Taxpayers’ cost for Chris Christie security detail tops $2M

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — State police records show New Jersey taxpayers paid more than $300,000 to cover the cost of a security detail that traveled with Gov. Chris Christie in 2016.

The records came Thursday in response to an Associated Press request and bring the total over Christie’s seven years in office to more than $2 million.

The most expensive year was 2015 at about $614,000. Christie ran for president that year and spent more days outside than inside New Jersey.

In 2016, the state was billed about $369,000 in security costs for protecting the governor.

The state police’s executive protection unit has been required to provide full-time security for governors since 1984. Christie has said he would keep billing the state for security.

The documents don’t show exactly how the money was spent.