COURT HOUSE – Each year since 2021, New Jersey law enforcement departments have had to report cases of major discipline against officers in the previous year. This week, the state attorney general released the report for 2022; 13 agencies in Cape May County are listed in the report. Seven of those reported at least one incident of major discipline for misconduct.
The reporting law enforcement agencies in Cape May County include 11 municipal police departments, the county Sheriff’s Office, which includes the corrections department, and the county Prosecutor’s Office.
Five county municipalities do not have municipal police departments. State Police provide police services for Dennis and Upper townships and Woodbine. Cape May Point and West Cape May receive police services through an arrangement with Cape May.
In 2022, there were 10 separate incidents of major discipline reported across seven departments. The 10 incidents involved nine individuals, with one corrections sergeant disciplined twice in the year.
Only incidents that have been concluded are in the annual report. Some incidents from a given year could still be in an appeal process and would not be listed until the discipline is final. Major discipline is defined as five days of suspension or more. Discipline can involve a demotion in rank or even termination.
Discipline Cases
Discipline cases in Cape May County, in 2022, include two incidents involving Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Robert Leininger, who was suspended eight days for conducting an unauthorized investigation of a superior officer for the purpose of aiding a personal lawsuit.
Leininger was also suspended 15 days for moving an inmate to a location where the inmate would have direct contact with someone on the inmate’s no-contact list and then failing to report the move.
The same individual was suspended for 22 days in 2021 for misuse of public property and violating the county internet policy.
Lower Township patrolmen Eric Campbell and Austin Craig were terminated, in 2022, following a well-publicized theft of bicycles in Cape May. Part of the resolution of their cases included forfeiture of all Cape May County employment for life.
In Middle Township, Sgt. Joshua Bryan resigned following charges of witness tampering.The witness was his ex-girlfriend, who, according to an affidavit of probable cause in the case, told Bryan’s bosses that that the two had engaged in consensual sex a couple of times while he was on duty.
Middle Township Police Department also disciplined officer Joseph Trombetta for knowing that a former co-worker procured and used a prohibited substance, anabolic steroids. Trombetta was suspended for 180 days.
Officer Thomas Strunk, of the Ocean City Police Department, was listed in the report for a violation of department rules and regulations.
According to the report, Strunk used unnecessary force with a handcuffed individual. The discipline was loss of 180 hours of vacation time and signing a last chance agreement.
Sea Isle City Sgt. William Bradshaw was demoted to patrolman for insubordination by disobeying a direct order from the chief of police.Bradshaw had been ordered to leave the chief’s office and failed to do so. An administrative law judge heard the case and gave it a final determination.
Wildwood Patrolman Andrew Kolimaga was suspended 10 days for conducting “a spark display test while pointing his taser device at another officer.”
Special Cape May City Class I Officer Julia Gindvilleresignedher position after using another officer’s property, uniform boots, without permission. Gindvillethen lied about having the boots, which she ultimately turnedin only after being untruthful when speaking to both a lieutenant and a captain about the missing property.
Special Class II Officer Megan Reilly, in Lower Township, was terminated for participating with her fiancé in the creating of a fake bill of sale for a jet ski her fiancé had purchased. The officer was untruthful during a subsequent investigation by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
Across the state, the number of officers who were terminated, demoted, or suspended rose 5% from 2021. The 404 total officers disciplined last year represent 1.3% of the over 31,000 officers statewide.
In Cape May County, the number of departments engaged in a major discipline incident rose from five in 2021 to seven in 2022. The 10 incidents of major discipline in 2022 compared to eight in 2021.
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
