Chief can’t comment; more charges coming from force
By elaine van develde
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN — You are what you see — horse manure. That was the salient message of separate scathing letters packaged with piles of horse excrement and sent to four township police officers.
The mailings prompted the four officers on the receiving end to press charges against a superior.
That superior is township police Lt. Robert Morrell. He allegedly sent the packages on April 19 to Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 124 President Detective Wayne Bradshaw, PBA Vice President Detective Gerald F. Weimer, Patrolman Stephen Dollinger and Lt. Michael Rubino.
Copies of the letters, released by Bradshaw, had Morrell’s letterhead and were signed, "May you rot in your own hell. R.J. Morrell Jr."
Letters sent to Weimer, Bradshaw and Dollinger read the same thing. They read, in part, "You have outdone yourself and sunk to a low that was never thought possible. While for whatever reason in your own simple mind you deem your hatred against me, to take a symbol of a little boy who had the heart and soul of a lion and eradicate it without even so much as batting an eye, by far shows that you are the lowest piece of sh— on the face of this earth. So, to pay tribute to you and your cronies, I’ve enclosed just what you stand for, horsesh—."
According to Bradshaw, the letters were referring to Morrell’s recent resignation from the PBA, when there was discussion about removing Morrell’s son’s name, R.J. Morrell III, from a PBA-sponsored cancer fund created in the boy’s honor. The fund was formed to help the families of children with cancer. Morrell’s son died of the disease in 1995.
Though Bradshaw conceded the idea of changing the fund’s name was discussed at a recent meeting, he said the name was never changed.
"Not only has he (Morrell) not discussed any issues of contention between the two of us, I’ve never had an argument or cross word with the guy in my life," said Bradshaw.
Bradshaw called the incident a potentially volatile situation.
The four officers swore out official harassment and disorderly conduct complaints against Morrell May 23. Also signing a complaint against Morrell was Rubino’s wife, Nina.
The township police chief refused to answer any questions on the matter.
"The N.J. attorney general’s guidelines on internal investigations, as well as the N.J. Administrative Code, prohibit me from commenting on any personnel issues," said Police Chief John Pollinger.
Bradshaw speculated on the impetus for Morrell’s alleged actions.
"Morrell says he got an anonymous letter a couple of months ago which made reference to the R.J. Morrell III fund. No one knows who sent it. Nobody signed their name. It could have been anyone," said Bradshaw.
In the weeks following the letter, nothing happened, said Bradshaw.
"I was on vacation in Mexico with Patrolman (Stephen) Dollinger from April 20-27," said Bradshaw. "My box arrived in the post office on the 20th and was held until we got back from Mexico. I had my mail stopped for vacation. When I got home from vacation (April 27) and played my answering machine, I heard a message from one of the other officers telling me to beware of what was waiting for me at the post office. It was one of the other guys who’d received a package."
Bradshaw and Dollinger met the postal inspector and representatives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the township police department at the post office on April 29.
The contingent took the package and opened it at police headquarters.
"Inside was what appeared to be horse excrement and the threatening letter. Considering what happened with Lt. Lutes in Seaside (a police officer in Toms River, Ocean County, who earlier this year shot and killed himself and several neighbors, and who also inflicted a gunshot wound to his police chief), I have to call Morrell’s actions into question," said Bradshaw. "He runs the township SWAT team and could give us a legal order any time (as a superior officer). Those facts were cause for serious alarm among all the victims."
Bradshaw said his sense of alarm prompted him to send letters to Pollinger and Township Administrator Robert Czech demanding verification that action had been taken to ensure the four officers’ safety.
David DeFillipo from Klatsky and Klatsky, Red Bank, has also sent letters on the four officers’ behalf to Township Attorney Bernard Reilly. Bradshaw said he received no response outlining any action taken, which is what prompted the filing of the charges weeks after the fact.
"They (the officers alleging victimization) were told directly that any legitimate concerns they had were addressed so that there would be no disruption of department operations, even though the activities alleged did not take place at all during the work day on departmental time," said Czech. "What they do is up to them. I have no control over their individual actions in that regard (pressing charges)."
"Although it didn’t happen on duty, the fact is that Bob Morrell is a lieutenant in the Middletown Police Department, a supervisor who continues to supervise the very men he sent these disgusting packages to," said Bradshaw.
Neither Morrell nor his attorney, Charles J. Uliano, West Long Branch, could be reached for comment.
"The prosecutor’s office has been involved since the alleged incident came to the forefront. Once they’ve completed their investigation, they will advise the township of whether or not they’re prosecuting. If they’re not prosecuting, it will be handled administratively in Middle-town as a potential departmental disciplinary action," Czech.
As of Monday, Bradshaw said the matter had been deferred to the local level. The complaint will be heard in municipal court in Keyport. A date has not been determined.
In the meantime, Bradshaw said he and his colleagues are taking the matter one step further and considering filing a hostile work environment suit. They’ve consulted Red Bank attorney Linda Kenney on the matter.