Professional Standards Unit

The Hunterdon County Professional Standards Unit is dedicated to upholding the public trust by ensuring all persons are treated equally and fairly. The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Unit operates in accordance with the New Jersey Attorney General’s guidelines, policy, and procedures. The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Unit is responsible for investigating and prosecuting allegations of criminal conduct involving police officers employed at local police departments in Hunterdon County. The Unit also handles administrative matters that involve violations of departmental policies and procedures within the HCPO. The unit is supervised by a Lieutenant who reports directly to a Captain and/or the Chief of Detectives.  

The HCPO accepts anonymous complaints, third-party complaints, and complaints from unaccompanied juveniles (though we prefer that juveniles involve their parents).

Immigrants who seek to file complaints will NOT be asked about their immigration status.

A complaint should be filed when you witness or experience a personal encounter with any law enforcement personnel that involves criminal conduct, misconduct, abusive or discriminatory behavior, neglect of duty, corrupt activity, inappropriate conduct, or a violation of rules and regulations.

Complaint forms may be delivered in person, faxed to the HCPO, or emailed to: hcpoia@co.hunterdon.nj.us. Complaints may also be made by calling the Prosecutor’s Office. Complaints regarding members of local law enforcement agencies should be made to the particular agency, however, the HCPO will also take the complaint to be forwarded. Complaints regarding members of the New Jersey State Police shall be made to the NJSP Office of Professional Standards at 877-253-4125. 

In December 2019, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office issued Directive No. 2019-5, Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures (IAPP), which was to take effect on April 1, 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of the directive was delayed until August 31, 2020. The Attorney General’s revision to this policy in Directive No. 2020-2 is known as the “August 2020 IAPP.” The IAPP was again revised in November 2022. It will be the policy of the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office to implement the Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures (IAPP) as its own, and all employees of the agency, and all municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies, will be responsible for the contents of the policy.