Internal Affairs

Departments

The Office of Professional Responsibility in the Township of Ocean Police Department is responsible for ensuring that members of the department meet the highest standards of professional conduct and are responsive to the citizens they serve. The Office of Professional Responsibility is also responsible for the thorough investigation of all complaints of misconduct against members of the Township of Ocean Police Department.

The Office of Professional Responsibility reports directly to the Chief of Police. The Office is charged with administering the investigative and disciplinary processes for the Township of Ocean Police Department. The primary mission of the Office of Professional Review is to assure that the members of the Township of Ocean Police meet the highest standards of integrity and ethical performance. The Township of Ocean Police Department is dedicated to providing the best possible police service to the citizens it serves.

Officers are carefully selected and receive the best possible training to help them perform their duties in a fair, honest, impartial, and professional manner. Your assistance helps the Township of Ocean Police maintain the integrity of the organization.

If you feel strongly about the conduct of an officer, positively or negatively, please let us know. The Office of Professional Responsibility can be reached by telephone at: 732-531-1816 or citizens may visit the Township of Ocean Police Headquarters located at 399 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, NJ, 07755. Email at InternalAffairs@oceantwp.org

Pursuant to IAPP Section 9.11.2, every state, county, and local law enforcement agency in New Jersey is required to submit to the Attorney General and the County Prosecutor, and publish on the agency's public website, a brief synopsis of all complaints where a termination, reeducation in rank or grade, and/or suspension of more than five days was assessed to an agency member.

There is nothing to report from January 2020 to December 2024.

On a periodic basis, and no later than January 31 of the following year, every agency shall submit to the County Prosecutor and the Attorney General, and publish on the agency’s public website, a brief synopsis of all misconduct where an agency member:

(a) Was terminated;

(b) Was reduced in rank or grade;

(c) Was assessed a suspension of more than five days. A suspension of more than five days shall be broadly construed to include any disposition involving a suspension of more than 40 hours of time or the equivalent of five days/shifts if less than 40 hours, regardless of whether any of the suspension time was suspended or held in abeyance. It shall include the loss of vacation, sick or leave time totaling more than 40 hours or the equivalent of five days/shifts. It shall include any combination of suspension time assessed plus loss of vacation, sick or leave time that aggregates to more than 40 hours or the equivalent of five days/shifts. It shall also include any fine that exceeds the gross value of 40 hours, or the equivalent of five days/shifts, of pay;

(d) Had a sustained finding of discrimination or bias against any person because of the individual’s actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, familial status, or any other protected characteristic under N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(e) Had a sustained finding that the officer utilized excessive force in violation of departmental policy or the Attorney General’s Use of Force Policy, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(f) Had a sustained finding that the officer was untruthful or has demonstrated a lack of candor, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(g) Had a sustained finding that an officer has filed a false report or submitted a false certification in any criminal, administrative, employment, financial, or insurance matter in their professional or personal life, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(h) Had a sustained finding that an officer intentionally conducted an improper search, seizure or arrest, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(i) Had a sustained finding that an officer intentionally mishandled or destroyed evidence, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(j) Had a sustained finding of domestic violence, as defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:25-19, regardless of the type or severity of discipline imposed;

(k) Resigned, retired, transferred or separated from the agency, regardless of the reason, while any internal affairs investigation or complaint was pending, and the misconduct ultimately sustained falls within categories (d) through (j) above or would have resulted in an action under categories (a) through (c) had the member not separated from the agency;13 or

(l) Was charged with any indictable crime under New Jersey or an equivalent offense under federal law or the law of another jurisdiction related to the complaint.