{"url":"https://policetransparencynj.com/departments/springfield-twp-pd-union/","summary":null,"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":"springfield-twp-pd-union","slug":"springfield-twp-pd-union","name":"Springfield Twp PD","fullName":"Springfield Township Police Department","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","type":"municipal-pd","aliases":["Springfield Twp PD-Union","Springfield Twp PD - Union County|Union"]},"totalsByYear":[{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2021,"officers":7,"investigations":7,"incidents":7,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":491}},{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2022,"officers":9,"investigations":9,"incidents":5,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1514}},{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2024,"officers":11,"investigations":15,"incidents":9,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":999}},{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2025,"officers":6,"investigations":9,"incidents":8,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-agency-totals","sheet":"Sheet1","row":2538}}],"mdRecords":[{"id":"stephen-bratsch-springfield-twp-pd-union-r809","year":2025,"countyName":"Union","countySlug":"union","agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","rank":"Patrol officer","firstName":"Stephen","lastName":"Bratsch","officerSlug":"stephen-bratsch-springfield-twp-pd-union","terminated":"no","demoted":"no","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":24,"separatedWhileIAPending":"no","otherSanction":"Loss of time","sustainedCharges":"Conduct Unbecoming; Neglect of Duty; Response Guideline Policy Violation; General Responsibilities Rules and Regulations Violation; Prohibited Activity on Duty Rules and Regulations Violation","description":"While working the communications desk, Ofc. Stephen Bratsch received a report of a shoplifting that had just occurred. After checking with another unit, he assigned himself the call. Instead of responding directly to investigate the shoplifting, Ofc. Bratsch drove in the opposite direction and subsequently had a sit-down breakfast at a local restaurant, delaying his response by approximately one hour. The investigation also determined that during the same shift, Ofc. Bratsch received a report of a suspicious vehicle. Ofc. Bratsch never generated a CAD entry, never dispatched a patrol unit to investigate it, and never responded to investigate it himself. Ofc. Bratsch's discipline included an unpaid suspension of 24 working days and an additional 8 day loss of time, totaling 344 hours.","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":809}},{"id":"marc-mcbratney-springfield-twp-pd-union-r1994","year":2023,"countyName":"Union","countySlug":"union","agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","rank":"Corporal","firstName":"Marc","lastName":"McBratney","officerSlug":"marc-mcbratney-springfield-twp-pd-union","terminated":"no","demoted":"no","suspended":"yes","daysSuspended":3,"separatedWhileIAPending":"no","otherSanction":"Loss of time","sustainedCharges":"Untruthfulness; Conduct Unbecoming an Officer","description":"On December 10, 2022, Corporal Marc McBratney was involved in an altercation at a restaurant in another jurisdiction. Police were dispatched to the restaurant and a civilian involved in the incident reported that they had video of a Springfield Officer assaulting them or someone else. An initial review of the restaurant's security footage and police BWC footage determined Cpl. McBratney was off-duty, was involved in a physical altercation, and possibly provided non-truthful statements to the responding officers. The matter was referred to Union County Prosecutor's Office for criminal review, but it was determined that no evidence of criminality existed. An administrative internal affairs investigation was completed and through witness/complainant statements, a review of police reports taken, and a thorough review of security footage and police BWC footage, it was determined that Cpl. McBratney was untruthful and withheld information in numerous statements he made to the responding officers while they were investigating the incident. In addition, it was found that Cpl. McBratney’s actions had escalated the incident into a physical altercation which required the intervention of restaurant staff to separate the parties. This conduct, even though off-duty, was unbecoming of what would be expected of a police officer, and was in a manner that would bring disrepute to the department. Disciplinary action imposed : 3 day unpaid suspension; loss of time.","sourceRef":{"file":"major-discipline-2020-2025","sheet":"Major Discipline Data","row":1994}}],"benchmark":{"year":2025,"investigationsPer100Officers":150,"countyMedianPer100":137.03703703703704,"statewideTypeMedianPer100":125.92592592592592,"countyPeerCount":23,"statewideTypePeerCount":445},"iaDetailByYear":[{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2021,"investigations":7,"allegations":{"Other Departmental Rule Violation":2,"Other Criminal Violation":2,"Demeanor":2,"Improper Arrest":1},"internalDispositions":{"Sustained":3,"not_provided":1,"Unfounded":2,"Exonerated":1},"sustainedInvestigations":0,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2022,"investigations":9,"allegations":{"Demeanor":1,"Conduct Unbecoming/Discredit To The Agency":5,"Improper Supervision/Failure To Supervise":2,"Neglect of duty":1},"internalDispositions":{"Not Sustained":1,"Unfounded":4,"Sustained":3,"not_provided":1},"sustainedInvestigations":3,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-download-2021-2023","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2024,"investigations":15,"allegations":{"Improper Arrest":3,"Improper Supervision/Failure To Supervise":3,"Other Departmental Rule Violation":5,"Domestic violence (Non-Criminal)":1,"Improper Search":1,"Other Criminal Violation":1,"Attendance Issues":1},"internalDispositions":{"Unfounded":6,"Not Sustained":5,"Sustained":3,"Exonerated":1},"sustainedInvestigations":3,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-investigations-2024-2025","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}},{"agencyId":"springfield-twp-pd-union","countySlug":"union","countyName":"Union","year":2025,"investigations":9,"allegations":{"Other Departmental Rule Violation":2,"Harassment/Stalking":1,"Demeanor":4,"Conduct Unbecoming/Discredit To The Agency":1,"Neglect of Duty":1},"internalDispositions":{"Unfounded":4,"Exonerated":2,"Sustained":3},"sustainedInvestigations":3,"sourceRef":{"file":"ia-investigations-2024-2025","sheet":"Sheet1","row":1}}],"officersInvolvedByYear":{"2024":15,"2025":9},"nonReportingYears":[]}}