Indictment Against Police Chief In Bergen Co. Dismissed By State Judge

SADDLE BROOK, NJ — A state judge dismissed charges against suspended Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler, who the state attorney general's office said illegally ordered officers to escort processions from his family owned funeral home.

Judge Marilyn Clark issued a 56-page decision on Wednesday, dismissing a grand jury's formal accusations that the 26-year chief had conspired to commit misconduct, and committed misconduct and corruption of public resources.

The initial charges were brought in March 2021, as Kugler started his campaign to run for Bergen County Sheriff, and a grand jury's indictment was returned in September.

Kugler was suspended as chief while the corruption case was pending. And, while contending with the allegations, the former Republican candidate sought election to the Sheriff's Office, yet he lost his bid in November to Democratic Sheriff Anthony Cureton.

State charges accused Kugler of assigning police personnel to escort funeral processions, including those from his own privately owned funeral home in Saddle Brook, and said that he had received personal benefit as a result.

Judge Clark ruled in favor of a defense argument that the local ordinance that the state claimed had applied to funeral escorts was applicable to escorts of business owners to banks. She also found that the state's presentment of the matter to the grand jury left out relevant exculpatory information for jurors to consider before rendering a decision to indict.

Kugler praised his attorney, John Bruno, Jr., of Rutherford, in a statement:

“I was very fortunate to have my personal attorney and his legal team submit very thorough and exhausting fact-driven legal briefs and oral argument which overwhelmingly proved our position that no violation of law or other unlawful act was committed," Kugler said.

"Although I am extremely disappointed by what my family and I had to endure in this matter for the past 18 months," Kugler added, "the disappointment is now overshadowed by looking forward to returning to serve the Saddle Brook community as the Chief of Police, a position I have proudly served since 1995."