Decision Possible Tonight on Police Chief Dudeck

More than seven weeks after Princeton Police Chief David Dudeck left office on medical leave amidst allegations of harassment and intimidation of his officers over the past two years, a resolution may be imminent. 

Princeton Council and the Mayor have called a special meeting for tonight, April 18, in which they plan to discuss Dudeck, first in a private session, then in public. The private session, which must first be opened in public, will begin at 5 p.m. at Witherspoon Hall, 400 Witherspoon Street. 

At 6 p.m., Council will return to open session. The meeting agenda says this portion of the meeting is "concerning separation agreement and release, Chief Dudeck."

The meeting notice also says formal action may be taken. 

Dudeck has been out of the office since Feb. 26, the day he had a meeting with the town's Public Safety Committee. Since then, he has been considering whether to retire or undergo an investigation into his officers' allegations. 

According to police sources, roughly two dozen complaints were filed against Dudeck by his officers. Among the alleged incidents are forcing a male officer to take off his shirt, calling an officer a "fag" and making a penis joke in front of a female officer during a meeting with his senior staff. 

The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office has been monitoring the situation in Princeton, but hasn't launched an active investigation. 

Princeton Police Captain Nick Sutter has taken temporarily taken over the duties of police chief. 

Dudeck was the former Princeton Borough Police Chief, a position he held since 2009. Last year, he was approved as Chief of the consolidated Princeton Police Department, a position he assumed Jan. 1, 2013.