Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
Officer Cortes was demoted by the New Jersey Institute of Technology PD after an investigation sustained charges of workplace harassment toward subordinates. The record states that on or around May 15, 2022, he engaged in inappropriate communication with an NJIT dispatcher about a grievance that had not yet been filed. By offering to purchase the dispatcher food in exchange for not filing a grievance, Cortes committed an act of quid pro quo harassment, and he was demoted to the rank of Police Officer. The sustained charges included Harassment in the Workplace, Conduct towards Others, and Retaliation.
Officer Cortes was demoted as a result of an investigation with sustained charges surrounding workplace harassment (intimidation / retaliation threats) toward subordinate employees. Officer Cortes was found to have made threatening and inappropriate comments to subordinates. Specifically, Officer Cortes on or around May 15th, 2022 created a hostile work environment by constantly engaging in inappropriate communication with a NJIT Dispatcher about a grievance that had not yet been filed throughout his tour of duty on 5/15/22. By offering to purchase the Dispatcher food in exchange for him not to file a grievance, Officer Cortes committed an act of quid pro quo (non-sexual) harassment. Sergeant Cortes, was thusly demoted to the rank of Police Officer as a result.
The amount is as reported by the New Jersey Department of the Treasury in its YourMoney pension data, as of March 31, 2026. It is the pension-basis figure and may not include overtime, accrued leave, stipends, or other pay. The link between this officer and this pension record is a records-based match at high confidence (exact name and exact employing agency), not a certified identity. If it is wrong, we will remove it: corrections.
Similar records
AnalysisComputed by this site from shared agency, year, charge category, and sanction outcome. Not a legal or factual equivalence.
Michael Capano · New Jersey Institute Of Technology · 2022
Suspended 28 days
Sustained charge(s): Truthfullness, SOP Body Worn Camera, Core Values, Performance of Duty, Obedience to Laws Rules and Regulations and Written Directives,…
same agency · same year
Joseph Quinn · New Jersey Institute Of Technology · 2022
Suspended 10 days
Sustained charge(s): Improper Orders, Performance of Duty, Withholding Information, Reports, and All Other Conduct
What is a summary of Ruben Cortes's major discipline record?
Officer Cortes was demoted by the New Jersey Institute of Technology PD after an investigation sustained charges of workplace harassment toward subordinates. The record states that on or around May 15, 2022, he engaged in inappropriate communication with an NJIT dispatcher about a grievance that had not yet been filed. By offering to purchase the dispatcher food in exchange for not filing a grievance, Cortes committed an act of quid pro quo harassment, and he was demoted to the rank of Police Officer. The sustained charges included Harassment in the Workplace, Conduct towards Others, and Retaliation.
What is Ruben Cortes's major discipline record at New Jersey Institute Of Technology?
Ruben Cortes has one major discipline record at New Jersey Institute Of Technology in the New Jersey Attorney General's 2020-2025 releases, from 2022. These are final, adjudicated actions, not allegations.
Does Ruben Cortes's record show a termination?
The major discipline records shown here do not report a termination for Ruben Cortes at New Jersey Institute Of Technology.
What is Ruben Cortes's pension on record?
Ruben Cortes's reported monthly pension allowance is $3,984.94, from New Jersey Treasury YourMoney data, matched to this officer at high confidence. Ruben Cortes has 21 years of reported service.
How large is New Jersey Institute Of Technology, the department Ruben Cortes worked for?
New Jersey Institute Of Technology reported 40 sworn officers to the FBI for 2025. This is department-level context from the FBI's Law Enforcement Employees census, not a statement about Ruben Cortes individually.
Sources
[1]New Jersey Major Discipline Data, 2020-2025. New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Sheet "Major Discipline Data", row 2159. Snapshot retrieved 2026-07-03. ↩
[2]YourMoney Retired Pension Members (PFRS/SPRS subset). New Jersey Department of the Treasury. Row 325987 (member 44292976), snapshot as of March 31, 2026. Derived from the public YourMoney Retired Pension Members dataset, https://www.yourmoney.nj.gov/. ↩
[3]FBI Law Enforcement Employees (LEE), New Jersey subset. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Row 8307. Derived from the public Law Enforcement Employees (LEE) / Police Employee Data dataset (1960-2025), https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/. ↩