LT. Terrence Crowley pleaded guilty to off-duty investigation, Fulop-Zacche administer ‘token punishment’

On September 22, 2016, Lt. Terrence Crowley waived his right to a departmental hearing and accepted responsibility for violating multiple JCPD rules stemming from a Real Jersey City investigation into his off-duty work habits.

Lt Terrance Crowley (Twice) - Chief Philip Zacche - Mayor Steven Fulop (PHOTO: City of Jersey City)

Lt Terrance Crowley (Twice) – Chief Philip Zacche – Mayor Steven Fulop (PHOTOS: Real Jersey City, City of Jersey City)

On March 24, 2016, Real Jersey City published a month-long investigation which captured Lt. Terrence Crowley of the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD) skipping town with at least an hour-and-a-half to go on all three of his off-duty supervisor assignments – going absent for approximately 25% of the time he was paid.

According to a JCPD Internal Affairs (IA) document obtained by Real Jersey City, on September 22, 2016, Crowley pleaded guilty to the following charges:

1. Lt. Crowley violated JCPD Rule 3:124, Leaving Assignment – Members will not leave their assignment except on an emergency or by the direction or permission of a supervisor.

2. Lt. Crowley violated JCPD Rule 3:108, Conduct – Members will not engage in any conduct that constitutes conduct unbecoming an officer or neglect of duty. They will conduct their private and professional lives in such a manner as to be credit to the department.

The specific details mentioned in the internal affairs report mirror the original Real Jersey City investigation, including the exact dates and times of Crowley’s infractions.

Crowley was ultimately disciplined by the department with a loss of five compensatory days and was allowed to eventually retire. It’s unclear who was the hearing officer that served him with internal affairs charges, but the document was signed by former Chief Philip Zacche.

Of note, Zacche was exonerated by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office (HCPO) for a Real Jersey City investigation into an alleged no-show, off-duty security job in the Marion Gardens public housing complex.

Following the most recent JCPD officer to plead guilty to federal charges connected to the department’s off-duty jobs program, Jersey City spokesperson Jennifer Morrill stated “we will continue to be aggressive in reporting and rooting out corruption and hold all city employees accountable for their actions.”

Some within the police department have found Morrill’s quote to be laughable, pointing to the “token punishment” Crowley received for his infractions. According to sources, it’s not the only off-duty scam Crowley received a “token punishment” for, and that he was under investigation by the HCPO – and ultimately disciplined by JCPD IA – for a separate matter around the time of Real Jersey City’s surveillance operation.

Morrill did not respond to an email asking why the Fulop Administration declined to fire Crowley for defrauding vendors paying the city for an off-duty supervisor, and if he had been disciplined for a separate matter of a similar nature.

HCPO spokesperson Ray Worrall did not respond to an email inquiring if the prosecutor’s office had investigated Crowley. As well, Worrall failed to explain the difference between all of Crowley’s known infractions – especially monetarily – and the four JCPD officers indicted by the HCPO for alleged off-duty jobs misconduct.

Of note, Crowley served as Sergeant at Arms for the Jersey City Police Superior Officers Association (JCPSOA).

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