Crime & Safety
NJ Police Chief Resigns, Pleads Guilty To Computer Criminal Activity: Prosecutor
Peter Cooke resigned from his role as chief after a "public employment forfeiture order" was issued, according to a borough resolution.
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ — Former Englishtown Police Chief Peter Cooke has resigned from his role after pleading guilty to a count of third-degree computer criminal activity, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Spokesman Mark Spivey told Patch.
Cooke resigned from his role through an email from his attorney on May 19, according to a resolution from Englishtown Borough.
His resignation came after a “Public Employment Forfeiture Order” was issued by Judge Natalie Watson in the case, the resolution said.
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At the time of his guilty plea, Spivey said Cooke forfeited his position as chief of police as well as his ability to hold public office in NJ permanently.
According to a report from the Asbury Park Press, Cooke will enter NJ’s Pretrial Intervention Program, which provides first-time offenders a path to dismiss charges if the offenders complete a list of conditions set by the court.
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Cooke’s sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for July 10, Spivey said.
Cooke has been on administrative leave from his role as chief since April 2024. After he was placed on leave, Lt. Trevor Martinson took over as Acting Chief.
In November, Cooke was charged with computer theft and conspiracy to commit shoplifting after he was accused of helping someone shoplift from a local grocery store on multiple occasions throughout August and September, prosecutors said.
The investigation revealed that on multiple dates between February 2019 and August 2023, Cooke used a law-enforcement database to search for information about two people outside the scope of law-enforcement purposes, authorities said.
According to Mayor Daniel Francisco, the borough played no role in the investigation or charges, since they originated from outside the borough. Cooke has since been moved from administrative leave to unpaid suspension, Francisco said.
The charges of computer theft and conspiracy to commit shoplifting have not been dropped, Spivey told Patch.
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