Second state police chief under investigation for anti-Semitism • New Jersey Monitor

In a statement, Platkin said he had recused himself from the investigation.

“I will hold off on making a decision until the investigation is complete,” Platkin said. “But I want to make it clear that we must never tolerate anti-Semitism or any kind of bias. Too often, executives feel comfortable dismissing or ignoring allegations of bias, especially when the perpetrators are in positions of power. When allegations of bias are met with silence or, worse, reflexively defended by people in power, rather than seriously and swiftly investigated, it sends a clear message to any victims who might consider coming forward: don’t bother.”

An anonymous whistleblower reported the alleged remark in a recent letter to the state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, which Platkin oversees and investigates reports of public misconduct and corruption. It’s unclear when the letter, which the New Jersey Monitor obtained Friday, was sent, but it is dated Oct. 2 as “received.”

An anonymous whistleblower made a series of explosive allegations against Kilcommon, four other high-ranking state police officials and a civilian fitness instructor the agency had recently hired.

But the anti-Semitic remark in question allegedly occurred on April 25, when an informant said Kilcommons ordered a state police helicopter to continue flying instead of landing so the employees’ children could see the helicopter up close — at least until Platkin and his son will go

“I don’t want that Jew’s child sitting in a state police helicopter. Tell him not to land,” Kilcommons said in the complaint.

State police spokesmen did not respond to a request for comment.

Callahan joined the state police as a trooper in 1995, became superintendent in 2017 and named Kilcommons his second in command about three years ago, a promotion that prompted discrimination claim.

Platkin said he had been called anti-Semitic slurs before — “and many names.”

“While I’m not fixated on these attacks, I’m not ignoring them either. Instead of brushing them off, this experience motivates me to redouble my efforts to eradicate prejudice and hatred of all kinds,” he said. “While I am disappointed to learn that the head of law enforcement may have chosen to use his position and the privilege of his power to harm my son, whom I love more than anything, I will be saddened if we allow him — and millions of children like him — growing up in a society where attacking someone for who they are or how they worship is accepted or condoned.”