Colts Neck Police Chief Under Fire for Chicago Trip

Colts Neck, NJ - The Township Committee of Colts Neck, an elected board of officials, has filed three complaints against Colts Neck Police Chief Kevin Sauter for allegedly failing to get proper clearance before he attended a Chicago law enforcement conference last year, reports the Asbury Park Press.

Sauter failed to seek prior approval from the Township Committee before attending the conference and he did not use his vacation days during his time there, as is required, Jamie Plosia, an attorney representing the township, told the APP. Additionally, he called an on-duty officer to pick him and his wife up from Newark airport when he landed and drive them back to Colts Neck, the township says.

Sauter could face a five-day unpaid suspension.

There was a four-hour disciplinary hearing Thursday night on the matter, during which Sauter steadfastly maintained he did nothing wrong.

Sauter, 52, earns $116,368 a year.

Plosia said Township Committee members had "significant concerns" with Chief Sauter's frequent conference trips and "money being disproportionately used for trips."

"This is not our money, this is public tax dollars and in our judgment we need to exercise more control over what the chief was doing," he said.

Sauter's attorney, Charles Sciarra, said Sauter had approval from the township administrator to attend the conference and three committee members OK'd the $350 conference registration fee. Sauter paid his own hotel and airfare.

Read the full story here.