The boss went from paid leave to unpaid suspension

Mayor says allegations are ‘serious’

Beaten police chief faces another charge

ENGLISHTOWN — The New Jersey town’s police chief is now suspended without pay after his arrest earlier this month, according to local officials.

Englishtown Police Chief Peter Cooke Jr. was arrested Nov. 1, according to Marlboro Municipal Court records. One of the charges dates back to August 12, 2024.

Boss was charged with third-degree computer theft and third-degree conspiracy to commit shoplifting.

The allegations were first announced on YouTube by John Van Dyke with New Jersey Exposed. New Jersey 101.5 was unable to corroborate some of the claims made in the video.

Englishtown’s mayor says the allegations are serious

Mayor Dan Francisco said the charges were “two serious crimes that speak of moral turpitude.”

The Monmouth County District Attorney’s Office brought the charges against Cooke, according to Francisco. He said the district played no role in the investigation and that the prosecutor’s office would handle the case.

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“Pending these charges, the police department will remain under the leadership of Lt. Trevor Martinson – who has done an outstanding job building relationships in the community and leading his team. I have full confidence in Lt. Martinson and in his continued leadership. “, said Mayor Francisco.

Allegation of retaliation against police chief

Cooke joined the Englishtown Police in 2000 and served as officer in charge from 2011 to 2018. He was promoted to chief in 2019.

In April, Cooke was placed paid administrative leave. His salary was nearly $129,000 a year as of June, according to state pension filings. He is now suspended without pay.

Officials did not say why Cooke was first placed on leave. At the time, Mayor Francisco told him Manalapan patch that it was a personnel matter. It is not known if it was related to other charges.

Cooke is accused of harassment by the former city clerk, who filed a lawsuit against him and the district a year ago.

According to the lawsuit, the clerk faced retaliation for questioning mysterious payments from the public to the police department. The lawsuit said Cooke repeatedly asked her to fill out a background check form that requested access to bank records, medical records and details of any scars or tattoos, among other private information.

She filed a notice complaint in November 2022 and was fired in January 2023 after returning from disability leave, the lawsuit states.

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