Back in February, NJ21st published a Community Voices contribution that raised significant concerns about the Township’s oversight of the Berkeley Heights Police Department. At the time, the Township was also pressuring the school district to divert funds intended for students to cover police benefit time—under a contract with no spending caps. We further noted that two sitting council members are former police officers, adding to the questions of conflict and accountability.

Earlier this week, the New Jersey Attorney General released its 2024 Major Discipline Report, which included Berkeley Heights.

Notably, the report indicates that the Township took no employment action in response to the infraction—a striking contrast to neighboring towns like Mountainside and Scotch Plains, where disciplinary measures were imposed for far less severe violations.

This inconsistency raises a critical question: What standard of accountability is being applied in Berkeley Heights—if any?

Some might say, “Well, the officer resigned—what could the Township do?”

But resignation doesn’t mean your hands are tied.

Towns have options.

They can still complete their own investigation.

They can take steps to prevent pension benefits if misconduct is serious enough.

They can, at the very least, speak up.

Alexis Tarrazi of Patch.Com first wrote about the OAG report earlier this week.

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