(a)(6) a public employee, (a)(12) , Standard of Conduct, Obedience to Laws and Regulations, Prohibited Activity on Duty, Knowingly and Willfully making a false entry in any Departmental report or record, Conduct subversive of good order and the discipline of the department, General Order 19-01 (Police Officer Scheduling, attendance, and time management), and General Order 18-03 (Overtime).
Separated while IA pending
No
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
North Bergen Police Department suspended Lieutenant Otoniel Cruz for 30 days in 2025. On April 15, 2024, while off duty, Cruz rented a U-Haul to conduct personal business and enlisted another off-duty Township employee to help. Cruz then authorized compensatory overtime for that employee despite the work being unrelated to official Township business. Sustained charges included conduct unbecoming a public employee and knowingly making a false entry in a departmental record.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On April 15, 2024, while off-duty, Lieutenant Otoniel Cruz rented a U-Haul vehicle to conduct personal business. The investigation further revealed that Lieutenant Cruz enlisted the assistance of another off-duty Township employee to perform this task. Following the completion of this activity, Lieutenant Cruz authorized compensatory overtime for the assisting employee, despite the work being unrelated to official Township business.
(a)(3) , (a)(6) a public employee, (a)(12) , Standard of Conduct, Obedience to Laws and Regulations, Ethical Standards, and Private Conduct.
Separated while IA pending
No
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
North Bergen Police Department suspended Lieutenant Otoniel Cruz for 8 days in 2025. On March 18, 2025, Cruz was arrested by the Palisades Park Police Department for driving while intoxicated under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 while off duty. Sustained charges included inability to perform duties, conduct unbecoming a public employee, and violation of ethical standards.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On March 18, 2025, Lieutenant Otoniel Cruz was arrested by the Palisades Park Police Department for Driving While Intoxicated (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50) while off duty.
(a)(6) a public employee, (a)(9) Discrimination that effects equal employment opportunity (as defined in N.J.A.C. 4A:7-1.1), including racial and sexual harassment, (a)(12) , Use of derogatory terms, Disparaging nationality-Race-or Religion, Conduct subversive of good order and the discipline of the department, Private conduct, and General Order 13-11 (Workplace violence, harassment, discrimination, and sexual harassment).
Separated while IA pending
No
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
North Bergen Police Department suspended Lieutenant Otoniel Cruz for 10 days in 2025. On July 1, 2025, another member of the department gave the internal affairs office screenshots of a group text thread in which Cruz used a racial slur offensive to African American individuals. Sustained charges included conduct unbecoming a public employee and discrimination affecting equal employment opportunity, including use of derogatory terms.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On July 1st, 2025, another member of the police department provided the North Bergen Internal Affairs office with screenshots of a group text message thread in which Lieutenant Otoniel Cruz utilized a racial slur that is offensive to African American individuals.
Compensation and pension
No confident pension match found. 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. Where that bar is not met, nothing is shown rather than a guess. See methodology for how these matches are made and what is withheld.
Sources
[1]New Jersey Major Discipline Data, 2020-2025. New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Sheet "Major Discipline Data", row 395. Snapshot retrieved 2026-07-03. ↩
[2]New Jersey Major Discipline Data, 2020-2025. New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Sheet "Major Discipline Data", row 396. Snapshot retrieved 2026-07-03. ↩
[3]New Jersey Major Discipline Data, 2020-2025. New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Sheet "Major Discipline Data", row 397. Snapshot retrieved 2026-07-03. ↩