Lawsuit: Two NJ police chiefs charged with sexual misconduct in separate cases

NEW JERSEY – A retired and suspended police chief faces misconduct charges, the New Jersey Attorney General announced Wednesday, with the suspended police chief accused of sexually assaulting female subordinates for more than 10 years. a decade into what prosecutors described as a “year-long pattern of predatory sexual conduct against many women.”

Thomas Herbst, 55, of Bridgewater, who has worked for the Manville Police Department since 1991 and has been on paid administrative leave since his arrest on Wednesday morning, is charged with sexual misconduct against at least three women.

According to the investigation, between 2008 and 2021, he groped, exposed, sexually harassed and sexually assaulted a police department employee under his command at the police station.

Herbst allegedly at one point ordered one of the women to start wearing skirts at work to make the attacks easier and more intense. Investigators say at a time when she resisted, he accused her of disobeying orders.

The boss also allegedly attacked the woman in her own home, entering through the back door uninvited and sexually assaulting her. Investigators say that, to try to avoid these encounters at home, she began to close the blinds, lock the doors and park her car in her garage so that when the boss walked by, he would assume she wasn’t. was not at home.

According to the investigation, Herbst also solicited sexual favors from the wife of one of his officers under his command in order for that officer to receive favorable job opportunities and decisions. On one occasion, he texted his subordinate demanding oral sex from his wife in exchange for a promotion.

Evidence also revealed that Herbst went to the new home of another alleged victim, who was previously his subordinate, and sexually assaulted her during a home visit.

Herbst faces two counts of sexual assault, two counts of official misconduct, one count of official misconduct and one count of criminal sexual interference for the alleged predatory behavior.

Herbst’s attorney did not immediately respond to NBC 4 New York’s request for comment.

In a separate case, the former Howell Township police chief is facing criminal charges after he allegedly lied in a township investigation and threatened a high-ranking member of the police department to cover up a sexual relationship with a subordinate. .

Andrew Kudrick, 49, of Farmingdale, who retired as chief after the conduct alleged in the complaint, has been charged with official misconduct, perjury, falsifying public documents, tampering with witnesses and reprisals, and obstruction of the administration of the law.

Supposedly, a confrontation between Kudrick’s wife and the alleged mistress at a retirement party in 2021 raised suspicions about the possibility of an extramarital affair. Later, after the confrontation, the city retained the services of a special counsel to conduct an internal investigation and address concerns that the city government might be at risk of liability due to the possibility of a climate change environment. hostile work and sexual harassment within the cop department.

The day before a captain in the Howell Township Police Department, who had knowledge and evidence of the alleged relationship, was questioned a second time by the special counsel in late March 2022, Kudrick allegedly threatened to lie to him.

Other charges stem from an official interview Kudrick gave to a special counsel, in which he falsely denied making sexual comments or having an intimate relationship with the subordinate and denied receiving explicit photos of her. . However, the alleged evidence showed that an affair had taken place, in violation of the municipalities’ policy prohibiting romantic relationships with subordinates.

In a statement, Kudrick’s attorney, Robert Honecker, said his client was “highly respected” and would defend himself “vigorously” against the allegations.

“Andy denies the allegations and has committed no crime,” Honecker said. “Falling from political grace does not make you a criminal. Andy is well respected in law enforcement and in the Howell Township community. He intends to vigorously defend himself against these charges.

At the attorney general’s press conference Wednesday afternoon to announce the charges, Platkin wanted to clarify something.

“I have a clear message: your badge does not make you untouchable and your position does not give you the right to act with impunity because at the end of the day we are all equal before the law,” Platkin said.