The Department of Law & Public Safety is organized into 17 different entities — eight Divisions, six Offices, and three Commissions — that cover a broad range of responsibilities. Each of these 16 programs operate under the supervision of the Attorney General with the assistance of his Executive Leadership Team.
Divisions
New Jersey State Police
Superintendent, Colonel Patrick Callahan
Superintendent, Colonel Patrick Callahan
New Jersey State Police (NJSP) is the largest law enforcement agency in New Jersey, with nearly 2,800 enlisted and 1,250 civilian members. In addition to its statewide law enforcement jurisdiction, NJSP also houses the Office of Emergency Management, which coordinates statewide emergency services during natural and manmade disasters.
Division of Law
Director, Michelle Miller
Director, Michelle Miller
The Division of Law (DOL) serves as primary legal counsel for New Jersey state government, with its work taking three forms: providing legal advice to the state’s departments and agencies; defending the state in civil litigation; and bringing civil enforcement actions against individuals, corporations, and other entities that harm New Jersey and its residents.
Division of Criminal Justice
Director, Lyndsay V. Ruotolo
Director, Lyndsay V. Ruotolo
The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) is responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of New Jersey criminal laws. With more than 150 detectives and 100 prosecutors, DCJ investigates criminal activity across the state, focusing on high-impact cases that require significant or highly specialized investigative resources.
Division of Consumer Affairs
Acting Director, Sean P. Neafsey
The mission of the Division of Consumer Affairs, within the Department of Law and Public Safety, is to protect the public from fraud, deceit, misrepresentation and professional misconduct in the sale of goods and services in New Jersey through education, advocacy, regulation and enforcement. The Division pursues its mission through its 51 professional and occupational boards that oversee 720,000 licensees in the state, its Regulated Business section that oversees 60,000 NJ registered businesses, as well as through its Office of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Securities, Charities Registration section, Office of Weights and Measures, and Legalized Games of Chance section.
Division on Civil Rights
Director, Rachel Wainer Apter
Director, Rachel Wainer Apter
The Division on Civil Rights (DCR) is responsible for enforcing the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, which makes it illegal to discriminate in employment, contracting, housing, and places of public accommodation. DCR provides training, education, and community outreach to reduce prejudice and bias across New Jersey.
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
Director, James Graziano
Director, James Graziano
The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) regulates the manufacture, distribution, sale, and transportation of all alcoholic beverages in New Jersey, and ensures the collection of state taxes imposed on alcoholic beverages.
Division of Gaming Enforcement
Director, David Rebuck
Director, David Rebuck
The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) serves as the investigative arm of New Jersey’s casino regulatory system. A law enforcement agency staffed by attorneys, investigators, and accountants, DGE enforces the Casino Control Act, which regulates online gaming, sports wagering, and Atlantic City’s casinos.
Division of Highway Traffic Safety
Director, Eric Heitmann
Director, Eric Heitmann
The Division of Highway Traffic Safety (DHTS) works to prevent motor vehicle-related crashes and the resulting property damage, injuries, and fatalities on New Jersey’s roadways, and is responsible for administering the federally funded State & Community Highway Safety Program.
Division of Administration
Chief Administrative Officer, William Cranford
Chief Administrative Officer, William Cranford
The Division of Administration (DOA) oversees the day-to-day operations of the Department of Law & Public Safety, coordinating the Department’s human resources, information technology, budget, fiscal, and grant-making functions. DOA also handles matters involving compliance, employee ethics, and discipline.
Offices
Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute
Director, Margaret A. Cotoia
Director, Margaret A. Cotoia
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute provides training that meets the practice needs of deputy and assistant attorneys general, county prosecutors, and other government lawyers. The AGAI runs litigation skills courses and lecture programs and is an accredited New Jersey and Pennsylvania continuing legal education provider.
Office of Justice Data
Chief Data Officer, Kristin Golden, PhD
The Office of Justice Data coordinates data collection and analysis across the Department of Law and Public Safety, ensuring the Department meets various statutory obligations. With a particular focus on criminal justice data, OJD promotes transparency and accountability through timely and accessible public data releases. Working with other criminal justice and law enforcement stakeholders, OJD helps to ensure that the office’s policymaking is rooted in data and rigorous statistical analysis.
Office of Public Integrity & Accountability
Executive Director, Thomas Eicher
The Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA) has a dual mission: to investigate violations of public trust and to develop policies that rebuild faith in government institutions and the criminal justice system. It leads the Department in the investigation and prosecution of public corruption as well as all officer-involved shootings and other law enforcement uses of force. It re-investigates cold cases involving homicides and other violent crimes as well as considers claims of actual innocence. OPIA oversees and develops statewide policies relevant to data collection and analysis, as well as for training for law enforcement personnel. The office further investigates criminal activity involving civil rights violations.
Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, Tracy M. Thompson
The Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) is responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and deterring insurance fraud and serves as the statewide coordinator for all anti-insurance fraud efforts in New Jersey. With more than 50 detectives and 20 prosecutors, OIFP investigates a range of complex fraud schemes.
Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards
Director, Christina M. Glogoff
Director, Christina M. Glogoff
The Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards (OLEPS) is responsible for reviewing all New Jersey State Police rules, regulations, and standing operating procedures to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.
Victims of Crime Compensation Office
Director, Mary Ellen Bonsper
The Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) provides compensation to certain victims of violent crime for expenses they incur as a result of the crime. VCCO serves as the payer of last resort, available to victims after they have exhausted other resources, including State benefits and insurance.
Commissions
Juvenile Justice Commission
Acting Executive Director, Jennifer LeBaron, PhD
As New Jersey’s lead juvenile justice agency, the Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) provides care, custody, and rehabilitative services to youth committed to the agency by the courts; supervises and coordinates services for youth on parole; and supports local efforts to provide prevention and early intervention services to at-risk and court-involved youth.
New Jersey Racing Commission
Executive Director, Judith A. Nason
Executive Director, Judith A. Nason
The New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC) regulates horse racing in New Jersey. NJRC is a nine-member, bipartisan body appointed by Governor, staffed by a team of career employees who oversee the permitting and licensing procedures of horse owners, trainers, drivers, and veterinarians.
State Athletic Control Board
Commissioner, Larry Hazzard, Sr.
Commissioner, Larry Hazzard, Sr.
The State Athletic Control Board (SACB) regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat, including boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. SACB also collects ticket and television taxes, licensing fees, and disciplinary fines related to these contests.