When New Jersey State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes last week first addressed the scandal over two high-speed caravans of sports cars led by troopers, he said a lot of factors go into deciding when an escort can be allowed and “permission is given at local command.” The Newark Star-Ledger, however, says that the agency’s internal policy on escorts says requests can be granted only in limited and specific circumstances, and they all must be approved by one of the highest-ranking officers in Fuentes' inner circle.
The policy shows escorts are supposed to be tightly controlled in the upper ranks of the force and allowed judiciously — in cases such as high profile funerals or for top government officials — in contrast to some recent statements by the State Police. A former veteran trooper and deputy superintendent of investigations, Christopher Andreychak, said policies are not always followed word-for-word, and superior officers often delegate their responsibilities to lower levels, especially on routine matters. “Troopers do and commanding officers do what the intent of the policy is,” Andreychak said. “Is every little nuance followed? Well, there's a human factor involved in this.” He added that given the high number of circumstances a law enforcement agency can face on any given day, it is unrealistic to regulate every single action in a policy.