Court affirms Camden County's demotion of corrections department lieutenant

CAMDEN – The demotion of a Camden County Department of Corrections lieutenant to the ranks two years ago was warranted given his failure to follow and to enforce rules for himself and other officers, a New Jersey appellate court has ruled.

Corrections Officer Joseph Connors had appealed a May 2020 Civil Service Commission ruling that confirmed an order demoting him for not performing various responsibilities as a supervisor.

“We believe this was and will continue to be the right personnel decision when it comes to the case and appreciate the court’s decision,” a county spokesman said on Friday.

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Connors’ attorney, Jacqueline Vigilante, did not respond to a call for comment.

Connors started with the department in 1998. He made lieutenant in 2012.

In December 2014, the department Internal Affairs unit reportedly found two contraband phones in possession of a corrections officer. Investigating further, the unit found 142 messages that had been exchanged that year between that officer while he was on duty and Connors.

“Some of these messages contained photographs of officers sleeping on the job, racially insensitive remarks, and derogatory comments about superior female officers,” the July 7 opinion states. “Corrections officers are forbidden from bringing personal cellphones into the jail and hospital while on duty.

The opinion states that Connors did not dispute that he sent and received the messages found on the other officer’s phone. He, instead, countered that the messages were sent to him while he was off duty.

However, Connors acknowledged that he took no action despite knowing department policies had been violated. The warden ordered him demoted in October 2015.

In his appeal of the civil service decision, Connors argued that “progressive discipline” action should have been taken instead of a two-level demotion. Incremental discipline generally is used but severe misconduct can justify more serious immediate punishment, the appellate court wrote.

The subordinate officer communicating with Connors was fired, along with eight other officers in connection with the investigation into inappropriate phone texting. Two other officers reportedly retired.

This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Demoted NJ jail lieutenant loses appeal, caught in texting probe