Colts Neck Cop Ignored Calls On Duty, Stayed Home, Prosecutor Says

COLTS NECK, NJ — A Colts Neck police sergeant has been accused of failing to leave his home or respond to calls for service while he was supposed to be on duty, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said.

Daniel J. Mazzucola, 40, has been charged with third-degree theft by unlawful taking, Santiago said.

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Mazzucola was charged after an investigation revealed that on multiple instances from December 2025 into May 2026, Mazzucola spent significant portions of his assigned on-duty time, including overtime shifts, at his township home, rather than on patrol or providing police services to the people of Colts Neck.

On two specific occasions, the investigation found, he falsely claimed in a law enforcement database entry that he had responded to calls, despite never leaving his home, Santiago said.

The total value of the theft of salary related to these instances amounted to approximately $16,500.

Mazzucola turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday and was released on a summons, pending future proceedings in Monmouth County Superior Court.

This case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Falco, Director of the MCPO Professional Responsibility Unit.

In a statement sent to Patch, Mazzucola's defense attorney, Tara Walsh, Esq., said Mazzucola has served as a law enforcement officer in Colts Neck for 15 years "without any prior disciplinary history whatsoever."

"He has dedicated his career to public service, and that record should not be overshadowed by an allegation that has yet to be tested in a courtroom," Walsh said.

"There are important facts and circumstances surrounding this matter that have yet to be taken into account and are not reflected by the mere filing of a criminal charge," she continued. "We look forward to presenting them through the appropriate legal process."

Until then, Walsh said Mazzucola is entitled to the same presumption of innocence afforded to any person who stands accused of a crime, and asks that the public reserve judgment until all of the evidence is known.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated with comment from Mazzucola's defense attorney, Tara Walsh.