By: Ellen Cans
A New Jersey police chief allegedly assigned on-duty police officers to work as security at his private funeral home business. On Monday, charges were filed against Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler which could put him behind bars for decades, if found guilty.
As reported by the NY Post, NJ Attorney General Gurbir Grewa announced the charges against Kugler, alleging that he used police officers and department vehicles as escorts for his private business. Chief Kugler is facing charges of conspiracy, official misconduct and corruption of public resources in connection with an alleged abuse of power that benefited his Kugler Funeral Home, the state’s top prosecutor said. If convicted, the 59-year-old chief could face 25 years in state prison and be fined up to $315,000, Grewal said. The embattled chief has been stripped of his powers, and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office is now in control of the community department’s daily operations, the AG added.
The state’s attorney alleges that Kruger ordered police officers under his control to escort funeral processions to cemeteries both in and outside of Saddle Brook during their regular shifts, from January 1, 2019 till August 14,2020, in violation of township ordinance. Police escorts are illegal in the town of Saddle Brook, unless they are for municipal government purposes or nonprofits. Kugler’s funeral home also did not pay the township for any of these services.
Kugler leads the department which at one time was had as many as 34 officers, and which currently has a roster of 31 active officers, as per the department’s website. This January, Kugler had announced that he would be seeking the Republican nomination for Bergen County Sheriff, as per the New Jersey Globe. “Bergen County finds itself at a time which calls for a Sheriff with more than just impeccable law enforcement credentials and experience,” Kugler had reportedly said at the time. Kugler, a lifelong resident of Saddle Brook, has been a law enforcement professional for over 35 years, and Chief of Police since 1995, making him the longest serving active police chief in Bergen County. He has also served as former President of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association as well as the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police.
Kugler was not immediately reached for comment by the Post. Saddle Brook Police redirected The Post to the AG’s office for comments regarding the case.
