{"url":"https://policetransparencynj.com/departments/bernards-twp-pd/","summary":"Bernards Township Police Department, a municipal police department in Somerset County, named 3 officers in internal affairs cases in 2025 and reported 3 investigations, a rate of 100 per 100 officers. The Somerset County median is 141.7 and the statewide municipal median is 125.9, so the township sits below both. A lower rate can mean fewer complaints, or fewer complaints entered into the record, just as a higher rate can mean more misconduct or more complete documentation. None of the 3 investigations detailed for 2025 reported sustained complaints. Every allegation fell under Other Departmental Rule Violation.\n\nThree major discipline records appear across the 2020-2025 releases, from 2020, 2021 and 2023. Bernards received an F on the report card, at the 90th percentile among 110 peers in the 30-59 officers group, a medium-confidence grade.","note":"Compiled from New Jersey Attorney General public data by an independent project; not a government source. Every value is as reported, with its sourceRef. Method: https://policetransparencynj.com/methodology/","data":{"agency":{"id":"bernards-twp-pd","slug":"bernards-twp-pd","name":"Bernards Twp PD","fullName":"Bernards Township Police Department","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","type":"municipal-pd","aliases":["Bernards Twp PD-Somerset","Bernards Twp PD|Somerset"]},"totalsByYear":[{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2021,"officers":3,"investigations":3,"incidents":3,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":434}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2022,"officers":4,"investigations":4,"incidents":4,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1454}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2023,"officers":5,"investigations":11,"incidents":11,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1962}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2024,"officers":2,"investigations":2,"incidents":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":938}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2025,"officers":3,"investigations":3,"incidents":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":2473}}],"mdRecords":[{"id":"nicholas-brett-bernards-twp-pd-r1868","year":2023,"countyName":"Somerset","countySlug":"somerset","agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","rank":"Officer","firstName":"Nicholas","lastName":"Brett","officerSlug":"nicholas-brett-bernards-twp-pd","terminated":"no","demoted":"no","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":48,"separatedWhileIAPending":"yes","otherSanction":"Loss of time","sustainedCharges":"Filing False Report","description":"On July 1, 2023 at 9:52pm, Officer Brett was on patrol when he notified county dispatch and surrounding agencies that he was following a stolen car at a high rate of speed. This incident lasted several minutes and prompted response from other law enforcement agencies. The officer did not actively pursue the vehicle and claimed to have eventually lost sight of the vehicle. A later review of the incident including the in-car video recording system proved the officer's inaccurate reporting of the incident to dispatch and supervisor. This inaccurate information led to a law enforcement response that the officer knew was not warranted. The officer was suspended without pay for 48 days leading up to the final disposition. The officer pled guilty to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from the incident and subsequently resigned his position.","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":1868}},{"id":"david-martin-bernards-twp-pd-r2660","year":2021,"countyName":"Somerset","countySlug":"somerset","agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","rank":"Officer","firstName":"David","lastName":"Martin","officerSlug":"david-martin-bernards-twp-pd","terminated":"no","demoted":"no","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":31,"separatedWhileIAPending":"not_applicable","otherSanction":"not_reported","sustainedCharges":"1. Reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol. 2. Conduct unbecoming a police officer. 3. Conduct toward the public. 4. Violating Township policies. 5. Failure to conduct himself with high ethical standards. 6. Failure to obey laws and rules. 7. Fitness for duty. 8. Operation of Department vehicles. 9. Violation of the Department Code of Ethics. 10. Violation of the Department Mission Statement. 11. Violation of the Employee Handbook concerning alcohol free workplace. 12. Violation of the Employee Handbook concerning the use of Township vehicles.","description":"Violation of the Bernards Township Police Department Policies and Procedure and Rules and Regulations. Officer was convicted of DWI while on duty. Officer resigned from the department.","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":2660}},{"id":"david-martin-bernards-twp-pd-r2924","year":2020,"countyName":"Somerset","countySlug":"somerset","agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","rank":"Officer","firstName":"David","lastName":"Martin","officerSlug":"david-martin-bernards-twp-pd","terminated":"not_reported","demoted":"not_reported","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":55,"separatedWhileIAPending":"not_applicable","otherSanction":"not_reported","sustainedCharges":"not_applicable","description":"Violation of Bernards Township Police Department Policies and Procedures and Rules and Regulations. Officer was convicted of DWI while on duty. Officer has resigned from the Bernards Township Police Department.","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":2924}}],"benchmark":{"year":2025,"investigationsPer100Officers":100,"countyMedianPer100":141.73913043478262,"statewideTypeMedianPer100":125.92592592592592,"countyPeerCount":18,"statewideTypePeerCount":445},"iaDetailByYear":[{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2021,"investigations":3,"allegations":{"Other Departmental Rule Violation":2,"Demeanor":1},"internalDispositions":{"Sustained":1,"Exonerated":2},"sustainedInvestigations":0,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2022,"investigations":4,"allegations":{"Differential Treatment":1,"Other Departmental Rule Violation":1,"BWC/MVR Violation":1,"Demeanor":1},"internalDispositions":{"Unfounded":1,"Sustained":2,"Exonerated":1},"sustainedInvestigations":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2023,"investigations":11,"allegations":{"Differential Treatment":3,"Demeanor":1,"False Documentation/Falsifying A Report (Non-Criminal)":3,"Vehicular Pursuit Policy Violation":1,"Attendance issues":1,"Other Criminal Violation":2},"internalDispositions":{"Unfounded":5,"not_provided":2,"Exonerated":1,"Sustained":3},"sustainedInvestigations":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2024,"investigations":2,"allegations":{"Attendance Issues":1,"Loss Of Or Failure To Safeguard Agency Propert":1},"internalDispositions":{"Unfounded":1,"Sustained":1},"sustainedInvestigations":1,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-investigations-2024-2025","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"bernards-twp-pd","countySlug":"somerset","countyName":"Somerset","year":2025,"investigations":3,"allegations":{"Other Departmental Rule Violation":3},"internalDispositions":{"Exonerated":3},"sustainedInvestigations":0,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-investigations-2024-2025","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}}],"officersInvolvedByYear":{"2024":2,"2025":3},"nonReportingYears":[]}}