Internal Affairs Investigation Exonerates Morris Co. Cops Accused Of Wiretapping

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — An investigation into whether the Dover Police Department was illegally recording and storing municipal phone calls has concluded, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Investigators found “no evidence of criminal activity on behalf of any member of the Town of Dover Police Department.”

The investigation launched back in August after Dover Mayor James P. Dodd accused the police department of violating the NJ Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act.

Related: NJ Cops Secretly Recorded Municipal Calls, Mayor Says

Prosecutors said that while phone call recording, storage, and retrieval did occur, it happened legally and did not violate state law.

In November 2023, Dover’s previous administration entered a contract to implement a new phone system called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, which allows for calls to be made through the internet rather than traditional phone lines.

The contract clearly stated that the system had the ability to record conversations, and callers would be given a warning that their conversation may be recorded before it went through, prosecutors said.

It wasn’t until February and March of 2024, after Dodd’s administration was sworn in, that the new phone system was implemented.

Prosecutors noted that the VoIP system did not have the capability to differentiate between police calls and civilian calls to the municipality, and recorded and stored them all the same. Investigators added that the previous administration was presented with a more expensive VoIP that could separate the calls, but it decided to go with the cheaper, less advanced model.

While all phone calls made within and to the police department and municipality offices were recorded and stored, only one police staff member, the Internal Affairs Lieutenant, had access to them, officials said.

The Internal Affairs Lieutenant could legally access the recorded calls to aid police investigations, internal affairs matters, and to satisfy requests received by the municipality under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), according to prosecutors.

Investigators found that the Internal Affairs Lieutenant retrieved recorded conversations around 12 times since the system was set up, with each time being in a legal and professional capacity, officials said.

Prosecutors added that several officials who were hired under the current mayoral administration knew of the VoIP system’s recording capabilities, including current business administrator Edward Ramirez and previous business administrator Adam Cruz.

Additionally, the Dover council was responsible for paying $4,600 monthly for the VoIP system, which it did, indicating that it knew of the phone system’s existence, if not for its capabilities.

“This Office takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and is committed to ensuring transparency, accountability, and public trust,” the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. “We appreciate the public’s patience while this matter underwent a complete and impartial evaluation.”