Chief Darren McConnell with Councilwoman Nancy Facey-Blackwood at an event in November. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Seven months after a union took action to block his possible hire as borough manager, Chief Darren McConnell remains in his post at the Red Bank police department, awaiting a decision that will allow him to retire.
Silence surrounds the matter.
PBA Local 39 Presdient Mike Zadlock at a council meeting in December. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Last August, Police Benevolent Local 39 President Mike Zadlock told the borough council in a public session that 85 percent of its members had supported a “no confidence” vote on McConnell’s leadership in July.
The PBA accused McConnell of engaging in “numerous inappropriate and questionable sexual relationships with the significant others’” of department personnel as well as alleged ethical lapses.
The union called for investigations by, among others, the New Jersey Attorney General.
At the time, McConnell said the allegations were “more about personal issues than professional ones,” and issued a detailed rebuttal.
The issue exploded into public view after McConnell had announced his intention to retire as chief, and while he was serving as interim borough manager.
Zadlock told the council at the time that the PBA was “adamantly opposed” to any possibility that McConnell might be considered for the manager’s job on a permanent basis if it was still open when he became eligible under state pension rules.
But that issue became moot in November, when, after a lengthy candidate search, the council appointed Jim Gant as borough manager. He assumed the position full-time in January.
So where do things stand with the police department?
In July, the council tapped Captain Mike Frazee to succeed McConnell as chief – when he steps down. But under state pension rules, McConnell cannot collect his pension with an unresolved complaint before the NJAG. So he remains on the job.
In the intervening months, McConnell has repeatedly told redbankgreen he has not had any communication about the complaint from the NJAG.
“I spoke to their office in July when I was first notified of the complaint,” he said last week, “but haven’t heard anything since.”
“I’m not going to comment right now, and just let everything run its course to a conclusion,” he added.
A spokesman for the NJAG told redbankgreen last week that agency has “no updates to report” on the matter. It has previously declined to acknowledge that it is investigating the allegations.
Zadlock did not respond to a redbankgreen inquiry on the status of the case last week.
In mid-December, he told the council the PBA “has seen no progress” by the NJAG.
In addition, he told the council the PBA had filed a grievance, alleging McConnell had improperly blocked Zadlock’s pursuit of a promotion from sergeant to lieutenant. At the time, McConnell declined to respond to Zadlock’s allegation, telling redbankgreen: “I cannot comment on active grievance, nor should he.”
Mayor Billy Portman noted during the meeting that McConnell “literally can’t retire” because of the union’s request for an investigation, which he called “a little bit of an odd situation. Darren would have been retired for several months already had not that investigation been instituted.”
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