BY KAREN E. BOWES
Staff Writer
Middletown Police Chief John Pollinger remained off the job Monday following an Election Day dispute with a township official over whether or not to police polling places.
“Without any due process, without any hearing, I was ordered off on vacation until further notice,” Pollinger said last week. “It appears I’ve been relieved.”
According to the chief, Township Administrator Robert Czech told him “you’re out” early Election Day morning over a disagreement concerning police presence at polling places.
The trouble began in mid-October when the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office issued a directive that placed police officers at every polling place in the county, including Middletown.
Pollinger said that since there was “no credible threat” to Middletown, he decided not to enact the directive. Also, since there are over 40 polling stations in the township, “we would’ve needed every police officer.”
St. Leo the Great’s School in Lincroft was the only polling place in Middletown that was in session that day. According to both Pollinger and Czech, calls were received from a school official requesting a police officer the morning of the election.
Pollinger said he denied the request because if he were to provide an officer at St. Leo’s, he would have to provide one at every polling place. He added that children were at greater risk going to and from school than in school.
Czech disagreed, saying there was a credible threat on Election Day. He cited a recent attack in Russia where a group of terrorists took over a school and held the students hostage, killing many. Czech also noted that the floor plans to a Rumson school recently showed up on a computer in Iraq.
According to Pollinger, the directive to provide officers at the polling places was canceled late the night before Election Day.
“Late last night, Congressman Frank Pallone voiced concerns about placing police officers because it might cause some kind of intimidation … Pallone contacted the attorney general of New Jersey. The attorney general contacted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor rescinded the order, but the administrator [Czech] continued to order me to place an officer at St. Leo’s School, ” Pollinger said.
Czech disagreed, stating that the order was not canceled but “modified” to allow officers to be outside on routine patrols of all the polling places. At St. Leo’s, because it was a school in session, a plainclothes officer would be placed inside the building.
Pollinger left the building and officers were assigned to patrol all polling places under the direction of Deputy Chief Oakes, Czech said.
After Pollinger was ordered on vacation, he said he had plans to contact an attorney and the State Chiefs Association. It was unclear at press time when or if he would return to work.
According to Township Attorney Bernard Reilly, “He was not fired. He was not disciplined. He was told to take the rest of the day off. He was sent a notice that states the vacation leave you were requested to take is now over. It was anticipated that he’d be back at work today (Monday.)”
The NAACP issued a statement on Monday, backing Pollinger and condemning Czech.
“This was a direct violation of mandates from the State Attorney General’s Office, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office … There is no excuse, in the opinion of the NAACP, as to why this mandate would be violated by this Administrator Czech. The sole reason why police officers were not to be stationed at polling places was so voters would not be intimidated by police at the polls. As a result of his actions, there is no reason to support the decision of Administrator Czech, and every reason for this body to ensure that the practice of intimidating voters at the polls is not allowed in practice, accepted in theory or allowed to continue in any way, shape or form,” Long Branch NAACP President Lorenzo Dangler said in a press release.
Czech calls the statement a “total misrepresentation of the directive.”
“That’s an overreaction,” Czech said. “A response without all the facts. We were trying to address legitimate safety concerns.”
Pollinger said he has had clashes with Czech in the past.
“This isn’t the first time he’s threatened me,” Pollinger said. “The board gives him carte blanche to continue what he’s doing.”

