Prosecutor: Insufficient Evidence on Sea Isle Chief, Responding Officers

COURT HOUSE –– According to the county Prosecutor’s Office, insufficient evidence exists to pursue criminal prosecution in the domestic violence case involving Sea Isle City’s Chief of Police William Kennedy.
Prosecutor Robert Taylor announced Nov. 21 that his office concluded an internal affairs investigation into the Oct. 16 incident, in which Kennedy’s wife Phyllis filed a restraining order against the chief.
According to a press release, the scope of this investigation was limited solely to the domestic violence incident and response by members of the Sea Isle City Police Department.
In addition to clearing the chief, investigators found “no evidence of misconduct on the part of the responding officers.”
The release said police followed procedures consistent with the Attorney General’s Guidelines on handling domestic violence
cases.
City Solicitor Paul Baldini said he was glad the investigation was born out that way, but was not surprised.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “We never felt our responding officers acted inappropriately.”
According to the release, “specific details of the investigation cannot be released due to its status as internal affairs, however, the completed investigation is being returned to the City for review and whatever administrative and/or disciplinary action the City deems appropriate.”
Baldini also said the city’s independent investigation, by Philadelphia attorney Francis Cook, which began Nov. 2, is still under way, but would likely be completed shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Chief Kennedy was placed on paid administrative leave Nov. 5 after allegations surfaced regarding a possible relationship with a female subordinate. Phyllis Kennedy allegedly became aware of the affair through graphic messages on the chief’s city-issued cell phone.
While Kennedy remains under investigation, Captain Michael Cook is running the city’s police department.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com