Sherrill faces backlash from the left over Delaney Hall — ex-State Police chief pushes back
🚨 A former State Police superintendent defended troopers' handling of Delaney Hall protests.
➡️ Newark Mayor Ras Baraka accused officers of using overly aggressive tactics.
⚠️ The dispute has exposed divisions among Democrats over Gov. Mikie Sherrill's response.
NEWARK — The debate over immigration detention at Delaney Hall has evolved into a political fight over something else entirely: whether Gov. Mikie Sherrill and the New Jersey State Police responded appropriately to escalating protests outside the Newark facility this week.
As progressive activists and some Democratic officials criticize police tactics and question the governor's decision to deploy troopers in tactical gear, former State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan is defending the operation and arguing that officers showed professionalism and restraint under difficult circumstances.
When Sherrill called the State Police to quell unrest among protesters outside Delaney Hall, it was the first time many people had seen troopers dressed in tactical gear rather than their traditional uniforms.
It was the Advanced Tactical Unit that was sent in to handle the situation by creating protest zones, standing firm against taunts from protesters and responding quickly to threats of violence. One person used to seeing them in action is Callahan, the former head of the New Jersey State Police.
"What I saw in the videos I'd watched were very professional troopers who showed restraint, who gave opportunities, who laid the ground rules out early on, which is another key component," Callahan told New Jersey 101.5.
The dispute over police tactics comes as Sherrill faces criticism from the left over the state's response to demonstrations outside Delaney Hall. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has accused State Police of using tactics that were "overly aggressive, unnecessary and in some instances unconstitutional," while activists have questioned the deployment of heavily equipped troopers and the mass arrests that followed.
Former State Police chief says troopers followed a familiar playbook
The State Police unit was among the first to be summoned to Washington after the Jan. 6 insurrection and civil unrest in Baltimore in 2015.
They were also highly visible in New Jersey after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, when thousands protested during the COVID-19 pandemic, including one protest in Trenton where cars were torched.
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Callahan says trust and communication are key during protests
Callahan called former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's act of placing his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes "one of the most egregious, horrible acts" of his 31 years in law enforcement and said he does not believe any officer supported the action.
"I think that the relationships we've built within our communities, that trust was there. We kept the protesters safe and had peaceful protests for the most part," Callahan said.
The former State Police colonel and superintendent said troopers are always watching for agitators who may attempt to provoke larger confrontations.
"You meet with the protest leaders ahead of time or during, and kind of say, 'hey, this is the designated zone, these are the ground rules. If you adhere to them, we won't, you know, it, we won't have any issues.'"
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Baraka criticized the operation, but Callahan says officers faced a difficult situation
Callahan said the situation outside Delaney Hall on Sunday night was difficult for troopers in the face of violence and obscenities. The unit was also in place to protect protesters, despite many being brought in from outside New Jersey.
New Jersey 101.5 has learned that the 61 individuals arrested Sunday were from nine other states.
"I think having the troopers there for me is now, as a civilian, gave me a sense of peace, and I hope that both the Newark Police Department, the troopers continue to carry on in that professional manner and do it so in a manner that they go home at the end of their shift," Callahan said.
Newark police have taken the lead on policing outside Delaney Hall as of Monday after Baraka criticized State Police tactics.
Callahan, who said he has gotten to know Baraka during the past decade, disagrees with the mayor's assessment.
"I think in that effort to try and keep the peace in the city, where the people, the agitators, are primarily not from the mayor's city, I think, should give us all great concern including the mayor. But I have the utmost respect for Mayor Baraka, and he's certainly entitled to offer up his opinion on how he thinks we should have or shouldn't have acted on Delaney Hall," Callahan said.
Callahan's comments come as scrutiny of Sherrill's response grows
The debate over the State Police response has become a broader political challenge for Sherrill, who has attempted to balance support for peaceful protest with public safety concerns.
Sherrill has praised the overwhelming majority of peaceful demonstrators while defending law enforcement actions against individuals accused of breaching barriers, throwing projectiles and setting fires during recent unrest.
Callahan, who lives in Warren County, retired on Dec. 31. He joined the State Police in 1995 as part of the 115th Trooper class and rose through the ranks before becoming acting superintendent in 2017 under Gov. Chris Christie.
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EARLIER: ICE clashes with protesters at Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark
Gallery Credit: The Associated Press
