{"url":"https://policetransparencynj.com/departments/salem-co-sheriffs-dept/","summary":"The Salem County Sheriff's Department reported 2 internal affairs investigations in 2025, down from 7 in 2024, and 2 officers named in those cases. Its rate of 100 per 100 officers matched the Salem County median of 100 and ran below the 115.2 median for sheriff agencies. A lower rate can mean less misconduct or a thinner record of complaints. Both of the 2 investigations detailed for 2025 reported sustained complaints. The allegations were DUI/DWI Off Duty and Other Departmental Rule Violation.\n\nThree major discipline records appear in the 2020-2025 releases, from 2020, 2023 and 2025, none of them terminations. Salem Co Sheriffs Dept received a D on the report card, at the 64th percentile among 21 peers in the group of all sheriff agencies, 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":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","slug":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","name":"Salem Co Sheriffs Dept","fullName":"Salem County Sheriff's Department","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","type":"sheriff","aliases":["Salem Co Sheriffs Dept-Salem","Salem County Sheriffs Office|Salem"]},"totalsByYear":[{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2021,"officers":4,"investigations":4,"incidents":4,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":431}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2022,"officers":5,"investigations":6,"incidents":6,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1452}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2023,"officers":6,"investigations":8,"incidents":8,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1960}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2024,"officers":7,"investigations":7,"incidents":6,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":935}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2025,"officers":2,"investigations":2,"incidents":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":2470}}],"mdRecords":[{"id":"david-emel-salem-co-sheriffs-dept-r519","year":2025,"countyName":"Salem","countySlug":"salem","agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","rank":"Officer","firstName":"David","lastName":"Emel","officerSlug":"david-emel-salem-co-sheriffs-dept","terminated":"no","demoted":"no","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":180,"separatedWhileIAPending":"no","otherSanction":"not_applicable","sustainedCharges":"Conduct Unbecoming a public employee","description":"Employee was involved in an off duty DWI accident with property damage to a parked vehicle. He was arrested by the local police department and charged with a DWI offense. Employee pled guilty in court a DWI charge w/ accident. He received a six month suspension from the department to run concurrent with the suspension of his drivers license","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":519}},{"id":"mario-fucci-salem-co-sheriffs-dept-r1866","year":2023,"countyName":"Salem","countySlug":"salem","agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","rank":"Sergeant","firstName":"Mario","lastName":"Fucci","officerSlug":"mario-fucci-salem-co-sheriffs-dept","terminated":"no","demoted":"yes","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":120,"separatedWhileIAPending":"no","otherSanction":"Loss of time","sustainedCharges":"Damaged Equipment, Truthfulness, & Neglecty of Duty","description":"Sgt. Fucci accidentally crashed a county owned drone. After doing so, he returned the drone and failed to repot the damage. He later lied about being responsible. Based upon the preponderance of evidence accumulated in the investigation it is concluded that the allegation that Sgt. Fucci did violate the agency's rule and regulation for Damaged – Inoperative Property or Equipment, contrary to Volume 1 Chapter 2 Section 3:4.4 is sustained. Based upon the preponderance of evidence accumulated in the investigation it is concluded that the allegation that Sgt. Fucci did violate the agency's rule and regulation for Truthfulness, contrary to Volume 1 Chapter 2 Section 3:5.7 is sustained. Based upon the preponderance of evidence accumulated in the investigation it is concluded that the allegation that Sgt. Fucci did violate the agency's rule and regulation for Neglect of Duty, contrary to Volume 1 Chapter 2 Section 3:1.7 is sustained.","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":1866}},{"id":"can-ozdemir-salem-co-sheriffs-dept-r2923","year":2020,"countyName":"Salem","countySlug":"salem","agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","rank":"Sheriff's Officer","firstName":"Can","lastName":"Ozdemir","officerSlug":"can-ozdemir-salem-co-sheriffs-dept","terminated":"no","demoted":"no","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":8,"separatedWhileIAPending":"not_applicable","otherSanction":"not_reported","sustainedCharges":"not_applicable","description":"Officer Ozdemir was suspended 8 days for Insubordination. (Prohibited Activity on Duty)","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":2923}}],"benchmark":{"year":2025,"investigationsPer100Officers":100,"countyMedianPer100":100,"statewideTypeMedianPer100":115.15151515151516,"countyPeerCount":1,"statewideTypePeerCount":20},"iaDetailByYear":[{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2021,"investigations":4,"allegations":{"Other Departmental Rule Violation":4},"internalDispositions":{"Sustained":2,"not_provided":2},"sustainedInvestigations":0,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2022,"investigations":6,"allegations":{"Demeanor":2,"Other Departmental Rule Violation":4},"internalDispositions":{"not_provided":4,"Sustained":2},"sustainedInvestigations":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2023,"investigations":8,"allegations":{"Conduct Unbecoming/Discredit To The Agency":1,"Preventable MV accident":1,"Other Departmental Rule Violation":4,"Demeanor":2},"internalDispositions":{"Not Sustained":1,"Sustained":6,"not_provided":1},"sustainedInvestigations":6,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2024,"investigations":7,"allegations":{"Loss Of Or Failure To Safeguard Agency Propert":1,"Improper Supervision/Failure To Supervise":1,"Conduct Unbecoming/Discredit To The Agency":1,"DUI/DWI Off Duty":1,"Vehicular Pursuit Policy Violation":1,"Other Departmental Rule Violation":2},"internalDispositions":{"Sustained":3,"Not Sustained":1,"not_provided":2,"Exonerated":1},"sustainedInvestigations":3,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-investigations-2024-2025","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"salem-co-sheriffs-dept","countySlug":"salem","countyName":"Salem","year":2025,"investigations":2,"allegations":{"DUI/DWI Off Duty":1,"Other Departmental Rule Violation":1},"internalDispositions":{"Sustained":2},"sustainedInvestigations":2,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-investigations-2024-2025","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}}],"officersInvolvedByYear":{"2024":7,"2025":2},"nonReportingYears":[]}}