A Superior Court judge has ruled that Jackson Township’s Public Safety Director Joe Candido cannot continue serving in that role while also remaining a member of the township’s police department.
Candido, a longtime officer who currently holds the rank of lieutenant, was appointed to the newly created Public Safety Director position in April 2024. Township officials said at the time that his responsibilities would include making recommendations to the administration on public safety issues, reporting on police department matters to the township, helping establish performance standards, and ensuring compliance with state reporting and accountability requirements. They emphasized that the position would not replace the police chief or eliminate the role.
In December, Police Chief Matthew Kunz filed a lawsuit arguing that Candido’s dual roles gave him authority over the department’s daily operations and allowed him to overturn the chief’s decisions. Kunz, who has led the department since 2008, argued this undermined the independence of the police chief’s position.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office later advised Candido in writing that he could not independently discipline the police chief and that his continued intervention in department affairs conflicted with state law governing the responsibilities of police chiefs.
After hearing arguments on Friday, Judge Valter Must agreed that Candido’s dual positions created a conflict that could not continue. The judge granted a 30-day delay in enforcing the decision to give the township time to appeal. If the township pursues an appeal, it will need to seek an additional stay from the state Appellate Division to keep Candido in the director role during the process.
The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police submitted a brief in support of Chief Kunz.
Kunz has served in the Jackson Police Department for more than 34 years.