BY WALTER ELLIOTT
NEWARK – Police offices in “Local Talk” land, going by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office 2023 Major Law Enforcement Discipline Report released Aug. 2, have had their share or more than their share of disciplining.
The report, released by Attorney General Matthew Platkin, catalogs major discipline actions taken by 167 reporting agencies statewide on 460 officers from June 15, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2023. By “major discipline,” the action taken ranges from being suspended at least five days, forfeiting vacation or other accrued time, transferal, demotion, resignation or firing.
There were officers from 11 agencies who work in Eastern Essex County who received major discipline. Seven municipal police departments reported to the AG’s office plus Essex County’s correction, sheriff and prosecutor’s offices and the New Jersey Institute of Technology Police.
The 2023 report has the Newark Police Division, with 16 discipline incidents, and the county department of corrections, with 12, as among the “top” or “worst” 10 agencies. Essex County has the second highest volume of reports among New Jersey’s 21 counties.
“Local Talk” will be focused on the seven reporting police departments or divisions. Details and reports from the county and college campus agencies are found online. Officers will be listed in alphabetical order.
NEWARK
PO Wali BURKS. Indicted on 17 criminal counts. Accused of failing to intervene and to report a shooting initiated by one of his associates.
PO Luis CONTRARAS. Six day suspension for failing to notify supervisor of a motor vehicle pursuit, failing to activate body camera and pursuit for a stolen auto violation.
PO Jose CRUZ. 10 day suspension for unholstering his firearm and allowing a friend to handle it. Handling led to a round being discharged.
PO Jeanette DEJESUS. Suspension for indictable offence. Accused of using a weapon to choke a victim during a domestic violence incident.
PO Erica DONALD. Nine day suspension for becoming argumentative and belligerent while being corrected by her supervisor. The belligerence led to an argument and physical altercation with a fellow officer.
PO Omar GALLARDO. 20 day suspension for taking an extra 23 days off after being put on Medical Certification in May 2023.
PO Samuel GONZALEZ. 15 day suspension for violating Use of Force Policy; chest bumping the complainant.
PO Terrell GRACE. 30 day suspension for using InfoCop to access a civilian’s phone number, after having a brief interaction with same, and trying to contact her by Instagram.
PO Aleem JOHNSON. 8 day suspension for being photographed asleep in a marked patrol car and in full uniform.
PO Ricardo MENDIETA. 44 day suspension for a domestic violence that escalated into a physical altercation, resulting in his arrest.
PO Richard PACELLI. 30 day suspension for losing firearm while investigating motor vehicle accident scene. 15 day suspension for mistakenly removing a civilian in a suspected stolen car, pursuing another car solely on a motor vehicle violation.
SGT Richard PISANO. 10 day suspension for failing to submit a pursuit investigation as instructed by a Captain.
PO Luis SANDOVAL. 30 day suspension for being excessively absent after a police surgeon instructed him to return to work on light duty.
PO Alonso VINUEZA. 15 day suspension for conducting an unauthorized strip search and failing to report thereof.
PO Darne WILLIAMS. 8 day suspension for being photographed asleep in a marked patrol car in full uniform.
EAST ORANGE
SGT. John BOCCHINO. 10 day suspension for using a profanity and applying a chokehold on a handcuffed suspect.
Off. Antione BUGGS. 10 day suspension for neglect of duty. Was School Resource Officer when notified by the disciplinarian’s office on a minor’s possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a knife. Officer accused of walking into the room, seeing the items and walking out without taking action or notifying his supervisor.
Off. Michael DiGUGLIEMO. 10 day suspension and loss of time for striking a domestic violence suspect, who was fleeing on foot, with his marked patrol car Sept. 9, 2021.
Off. Kendick HAMLETT. Six day suspension and loss of time for a female prisoner escaping his custody while at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center 4:33 p.m. Feb. 22, 2023.
Off. Rian HILL. 180 day suspension and loss of time for neglect of duty, unbecoming officer behavior, DWI. Struck two unoccupied vehicles July 9, 2022. Arrested after failing a sobriety test.
Off. Wilbert REGALADO. 180 day suspension, loss of time for actions during, after April 29, 2022 motor vehicle accident. Arrested for DWI, pleaded guilty for reckless driving in exchange for other charges dropped. Failed to notify EOPD of his arrest.
BLOOMFIELD
Off. Brian DiMARCO. 10 day suspension for violating several NJAG and BPD vehicle pursuit guidelines, including not advising his supervisor of the pursuit, direction of travel, speed and reason for pursuit.
Off. Rana KHALID. Six day suspension for failing to report payroll overpayment. He was paid $18,408.18 on Jan. 1, 2023 instead of $280. He had reimbursed the township after the overpayment was brought to his attention.
Det. Thomas LUTZ. 20 day suspension for workplace harassment. Hearing officer, after listening to the complainant, had his 20 day suspension reduced to five forfeited days and the other 17 days held in abeyance for a year.
ORANGE. Off. Lamar PAYNE. Six day suspension for taking more than his allotted sick time and for a pattern of calling out sick on weekends.
WEST ORANGE
Off. David PREZIOSI. 60 day suspension for neglect of duty: failing to notify his supervisor and Detective Bureau of a residential/motor vehicle burglary, conducting an improper investigation, failing to properly document and drafting three contradictory reports of the incident.
MONTCLAIR
Off. Matthew DOBROWSKI. Terminated. Used a racial epithet in presence of other MPD officers during a March 2022 off-duty PBA event. Hearing officer sustained the administrative charges and recommended his firing from the department.
BELLEVILLE
Lt. Graham KOSHNICK. Five day suspension for providing false information and “all other conduct.” Has misled his commanding officer regarding his attendance at a promotional examination.
