Former Barnegat Police Chief Did Not Receive Any 'Golden Parachute,' Township Attorney Says

Township Attorney Jerry Dasti recently issued a clarification about what former Police Chief Arthur P. Drexler received as part of his settlement from the township.

"The Township Committee would like to explain the settlement with former Chief Arthur Drexler," Dasti said in a press release. "There have been numerous comments from the public which are not correct. Many seem to be confused about the payment made to Chief Drexler as part of his retirement. All payments made were part of his employment contract."

Township officials agreed to pay Drexler his normal salary to February 1, 2017, the date of his formal retirement.

Township Committee members suspended Drexler without pay in August, 2016 over a dispute over compensatory time. They said that Drexler had had "improperly credited" himself with compensatory time.

Last summer, township officials referred the matter to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. By Oct. 31, the Prosecutor's Office said they couldn't find any evidence of a criminal nature or that Drexler tried to deceive the township about his hours.

The Prosecutor's Office referred the matter back to the township. On Dec. 5, Drexler announced he intended to sue the township. But the township still continued to insist that Drexler had "improperly credited" himself with compensatory time.

By late December, Drexler restated his innocence, entered a not guilty plea and asked for another departmental hearing.

In early January, both sides agreed to sit down and discuss pre-trial discovery and the possibility of a settlement.

Here's the "good faith" settlement they came up what they came up with:

The township agreed to pay Drexler retroactive pay of $240,000 in two payments. The first payment of $97,036, would cover his gross retroactive pay. The second payment of $142,960 included his retirement pay and erased any misconduct allegations.

Both township officials and Drexler agreed not to pursue any further legal action in the matter. He submitted his resignation.

For many months, township residents had no idea why Drexler was suspended. Township officials declined to discuss the matter despite numerous inquiries from the public and the press until last week, when Dasti released the first explanation of the settlement.

"We have, as part of the settlement, now paid him those wages," Dasti said in the latest release. "The remainder of the payment to the Chief was part of his employment contract. The $142,963.45 was already due to him, whether he retired on February 15 or not. That payment was for unused and accrued sick time and vacation time."

Drexler's salary with the township was $228,907.97, plus benefits such as vacation pay, holiday pay and sick pay while he was employed.

"The Committee believes that by settling the dispute with the Chief, we have avoided not only large
litigation expenses, but also avoided great disruption in the Township, and the Police Department, " Dasti said in the second release. We believe this settlement with Chief Drexler is best under the circumstances for our taxpayers, police department and the residents of Barnegat Township."

Image: Barnegat Township