A senior Jackson police official has filed a sweeping lawsuit against the township’s former police chief, alleging systemic safety failures, regulatory violations and retaliation after he raised concerns internally.
Joe Candido, a veteran officer appointed as Jackson’s Public Safety Director, filed the complaint in Ocean County Superior Court, accusing township officials and former Police Chief Matt Kunz of ignoring serious operational deficiencies and then punishing him for speaking out.
The lawsuit alleges violations of New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), the state’s whistleblower statute, along with claims under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act.
Central to the complaint are allegations that the department mishandled new state-mandated licensing requirements for police officers. Under updated rules issued by the New Jersey State Police Training Commission, officers were required to complete background checks and submit renewal applications by a set deadline in 2024.
Candido claims he raised concerns about delays and compliance issues but was told there was ample time to complete the process. According to the lawsuit, the department ultimately missed key deadlines and submitted flawed applications, potentially jeopardizing officers’ standing under state regulations.
The complaint alleges that when Candido pressed the issue, he encountered resistance from leadership rather than corrective action.
The lawsuit also details an internal affairs investigation referred by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. Under state policy, the police chief is required to review findings and issue disciplinary decisions within specific timeframes.
Candido alleges that the chief failed to act within those required deadlines and later blocked minor discipline that Candido sought to impose. The complaint claims that the delay and subsequent inaction violated established internal affairs procedures.
Among the more serious allegations are claims that the township’s police firing range — where department-owned AR-15 rifles and other weapons are stored — lacked adequate security controls.
The lawsuit asserts that outside vendors were permitted to use the facility without proper documentation or oversight and that the building’s access system was poorly managed. According to the complaint, only a small number of access codes were shared among multiple individuals, making it difficult to track entry and exit.
Candido alleges that an audit revealed unauthorized access to the facility during early morning hours, but due to weak monitoring protocols, it was impossible to determine who had entered. He contends that the conditions posed potential risks to officers and the public.
The complaint further alleges that a review of department equipment uncovered multiple officers wearing expired or soon-to-expire bulletproof vests.
According to the filing, several vests had already expired, while dozens more were nearing expiration without replacement fittings or funding requests in place. Candido claims that available funds were not properly allocated to replace the safety equipment, placing officers at unnecessary risk.
Candido alleges that after raising these concerns, he was subjected to retaliation.
The lawsuit claims his license renewal was denied on grounds related to alleged “moral turpitude and candor issues,” which he says were unsupported. He further alleges he was removed from oversight roles, reassigned to lower-level duties, denied overtime opportunities and stripped of certain employment benefits.
The complaint argues that these actions were taken in response to protected whistleblowing activity and were designed to damage his professional standing.
The lawsuit notes that Chief Kunz resigned earlier this year. Township officials have not publicly commented on the allegations contained in the complaint.
The case now moves forward in Superior Court, where Candido is seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and a jury trial.