Chief Darren McConnell and his wife, Patrolwoman Kristin Altimari, at a library event in November. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s new borough manager put Chief Darren McConnell on administrative leave last week, eight months after union allegations of mismanagement of the police department, redbankgreen has learned.
Manager Jim Gant‘s action followed an investigative report from the New Jersey Attorney General, Gant said in an email to borough department heads.
PBA Local 39 President Mike Zadlock at a council meeting in December. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
In a memo to the mayor and council, personnel department and department heads last Wednesday, Gant wrote:
I have been made aware of the findings of an Attorney General’s Investigative report and have made the decision to place Chief McConnell on Administrative Leave effective immediately and until further notice.
Early Monday, Gant said told redbankgreen by email that the borough “is handling a confidential personnel matter regarding the Chief and has made the decision to place the Chief on Administrative leave… Any reports associated are a part of the chiefs personnel file and will not be released by the Borough.”
“Due to the confidential nature of the matter, we will not provide further comment,” he added.
Meantime, the 39-officer police department is under the command of Captain Mike Frazee, and “I feel very confident in Captain Frazee’s leadership,” Gant wrote.
McConnell declined to comment to redbankgreen Sunday. Over the past six months, he has repeatedly told redbankgreen he heard nothing from the NJAG’s since July, “when I was first notified of the complaint.”
The NJAG’s office has repeatedly declined to comment on matter.
Last July, with McConnell’s plan to retire appearing imminent, the council named Frazee as his successor. But that month, Police Benevolent Local 39 accused McConnell of engaging in “numerous inappropriate and questionable sexual relationships with the significant others” of department personnel as well as other alleged ethical lapses.
The union called for investigations by, among others, the NJAG. But its complaint has never been made public, and local president Mike Zadlock has not disclosed the complaint’s specific allegations.
At the time, McConnell said the allegations were “more about personal issues than professional ones,” and issued a detailed rebuttal.
On Monday, Zadlock referred redbankgreen to the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association.
With the complaint and investigative report shrouded in secrecy, it was unclear Monday what actions the council might take regarding McConnell. Mayor Billy Portman referred questions about the matter to Gant.
McConnell joined the RBPD as a patrolman in 1988, just a few months after graduating from Rumson-Fair Haven High School, and became chief in December, 2013, three months after the death of Chief Steve McCarthy.
The pending complaint put McConnell’s plans to retire on hold under New Jersey public pension rules.
Gant was hired to the new position of borough manager in November, taking control of government operations from McConnell, who had served as interim administrator and manager for two and half years.
Gant assumed the position full-time in January.
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