Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
Officer Melissa Lespier was terminated by the Essex County Department of Corrections in 2024. An investigator completed a misconduct investigation on December 20, 2023 finding that Lespier's ongoing communication with an inmate created a safety and security risk at the Essex County Correctional Facility. The record states that Lespier provided the inmate with personal information about other inmates' ages, charges, and housing locations, and engaged in conversations that were unprofessional and intimate. Sustained charges included conduct unbecoming and fraternization with inmates.
Violation of Department Rules and Regulations – 3:1.35 Socialization
3:1.31 Person and places of bad reputation
3:1.23 Knowledge of Laws and Regulations
3:1.1 Standard of Conduct
3:1.2 Competence
3:1.9 Performance of Duty
3:1.13 Obedience to Laws and Regulations Violation of Policy and Procedures: Fraternization with inmates PS.ADM.046 Fraternization Directive #06-135
Separated while IA pending
not reported
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On December 20, 2023 an Investigator with the essex County Department of Corrections completed his investigation into alleged Officer Misconduct by Correctional Police Officer Lespier. Officer Lespier’s actions and ongoing communication with an inmate created a significant safety and security risk to the population, officers and civilian staff at the Essex County Correctional Facility. Officer Lespier provided the inmate with personal information regarding other inmates ages, charges and housing locations. Officer Lespier engaged in conversations that were unprofessional and intimate.
Compensation and pension
No confident pension match found. This officer's record shows a termination; a terminated officer would not have an active PFRS/SPRS record at this agency, which is one reason no match may exist here. This site links a pension record to a named officer only when the name and the exact employing agency both match a New Jersey Treasury record. Other general possibilities include insufficient vesting, a role not covered by PFRS or SPRS, a deferred or vested status not reflected in a current snapshot, or a data-matching limitation. See methodology for how these matches are made and what is withheld.
Similar records
AnalysisComputed by this site from shared agency, year, charge category, and sanction outcome. Not a legal or factual equivalence.
Sustained charge(s): N.J.A.C. 4A:2-2.3(a)(6) Conduct unbecoming a public employee N.J.A.C. 4A:2-2.3(a)(12) Other sufficient cause: Violation of Department Rules…
same agency · same year · similar sanction outcome
Sustained charge(s): N.J.A.C. 4A:2-2.3(a)(4) Chronic or excessive absenteeism or lateness;
same agency · similar sanction outcome
Questions and answers
What is a summary of Melissa Lespier's major discipline record?
Officer Melissa Lespier was terminated by the Essex County Department of Corrections in 2024. An investigator completed a misconduct investigation on December 20, 2023 finding that Lespier's ongoing communication with an inmate created a safety and security risk at the Essex County Correctional Facility. The record states that Lespier provided the inmate with personal information about other inmates' ages, charges, and housing locations, and engaged in conversations that were unprofessional and intimate. Sustained charges included conduct unbecoming and fraternization with inmates.
What is Melissa Lespier's major discipline record at Essex County Corrections?
Melissa Lespier has one major discipline record at Essex County Corrections in the New Jersey Attorney General's 2020-2025 releases, from 2024. These are final, adjudicated actions, not allegations.
Does Melissa Lespier's record show a termination?
Yes. At least one of Melissa Lespier's major discipline records shows a termination, reported for 2024.
How does Essex County Corrections score on this site's report card?
This site's report card places Essex County Corrections in the lowest fifth of peers of its peer group on reported internal affairs volume and discipline severity. The grade is analysis by this site, not an official rating, and it describes the department, not Melissa Lespier individually.
Sources
[1]New Jersey Major Discipline Data, 2020-2025. New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Sheet "Major Discipline Data", row 1059. Snapshot retrieved 2026-07-03. ↩