State Police Detectives Lied About N. Wildwood Bar Fight Involvement, AG Office Says

TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that married detectives with the New Jersey State Police were charged criminally April 15, for allegedly filing false reports about their conduct during a Feb. 22, 2020, physical altercation at a North Wildwood bar.
According to a release, Detective Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Ogden, 52, and Detective Sgt. Dorothy Ogden, 46, both of Hammonton, were charged by complaint-summons with fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. They were charged by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). The New Jersey State Police Office of Professional Standards initially investigated this matter and referred it to the OPIA Corruption Bureau.
Gregory and Dorothy Ogden Feb were at the bar when they were involved in a physical altercation with other patrons, during which Gregory Ogden was struck in the head with a bottle. The incident resulted in the North Wildwood Police Department responding to an aggravated assault complaint. 
The couple failed to immediately notify their chain of command in the New Jersey State Police, as required. Instead, they waited two days and then submitted official New Jersey State Police special reports, dated Feb. 24, 2020, that falsely described what had occurred, particularly their conduct during the incident, as revealed by video footage and other evidence.
In his report, Gregory Ogden claimed he was inadvertently struck by a bottle as a bystander after emerging from a bathroom. He wrote, “[t]his disturbance did not involve myself, nor any of the two individuals I was at the establishment with.” 
Video from the bar, on the other hand, shows him directly involved in the “disturbance,” pushing multiple people and/or attempting to strike another patron. 
Specifically, the video shows Gregory Ogden charging after an individual as bouncers were escorting the individual from the bar. Gregory Ogden is then seen grabbing and pulling on the hood of an individual’s sweatshirt, throwing two punches in their direction, and striking a bouncer in the process. The individual subsequently struck Gregory Ogden with a bottle, but this is not captured in the video footage.
In her report, Dorothy Ogden falsely described losing her husband in the bar and then only finding him once he was outside bar, with a bloodied face. Video, on the other hand, shows her clearly involved in the physical altercation, pushing multiple people, including the individual, who later struck her husband with a bottle. Video also shows her pushing bar security personnel who intervened.
Fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. 
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Brian Uzdavinis, of the OPIA Corruption Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter Lee and OPIA Deputy Director Anthony Picione.
It should be noted that the above individuals are only charged with the above mentioned offenses and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This report only contains individuals arrested based on complaints signed by law enforcement personnel, not private citizen signed complaints or ordinance violations.