By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Princeton officials said this week that there are “no plans” to place Police Chief David J. Dudeck on administrative leave even as the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office reviews allegations of administrative misconduct against him.
Administrator Robert W. Bruschi said in emails that Chief Dudeck has been out of the office since Feb. 26, the date of a meeting with Princeton officials and a representative of the Prosecutor’s Office who handles police internal affairs.
”We are handling his time out of the office as if he were on a vacation. Capt. (Nicholas) Sutter is our next in command and he is coordinating all necessary day-to-day decisions,” Mr. Bruschi wrote Tuesday.
Mr. Bruschi could not specify when Chief Dudeck would return to work. Chief Dudeck, who earns $152,194 annually, did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Officials, citing the confidentiality of personnel matters, have been careful not to elaborate on any of the allegations that officers in the department have raised against Chief Dudeck since the issue went public last week through a series of media leaks. They have said the allegations are administrative, not criminal, and denied that Chief Dudeck was issued an ultimatum to resign his job.
Union president Ben Gerring, a detective in the department, has not returned phone messages seeking comment.
Chief Dudeck began working as a Borough Police officer in 1983. He became chief of the department in 2009 and then was named last year to lead the consolidated police force. Away from the job, he is also the head football coach at the Hun School of Princeton, from which he graduated in 1977.
”Obviously Dave is upset and is taking some time to try to put all of the potential decisions into perspective,” Mr. Bruschi said. “His decisions not only impact him but his family and the department and the overall town management. Making a deliberate decision is much better than making a hasty one.”
The Prosecutor’s Office, responsible for looking into matters like these when they involve chiefs of police, has not said much about it other than a short statement issued Monday.
Casey A. DeBlasio, a spokeswoman, said her office “is currently reviewing allegations of administrative misconduct by Chief Dudeck.”
It is not known when that review will conclude.

