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TRENTON
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow and
Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor
announced that a police captain with the
New Jersey Human Services Police was charged
today with submitting fraudulent time sheets
and firearms qualification certificates.
He was also charged with misusing police
databases for personal purposes.
According
to Director Taylor, Brian Brady, 49, of
Sparta, was charged by complaint with three
counts of second-degree official misconduct
and one count of second-degree pattern of
official misconduct. He turned himself in
to detectives today to be processed, and
was released without posting bail. If convicted,
he could face up to 10 years in state prison
on each official misconduct charge, including
five years without possibility of parole,
and a consecutive sentence on the pattern
of official misconduct charge. The charges
stem from an ongoing joint investigation
by the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption
Bureau and New Jersey Department of Human
Services.
Brady,
who formerly was a councilman and mayor
for the Township of Sparta, is the third
highest ranking officer in the Human Services
Police, reporting to the chief and the director.
The Human Services Police provide police
services at the developmental centers and
psychiatric hospitals operated by the Department
of Human Services. They also are assigned
to protect offices and case workers for
the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family
Services.
“This
police captain allegedly abused his office
by falsifying and misusing official records
to serve his own purposes,” said Attorney
General Dow. “There is no room for
dishonest conduct on the part of a sworn
law enforcement officer.”
“Police
officers are properly held to a higher standard,”
said Director Taylor. “The public
needs to be able to rely on the fact that
officers will act with integrity at all
times when performing their duties.”
In
connection with one charge of official misconduct,
it is alleged that Brady took blocks of
personal time without submitting documentation
for the appropriate leave time. Instead,
Brady, who earned an annual salary of $101,000
last year, allegedly submitted false time
sheets indicating that he had worked on
days when he was away on personal trips.
On some of these personal trips, including
travel outside of the State of New Jersey,
he allegedly used a state vehicle and state-issued
E-Z Pass.
Since
2007, Brady was the officer for the Human
Services Police who submitted required annual
certifications to the Attorney General’s
Office on force members’ firearms
qualifications. With respect to the second
charge of official misconduct, it is alleged
that Brady submitted four annual certifications
that falsely stated that he had completed
required activities at a firing range to
re-qualify in use of his service firearm.
In
connection with the third charge of official
misconduct, it is alleged that Brady had
background checks conducted on every member
of a minor league baseball team using a
police database and provided the results
to the team’s manager. It is also
alleged that Brady used a police database
to run a background check on a vehicle that
he wanted to purchase. The police database
is to be used strictly for criminal justice
purposes and not to be used for personal
gain.
The
Department of Human Services immediately
suspended Captain Brady pending a disciplinary
hearing.
The
investigation was conducted and coordinated
by Detective Lee Bailey of the Division
of Criminal Justice, Deputy Attorney General
Nicole Rizzolo and Deputy Attorney General
Christine Hoffman, Chief of the Division
of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau, with
the full cooperation and participation of
Human Services officials.
Under
state law, second-degree crimes carry a
maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison
and a criminal fine of $150,000. Each of
the charges carries a mandatory minimum
sentence of five years in prison without
parole under New Jersey’s statutory
sentencing enhancements for public corruption.
The mandatory minimum sentence applies to
certain listed offenses occurring on or
after April 14, 2007 that involve or touch
upon the defendant’s public office.
The
charges are merely accusations and the defendant
is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Because the charges are indictable offenses,
they will be presented to a state grand
jury for potential indictment.
Attorney
General Dow and Director Taylor noted that
the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption
Bureau has established a toll-free Corruption
Tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ
for the public to report corruption, financial
crime and other illegal activities. Additionally,
the public can log on to the Division of
Criminal Justice Web page at www.njdcj.org
to report suspected wrongdoing. All information
received through the Division of Criminal
Justice Corruption Tipline or Web page will
remain confidential.
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