Freehold Twp Reaches Case Settlement With Former Police Officer

FREEHOLD, NJ - Freehold Township and a former township police officer have reached a settlement agreement over allegations that the officer was quietly receiving disability checks from the state while still employed by the municipality in 2017.

According to a resolution passed Nov. 10, the Freehold Township Committee authorized the settlement of Freehold Township v. Richard Dentroux, filed in Monmouth County Superior Court in 2018.

Dentroux, of Toms River, was employed by the township from 2003 to 2010, according to court documents, as an officer with the Freehold Township Police Department. A 2010 workplace injury resulted in the individual being left “permanently and totally disabled,” with Dentroux subsequently leaving the department and receiving Accidental Disability retirement benefits, under the condition that benefits would cease should he receive a salary after his effective date of retirement in 2011.

However, the 2018 lawsuit filed by Freehold Township alleges that Dentroux was hired in 2013 as a maintenance specialist by the state’s division of parks and forestry.

“Dentroux did not inform either the Division of Pensions and Benefits or Freehold Township that he secured employment in addition to receiving his disability benefits,” the township's complaint reads.

When the state became aware of the former officer’s employment, a medical exam concluded that Dentroux was no longer disabled and he was reinstated from the Accidental Disability benefits in 2017. Subject to the conditions of the disability benefits, Freehold Township reinstated Dentroux to his police officer position in February 2017 “as they were required to do at the direction of the Division”.

But according to the 2018 lawsuit, Dentroux appealed the state’s decision to terminate his disability benefits. It was not until May that Dentroux informed the township of his appeal - all the while still collecting disability benefits from the state, unbeknownst to the township.

“At the same time that Dentroux was receiving disability payments from the State, he was improperly collecting a salary from Freehold Township,” the township’s complaint reads. “Dentroux did not inform Freehold Township that he was collecting payments from the State.”

The township demanded $13,020.61, his net pay while working for the township from February to April 2017.

Dentroux filed a counterclaim in his answer to the township’s complaint in 2019, claiming that township officials violated the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and the New Jersey Civil Rights Act. The former officer demanded compensatory damages, consequential damages and punitive damages.

A notice of the settlement was sent to Monmouth County Superior Court earlier this year. The Freehold Township Committee authorized the case settlement on Nov. 10.

Representatives from the Monmouth County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund determined it “is in the best interests of the parties to resolve all issues in the subject litigation,” according to the township committee resolution.

“The Township Committee of the Township of Freehold has determined that it has no objection to the settlement that was reached in the aforesaid litigation.”

As CentralJersey reports, Dentroux received $87,000 as compensation. The original amount was $100,000, but agreed to give up $13,000 as credit to Freehold Township.