Detective Accused of Exposing Himself to Cop Posing as Girl is Suspended

The Madison detective who was arrested on charges by the New Jersey Attorney General's office that he exposed himself to an undercover detective posing as a 13-year-old girl has been suspended without pay.

The Attorney General's office this week accused Detective James N. Haspel of transmitting Webcam videos of himself with his genitals exposed to a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. In fact, the person was an undercover detective.

Madison Police Chief John Trevena's decision to suspend Haspel came on Wednesday, when Haspel was served with papers. Haspel had the right to contest the suspension on Friday night, when the Borough Council discussed the matter in closed session.

Haspel did not come to Bayley-Ellard for the discussion, which occurred after a special meeting the council held to hear public comments on the defeated school budget.

After their closed session, the council opened the meeting to the public to vote on a resolution affirming the suspension of Haspel without pay. The vote was unanimous, 5-0. Councilman Sam Cerciello was not at the special meeting, and Mayor Mary-Anna Holden had been out of town for the week and was also unable to attend the meeting.

The resolution also stated that the suspension without pay would be in effect until the case is either disposed of at trial, dismissed, or until the prosecution is terminated.

According to the Attorney General's office, Haspel is charged with official misconduct because he allegedly sent the videos from a hotel in Columbus, Ohio, where he was attending a training conference for the Madison Police Department, and because he allegedly communicated with the "girl" while on duty at police headquarters using a computer supplied by the borough for official police business.

"This police officer took an oath to uphold the law and protect people," said Attorney General Paula T. Dow in a release. "We charge that he betrayed that oath in a shocking manner by exposing himself to someone he believed to be a young girl."

For the complete release from the Attorney General's office, click here.