Princeton Police Chief Retires Amidst Allegations of Misconduct

David Dudeck will retire as Princeton Police Chief no later than Oct 1, 2013, allowing the department to move forward after multiple officers filed union complaints alleging a pattern of harassment and intimidation over the past two years. 

Princeton Council accepted and announced Dudeck's Separation Agreement and General Release at a special meeting on Thursday. Only Council Member Jo Butler voted against it.

"Chief Dudeck has offered his retirement after 30 years of dedicated service and this separation agreement offers to him what he's entitled to for that service, but no more than that," Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert said. 

As a result of Dudeck's retirement, the police union has withdrawn all of its allegations against the chief. The separation agreement includes language saying that Dudeck cannot sue Princeton and vice versa. 

In addition, Princeton Administrator Bob Bruschi announced there will be an management audit of the Princeton Police Department, including a review of the department structure and investigating ways to improve communication. 

"This is really going to look at how we communicate with our officers and how our communicate with us," Bruschi said. 

Nearly every member of Council praised Dudeck's committment to the Princeton community and wished him well in the future. 

"This is a sad day for Princeton and a sad day for me personally," Butler said. "I said on January 1 that I thought we had the right man for the job and I stand by that statement. I think Dave is an honorable, honest and brave man."

Butler cautioned anyone who might take Dudeck's retirement as a victory. 

"Our community is diminished by the retirement by Dave Dudeck," she said. "I have been under pressure to vote in favor this agreement. It would be convenient for us to have a unanimous decision, but I cannot do that."

Dudeck has enough vacation and sick time available to stay on the payroll until October, at which point he will have accrued 30 years of service and be eligible for his full pension benefits. Dudeck will also earn a retroactive pay raise to Jan. 1, 2013, once the town finalizes its new union contract. 

Dudeck will help will have no input on the day-to-day operations of the department. Capt. Nick Sutter, the next highest ranking member of the police department, will continue to oversee operations.

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. 

The allegations include what have been called "locker room talk." A source told Patch they are well documented cases with dates, times and witnesses.

The complaints were primarily filed by former Princeton Borough Police officers, who allegedly felt too intimidated to come forward before consolidation. Officers were routinely demoted to patrol or had their schedules changed if they crossedDudeck, said the source, who asked to remain annonymous. 

After consolidation, former Borough Police officers felt empowered when they saw that type of behavior was not tolerated by the former Township officers. 

Among the alleged incidents are the following: 

• Dudeck stopped a newly trained male officer in the hall. He said something to the effect of 'You're probably in really good shape, show me your abs.' The officer declined, but the Chief said 'No show me your abs, take off your shirt.' 
• Dudeck told the investigating officer working on a male on male sex assault at Princeton University, 'We've got the perfect fag working on the case.'
• Dudeck made a penis joke in front of a female officer during a meeting with his senior staff.

After the allegations surfaced, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office announced they were monitoring the situation, but did not launch a formal investigation. 

A source close to the police department who is familiar with the allegations said the charges could have be interpreted in such a way to rise to the level of official misconduct (N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2), a third degree indictable offense. 

Dudeck had many supporters at Thursday's meeting, who addressed Council during a public input session beginning at 5 p.m. 

More than half dozen residents spoke, nearly all in favor of Chief Dudeck. They questioned the timing of the allegations, whether or not they rose to the level of a perceived forced retirement and the tragedy of blemishing a man's otherwise impeccable reputation. 

Former Borough Council Member Roger Martindell was the first to speak. 

"If you choose to govern, you will hold Chief Dudeck accountable for his actions- whether they were as alleged or not. And if appropriate, you will impose reasonable sanctions for bad conduct. And if no bad conduct is found, you will clear his name," Maritndell's statement read in part. 

"If you choose to govern, you will investigate the allegations of his accusers, test their crediblity, and hold them accountable. You will ask the questions: are these charges real, are they meaningful, are they actionable?"

Former Borough Mayor Mildred Trotman gave an impassioned plea for Dudeck. 

"I know that I'm on the outside looking in and am not privvy to all of the information to which you have been exposed. However I tell you I find it hard to believe that this situation, this incident has led to where we are today, at this moment in time." 

She has worked with Dudeck for 27 of his 30 years in Princeton and said his reputation has been "stellar." 

"i think it really is most unfortunate," Trotman said. "For me it's particularly troublng that at the end of his time in Princeton, after positive years of service he has given to Princeton, he is being remembered in this fashion. His reputation is being scarred and i think that is most, most unfortunate for Princeton."

Resident Jerome McGowan said he was shocked by the entire situation.

"Right now, standing before you, I'm ashamed of the new Princeton," McGowan said. "Give the man his dignity back."

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. 

Dudeck is a 1977 graduate of The Hun School of Princeton, where he has served as head football coach for more than a decade. Earlier this month, Hun officials said they were aware of the allegations against Dudeck, but wanted to see the outcome of the muncipal process. 

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