Jeanne Hengemuhle has been confirmed as superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, making her the first woman to lead the agency in its history and its 15th superintendent overall. She is a 26-year veteran of the force who retired in 2024 as a lieutenant colonel before returning to take on the top job.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill selected Hengemuhle for the role in February 2026, according to Lakewood Alerts, which reported her confirmation as the department's new leader. Earlier reporting from nj.com had described her as serving in an acting capacity while she awaited New Jersey Senate confirmation, underscoring that her path to the permanent post unfolded over several months this year.
Hengemuhle graduated from the State Police academy in 1997 and climbed through the ranks to lieutenant colonel, according to CBS News. Before her nomination, she commanded the agency's administration branch, overseeing recruiting, personnel development and training, per ROI-NJ. As reported by Shore News Network, the State Police described her appointment as marking a significant milestone in the division's legacy of service to New Jersey residents.
A Bergen County Native Returns From Retirement
Hengemuhle grew up in Bergen County and graduated from The College of New Jersey, where she is a member of the TCNJ Athletics Hall of Fame, according to CBS News. She returned from retirement earlier this year to take on the leadership role, the same outlet reported. ABC7 New York has described her as the first woman and first openly gay person to head the department.
Priorities: Trust, Mental Health and Recruiting
The new superintendent has outlined a 12-month strategic plan centered on building community trust and supporting the mental health of troopers, per CBS News. She has also named reducing gun violence and combating human trafficking as continuing priorities for the agency, nj.com reported. The station's report notes the agency planned to open its online recruiting application at the end of the month as Hengemuhle looks to build a diverse pool of candidates.
Her ascent comes as the State Police has faced scandals and allegations of racial disparities in traffic stops and other enforcement activity, according to the New Jersey Globe. A 2024 report identified significant problems in the agency's promotions and internal affairs processes, prompting mandated reforms and restructuring, the outlet reported. Women first joined the New Jersey State Police in 1975, according to CBS News, a benchmark that frames just how long it has taken for a woman to reach the superintendent's office.
Accounts of the agency's history vary: Lakewood Alerts has described Hengemuhle's confirmation as coming in the agency's 105th year, while other reporting has put the figure at 104 years or simply more than a century. Similarly, reports have differed on the size of the force Hengemuhle now leads, with the New Jersey Globe citing roughly 3,300 troopers while other accounts have put State Police staffing at approximately 3,000 members.
