Chief Darren McConnell (right) next to former Mayor Pasquale Manna. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell has agreed to resign his post and forfeit four months of sick/vacation pay to settle misconduct allegations against him, officials said.
McConnell has been suspended with pay since investigators with the state attorney general’s office last March recommended his firing for having a romantic relationship with a subordinate office and taking official actions, including quashing internal affairs cases, to benefit her.
Capt. Mike Frazee, who will be sworn in as chief on October 11. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
McConnell’s resignation will be effective Monday, Sept. 30, Borough Manager Jim Gant said in an emailed statement. Capt. Mike Frazee, who has led the department since August 2023, will be officially sworn in as chief on October 11.
McConnell’s resignation came as part of a negotiated settlement following confidential disciplinary hearings, Gant said.
“Following the direction of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the Borough took appropriate action, and we believe the Chief was justly penalized for the charges brought against him,” Gant said.
“While we acknowledge the severity of the situation, we also recognize that Chief McConnell’s misconduct reflected an unfortunate blemish in an otherwise exemplary career,” Gant’s statement reads. “The Borough expresses its gratitude to Chief McConnell for his years of dedicated service to our residents.”
Adhering to confidentiality rules, borough officials never disclosed what they charged McConnell with, only saying they were taking appropriate actions in response to the findings of the state investigation.
An annual major discipline reporting form posted on the borough web site says he was found to have violated local rules by failing to report “a dating relationship with a subordinate” and “failing to learn and apply” disclosure rules laid out in state internal affairs rules.
“For these violations, McConnell agreed to a penalty of forfeiture of four months of accured time from his sick and vacation,” the report reads.
A dollar figure for how much the four months’ pay would equal was not available, nor was a figure for the total amount of sick and vacation time he has accrued overall.
“McConnell is a 35+ year employee entitled to various types of compensation up on separation. Those calculations will be reflected upon certification of his final separation,” Gant wrote in an email in response to questions from redbankgreen.
The resignation and the official ascension of Frazee will close a tumultuous chapter that began in August 2023, when Red Bank’s police union levied bombshell public allegations and a complaint with the AG’s office against McConnell just as he was slated to retire. McConnell said he was unable to retire with an investigation pending, putting his status in limbo.
Seven months later, a report by the Office of Attorney General’s Special Investigations Unit found that McConnell violated borough policy when he used his position to influence internal affairs probes “involving a subordinate officer… with whom he has a personal/ romantic relationship” and recommended he be “terminated” and not allowed to work for the town “in any capacity.”
McConnell, who had also served for two and a half years as the borough’s interim business administrator, was placed on leave by Gant.
The AG’s report laid bare an alleged pattern of favoritism in which investigators said McConnell buried internal affair probes against his romantic partner for conducting an improper strip search, violating the department’s time-off policy, failing to appear in court when subpoenaed and several other cases.
The officer was identified in the report as Patrolwoman Kristin Altimari. She and McConnell are now married and she remains on active duty on the force.
An attorney representing McConnell was out of the country Friday and unavailable for comment.
In his statement, Gant expressed hope that the swearing in of Frazee will close the book on the tumultuous chapter for the department.
“As we move forward, the Borough, the police department, and the community look ahead to a new chapter. We are confident in the future of the Red Bank Police Department under the leadership of Captain Mike Frazee, who will be sworn in as Chief on October 11th at Borough Hall.
“This marks an opportunity to rebuild public trust and share a positive vision for the RBPD’s future, and we are excited for the continued service and safety of our community under Chief Frazee’s leadership,” the statement continued. “We look forward to a strong and unified future for the Borough and its police department.”
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
