AFreehold Borough police officer has been charged with one count of shoplifting following his alleged involvement in an incident in Freehold Township.
Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Peter E. Warshaw Jr. said Freehold Borough Patrolman Darnell Esdaile, 45, was arrested by Freehold Township police officers on the afternoon of Nov. 11 at Home Depot in the Freehold Raceway Mall complex, Freehold Township.
Warshaw said Esdaile was in possession of about $500 worth of flooring materials. He did not provide details of the incident involving Esdaile.
Calls to the Freehold Township Police Department were referred to the prosecutor’s office.
Warshaw said the case is being handled by the prosecutor’s office and is pending a grand jury review.
He said the case was referred to the prosecutor’s office because the fourth-degree shoplifting charge is an indictable crime.
Freehold Borough police Capt. Glenn Roberts said the case involving Esdaile is a personnel matter.
Roberts said he could not discuss it at this time, nor could he say if Esdaile is still on the job in Freehold Borough.
Roberts said Esdaile “has always been one of our finest officers. He has always been very proactive and very professional on the job.”
Freehold Borough PBA Local 159 released the following statement in response to the shoplifting charge lodged against Esdaile: “Police officers are held to a very high standard as we should be, but should also be given all the rights and due processes guaranteed by our system of justice. We encourage a swift and thorough investigation where the facts are brought to light and acted upon accordingly.”
Attorney James Fagen of Freehold Borough is Esdaile’s personal attorney.
Reached on Nov. 18, Fagen said he had just come on the case. He said he could not immediately comment on the matter.