Changing Of The Guard At NJ State Police
TRENTON, NJ (CBS) -- New Jersey will soon have a new Superintendent of the State Police.
Colonel Rick Fuentes will step down at the end of the month after 39 years in the department, the last 14 in the top spot, serving in that position under 4 governors.
The choice of Governor Chris Christie to replace Fuentes? Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Callahan, son of a retired state police Major.
"He is an accomplished law enforcement professional who will continue the tradition of excellence that has been established by Rick Fuentes," Christie told reporters at a Trenton news conference.
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There are reports that Fuentes is on President Trump's short list to head up the Drug Enforcement Administration. Christie says he hasn't talked to Mister Trump about that, but if that happens, quoting now, "the President couldn't make a better choice".
The Governor also says he has no interest in being the nation's drug czar, a position that opened after Pennsylvania Congressman Tom Marino withdrew from consideration this week.
Christie, who leaves office in January, expressed hope that whoever succeeds him gives serious consideration to retaining Callahan as Superintendent. The Governor suggested that politics should not enter into the discussion of who heads up the State Police, and those who use that appointment to make a political statement often wind up regretting it.