News
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
While "personnel records" of public employees are mostly exempt under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10 makes certain types of personnel information expressly available to the public. Specifically, a public employee's "name, title, position, salary, payroll record, length of service, date of separation and the reason therefor, and the amount and type of any pension received shall be a government record" and must be disclosed to the public.
As one can see, one of the items within the public domain is an employee's "payroll record." But, what exactly is a payroll record and what information must it contain?
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On June 5, 2017, the Borough of Tuckerton (Ocean County) quietly paid $8,225.36 to settle a lawsuit brought by a suspended Borough police officer who was indicted on January 13, 2015 for allegedly causing his K-9 canine "Gunner" attack a 58-year-old female motorist on January 29, 2014 and then falsifying an arrest record to cover his actions. Under the terms of the settlement, Tuckerton also agreed to forgive $16,774.64 in health premiums that the Borough said the officer owed and also gave full ownership of Gunner to the officer.
Tuckerton officer Justin M. Cherry filed two lawsuits against the Borough--one each in federal and state court. In both complaints, Cherry claimed that he was deprived of some training opportunities and that when he complained he was met with "demeaning and harassing" conduct by Chief Michael Caputo. Cherry said Caputo's harassment was retaliatory and that Caputo "has been determined to terminate [Cherry's] employment by any means." Caputo's alleged harassment consisted of refusing to compensate Cherry for his "at home" care of Gunner and accusing Cherry of hacking Caputo's e-mails.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
On August 3, 2017, Libertarians for Transparent Government (LFTG) filed a lawsuit against the Wall Township Board of Education challenging its refusal to disclose an invoice from Jostens, the high school's yearbook vendor.
- Details
- Written by Todd McHale
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Originally published by Burlington County Times, republished under Creative Common License
FLORENCE -- The police chief has come under fire from the municipality and from rank-and-file members of his department.
Chief John Bunce was taken off the job earlier this week until the conclusion of an investigation concerning his conduct.
Township Administrator Richard Brook said Bunce was placed on paid administrative leave Monday afternoon, effective immediately. Bunce could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On October 15, 2015, both Keith Brown of NJ Advance Media and Isaac Avilucea of the Trentonian reported that State Police Detective Doug Muraglia was one of the two officers who together fired as many as eighteen shots at Radazz Hearns, then age 14, on August 7, 2015. The other officer who fired at Hearns was identified by the newspapers as Mercer County Sheriff’s Detective James Udijohn.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On June 5, 2017, the Town of Dover (Morris County) paid $382,500 to settle a lawsuit filed by an officer who said that he was retaliated against for complaining about ticket-fixing and for reporting that officers were "stealing time" by leaving work early or taking days off.
In his complaint, Timothy Thiel claimed that during a 2011 traffic stop of a car driven by a campaign worker for Mayor James Dodd and which carried Alderwoman Carolyn Blackman as a passenger, he "was pressured to not write tickets because of who was in the car." Thiel said that after he wrote two summonses despite the pressure, he learned that the tickets were improperly dismissed by the municipal court without his knowledge or approval. Through a police sergeant, the ticket-fixing allegation was reported to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
July 26, 2017
Internal Affairs Unit
Neptune Township Police Department
25 Neptune Blvd.
Neptune, NJ 07753
(via fax only to 732-774-0982 )
RE: Officer Aaron Lay
Dear Sir or Madam:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this letter as an Internal Affairs complaint. Note that this is the second complaint we have filed regarding a warrantless strip search. Our first complaint was filed on March 18, 2013 and reported that Lieutenant Robert Mangold had conducted a warrantless strip search that resulted in two glassine bags of heroin being suppressed by the court. Notwithstanding the court's finding, your Internal Affairs Unit exonerated Mangold after finding that he "followed the appropriate department policies and procedures."
NJLP Board Member, Dorit Goikhman, interviews LNC member Arvin Vohra.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Latest News
On December 9, 2016, the Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) quietly paid $65,000 to settle a former African-American student's lawsuit which claimed that he was repeatedly racially harassed by other students and that school officials took no corrective action.
In his suit, Venice Samuel, III of Willingboro, who was a minor at the time the suit was filed but an adult at the time it was settled, claimed that he suffered several incidents of racial harassment during his junior and senior years at the BCIT's Medford Campus. Samuel claimed that he was repeatedly called a n****r during October 2012 by a student identified in the lawsuit only as "D.D." He said that Assistant Principal Michael Parker failed to take any action after receiving Samuel's complaints.
- Details
- Written by Kevin Lowery
- Category: Events
The New Jersey Libertarian Party and I would like to cordially invite you to join us for a night of comedy relief in support of your favorite Garden State political party.
The first annual Laughs for Liberty will be held June 24, 2017 at the Atlantic City Comedy Club. This event features some of the best area comics, see the attached flyer.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
The Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) requires public bodies to make the minutes of their meetings, both public and non-public (i.e. closed or executive), "promptly available to the public." Recent correspondence with one South Jersey township reveals that minutes from closed meetings held five years ago are still not available for public inspection and that minutes from closed meetings held in the 1980's and 1990's have apparently been lost forever.
A May 16, 2017 Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request to Deerfield Township in Cumberland County sought "the minutes of the three (3) most recently held [closed] Deerfield Township Committee meetings for which minutes are available in either full or redacted form." The request went on to explain that if "the three most recent closed meetings for which minutes are available in whole or part took place ten years ago in April, May and June of 2007, then those would be the minutes that are responsive to this request."
- Details
- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This month it will be one year since I was charged with "harassment" and "criminal mischief" in the "People's Republic of Gladstone and Peapack". What heinous act did I commit to warrant those charges? Are you ready for this? I left history magazines at the drive-up windo at th Peapack-Gladstone Bank in Gladstone, NJ! Apparently leaving reading material in areas frequented by the public is not allowed in the"Constitution -free zone" called Gladstone!
- Details
- Written by Kevin Lowery
- Category: Latest News
Greetings Fellow Libertarians,
The New Jersey Libertarian Party is happy to announce that it will be partnering with http://TaiChiGala.com to offer its members discounted pricing for the 2017 Tai Chi Gala, held in Henryville, PA from June 2nd thru June 4th. The organizers of the event, who are also dedicated libertarians, have not only offered discounts to those who register using the code Liberty2017 but they will also be donating $50 for each of these registrants.
The NJLP feels that there is no better way for its members to enjoy the natural healing and stress relief of this Chinese martial art while also supporting the most relaxing and stress free political party on the market. Other topics covered during this event include eastern philosophy, mindfulness, meditation, qi energy development, mind/body healing, and push hands.
Act fast as space is limited and this discount will only be offered until May 19th!!!
Book now using LIBERTY2017 and help support the New Jersey Libertarian Party!!!
Best Wishes,
Kevin Lowery
VP of Programs
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Police Accountability Project of the New Jersey Libertarian Party
April 27, 2017
Jersey City Police Department, IA Unit
1 Journal Square Plaza – 4th Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07306 (Via Fax to 201-547-5512)
Dear Sir or Madam:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this letter as our Internal Affairs complaint. We would like your agency to investigate whether Jersey City Officers Greg Wojtowicz, Carlos Lugo and other officers employed by your agency acted in accordance with department policy and the law regarding a warrantless search of minivan containing 500 glassine bags of heroin.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Police Accountability Project of the New Jersey Libertarian Party
April 6, 2017
Lieutenant Christopher Pew
Internal Affairs Unit
Salem City Police Department (Via e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Dear Lieutenant Pew:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this e-mail as our Internal Affairs complaint. We would like your agency to investigate Sergeant Melvin Vanaman's December 12, 2013 interaction with James T. Pritchett.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Police Accountability Project of the New Jersey Libertarian Party
March 1, 2017
Lieutenant Al Payne
Internal Affairs Unit
Raritan Township Police Department
2 Municipal Drive
Flemington, NJ 08822 (Via Fax to 908-782-1060)
Dear Lieutenant Payne:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this letter as our Internal Affairs complaint. We would like your agency to investigate Officer (now Sergeant) Benedict Donaruma's July 30, 2013 motor vehicle stop of Donna Alessi.
- Details
- Written by Patrick McKnight
- Category: Latest News
2017 NJLP Convention
March 11, 2017
Agenda
09:00 Call to order & quorum check [Chair]
09:05 Agenda review & approval [Chair]
09:10 Secretary's Report [Secretary]
Approval of prior meeting minutes (State Board Meeting 2/21/2016)
09:15 Treasurer's report [Treasurer]
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On August 3, 2016, the City of Millville (Cumberland County) agreed to pay $40,000 to a teenage dirt bike rider who said that a Millville police officer "point[ed] a gun directly at him."
In his lawsuit filed on January 12, 2015, a thirteen year old boy, identified only by the initials C.F., claimed that Millville Police Officer Michael Thompson pointed "a gun directly at him" for about 30 seconds after Thompson stopped the boy for riding a motorized dirt bike in a wooded area near Magnolia Avenue on September 27, 2014. The boy and his parent, identified as D.F., claimed that the officer's decision to pull his weapon was unwarranted "because of the lack of severity of the crime at issue, because [the boy] did not pose an immediate threat to the safety of the police officer or others, and because [the boy] was not actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight." According to the lawsuit, the officer's decision to deploy his weapon amounted to excessive force and violated the boy's rights under both the federal and state constitutions.
- Details
- Written by John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
A recently uncovered settlement agreement made on June 16, 2014 shows that the City of East Orange (Essex County) agreed to pay $200,000 to a police matron who said that a captain with the city's police department ejaculated on her love seat and his service revolver while he visited her home in 2007.
In her lawsuit, Candida Ray said that Captain Anthony Cooke visited her home on January 26, 2007 to "discuss a business matter involving the sale of cakes and cookies." She claimed that the meeting was "strictly business" and that she and Cooke never had an intimate relationship. According to the lawsuit, Ray left Cooke alone in the living room while she stepped into the kitchen. When she returned "she found that Captain Cooke had removed his penis from his trousers and was masturbating." When she told him to stop and leave her home, Cooke reportedly "refused and masturbated to orgasm, ejaculating over Ms. Ray's love seat and his gun, which he had withdrawn from his holster."