WATCH: JCPD Capt. Leonidas ‘Lou’ Karras is paid $168,000, but does he really work?

Real Jersey City’s surveillance of Jersey City Police Department Captain Leonidas ‘Lou’ Karras revealed questionable work behavior for regular and off-duty shifts.

While some officers in the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD) work hard to keep the city’s streets safe, JCPD Captain Leonidas ‘Lou’ Karras – who serves as a trustee for the Jersey City Police Superior Officers Association (JCPSOA) – may not be one of them.

During a month-long investigation, Real Jersey City captured Karras – who makes $168,000, plus overtime and off-duty pay – apparently not working, or hardly working, many of his regular and off-duty shifts.

Knowledge of all of the following shifts were acquired upon information and belief:

– On January 13th, 2016, Karras’ was supposed to be working an off-duty shift from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and was paid for eight hours. His personal vehicle, a sedan at the time, was spotted leaving Jersey City’s Command Center on Bishop St. and Cornelison Avenue shortly after 1:30 p.m. heading towards his Jersey City property. At around 2:35 p.m. he left for his Jersey Shore property, and was last spotted around 4 p.m. at a Jersey Shore seafood store.

– On the night of January 18th, 2016 into the morning of January 19th, 2016, Karras was supposedly working the midnight tour from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. His sedan was spotted at his Jersey Shore property around 10:30 p.m., and captured leaving for Jersey City around 1:00 a.m at excessive speeds. Around 2 a.m. the vehicle was spotted near his Jersey City property, remaining in the same spot until just before 6 a.m. Karras was also assigned an off-duty job on the 19th, supposedly from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. His car was photographed in the same spot shortly before 10:00 a.m that day.

– On the night of January 26th, 2016 into the morning of January 27th, 2016, Karras was supposedly working the midnight tour. At 11:40 p.m., Karras was spotted with an unmarked JCPD Dodge Durango helping to start a neighbor’s car in Jersey City. After potentially raising the suspicion of Karras, Real Jersey City left the area and didn’t return until approximately 1:30 a.m. Upon returning to the area, the city car was identified, in the same parked location, seven times until 6:51 a.m. Later that day, shortly before 3 p.m., the car was parked illegally on Kennedy Boulevard, near Kensington Avenue.

– During the day of January 28th, 2016, the unmarked JCPD Dodge Durango was identified in front of Karras’ Jersey Shore property. According to a Kane In Your Corner-News 12 NJ (KIYC) follow-up report to an article published on Real Jersey City about the car being taken home, Jersey City Spokesperson Jennifer Morrill said “Capt. Karras was not authorized to take home a city vehicle. We investigated the matter and will be taking disciplinary action against one and possibly several members of the JCPD as a result.”

– On the night of January 29th, 2016 into the morning of January 30th, 2016, Karras was supposedly working the midnight tour. The JCPD Durango was spotted shortly before 11:30 p.m. near his Jersey City property, and Karras, in what appeared to be regular dress clothes, although not seen on camera, leaves shortly after midnight in the city car. At approximately 4:25 a.m., a full-size SUV was parked outside the Jersey City home, which evidently was the captain’s new vehicle.

– On the day of February 1st, 2016, Karras’ was supposed to be working an off-duty shift from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and was paid for eight hours. The full-size SUV was seen at his Jersey City property around 7:30 a.m., and remained parked in the spot until 10:15 a.m., when Karras left. After losing sight of him, Karras was spotted at approximately 11:15 a.m. and appeared to be loading the car, ultimately exiting at 12:20 p.m. He headed south in his car on Kennedy Blvd. into Bayonne, until stopping at a gas station, and was not seen after.

– On the night of February 2nd, 2016 into the early morning of February 3rd, 2016, Karras was supposedly working the midnight tour. The captain was spotted driving around 11:30 p.m. near his Jersey City property, despite a brief pursuit, the full-size SUV went missing, but was eventually spotted again shortly before 1 a.m.

According to multiple police and civilian sources with knowledge, Karras potentially has a history of not always working when he’s supposed to.

None of the shifts have been confirmed via the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), and it’s possible, given months of attempts to have the Fulop Administration release Karras’ timesheets, as well as timesheets for other officers, the documents remain concealed and potentially tampered with.

In a response to a prior OPRA request, the Fulop Admin. produced fraudulent timesheets which claimed Karras worked the day tour. Eventually real timesheets were produced that showed he worked the midnight tour.

According to sources, Public Safety Director James Shea is having the documents withheld because it may hurt the indictment of other officers which the Fulop Admin. is allegedly pursuing with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office (HCPO), some of whom were previously mentioned in a KIYC report.

In addition, some of the officers facing a potential indictment have pending litigation against the Fulop Administration.

Real Jersey City previously captured JCPD Lt. Terrence Crowley going absent for approximately 25% of the time during all of his off-duty shifts in January 2016, initiating a likely sham investigation by the JCPD’s Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) – lead by an officer whose timesheets are currently being concealed by the Fulop Administration.

In addition, a previous report regarding an off-duty job Chief Philip Zacche once worked in the Marion Gardens housing complex has since initiated another likely sham investigation by the HCPO’s IAU.

HCPO spokesperson Gene Rubino did not return an email seeking comment regarding whether they were working with Shea on the indictment of JCPD officers.

Morrill declined to return an email seeking the release of the requested documents, as well as the Fulop Administration’s thoughts on Karras’ work performance.

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