Borough clears patrolman
on three of four charges
JAMESBURG — Borough Patrolman Louis Hornberger, who was suspended with pay in October, will be able to return to work after a five-day suspension without pay, according to Borough Attorney Frederick Raffetto.
He was cleared to return to work after a disciplinary hearing held in the borough on charges of misconduct.
"[The Borough Council] accepted the findings and conclusions [of a mediator] and went along with his recommendations," Raffetto said. "The hearing officer dismissed a few charges. One of the four charges was upheld."
Raffetto was referring to a report issued by James Mastriani, who presided over a closed hearing in November to determine if the four charges filed by the borough against Hornberger warranted dismissing him from the police force.
The council conducted the closed hearing after the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office completed its investigation of Hornberger in June and presented its findings to borough officials in October. The prosecutor’s office decided not to file criminal charges against the patrolman, according to Raffetto.
Borough officials suspended Hornberger with pay after reviewing the prosecutor’s findings in October and decided to hold a hearing on the matter to determine how to handle Hornberger’s employment. Hornberger was accused of misconduct in office, conduct unbecoming a public employee, neglect of duty and compromising the integrity of the police department.
At last week’s meeting, the council reviewed the mediator’s report and agreed with Mastriani’s recommendation to dismiss all but one of the charges. Hornberger, a member of the borough’s police force since 1994, was charged with conduct unbecoming a public employee.
Raffetto and other borough officials would not comment on the allegations that led to Hornberger’s suspension. Hornberger’s attorney, James Metz, Morristown, has not returned phone calls seeking comment on the matter.