years.
“I have both First and Second Amendment permits,” he said Monday. “Don’t forget they make journalists get a New Jersey press card, too.”
Petrolino became curious about the Second Amendment rights New Jersey residents have, compared to those of retired state police, so he sent a series of three public records request to the state’s Attorney General and to the New Jersey State Police.
In one of his requests, he asked for the number of state carry permits obtained by retired police officers.
His goal was simple.
“I wanted to compare how retired police officers were treated versus civilians,” he said. “Are retired police officers having the same trends that civilians get? Is there the same potential bias in their denials? Is there favoritism?”
The New Jersey State Police first asked for an extension, but then denied his request, claiming it was overly broad and that he asked for information that was not an actual record.
Petrolino emailed the state police records bureau, stating he did not understand why they were denying such a simple request.
“They said they can’t make firearm information public,” he said. “Our next course of action was to sue the state.”
Petrolino and his attorney filed a lawsuit in February. His first court date is next month.
“The public deserves to know if there is some sort of perceived bias or preferential treatment going on here,” he said. “It needs to be exposed and talked about. It’s strictly a Sunshine issue. The New Jersey State Police have denied every single public records request I’ve made. Even the New Jersey AG’s Office has fulfilled my records requests, whereas the state police have never once returned a single one.”
Petrolino, a Second Amendment journalist, has made public records requests in other states, which have complied with his requests.
“But for some reason, the New Jersey State Police do not want to give any records to the public,” he said.
Regardless of the outcome, Petrolino said he has no plans to ever leave New Jersy and move to a free state.
“Someone has got to be here to fight or shut the lights off when it’s over,” he said.
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