The New Jersey Supreme court has ruled that a law enforcement officer’s former conviction does not disqualify him from continued work as a police officer.   The offense is also eligible for expungement.

The defendant in this case was a former Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Officer and part-time Frenchtown police officer.  He entered into a plea agreement where he pled guilty to a single count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and the defendant agreed to never again seek employment as a police officer in New Jersey or any other state.

The State of New Jersey argued for the additional condition of statutory forfeiture and permanent disqualification from public employment due to the fact that defendant was a public employee when the offense was committed.  The defendant would not agree to this condition.

New Jersey’s highest court ruled that the defendant’s offense occurred when he was off-duty and the offense had no connection to his position in law enforcement.  Therefore, the court held that the offense that the defendant pled to does not require his forfeiture of office and permanent disqualification from public employment.

Many individuals agree to plea agreements without realizing the ramifications and consequences of their agreements.  Often times, these plea agreements compelled these defendants to forfeit their jobs and any future public employment positions.

If you are unsure about your plea agreement, you can contact the Law Offices of Higbee & Associates.

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Written by Natasha Buchanan, Attorney at Law

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