South Brunswick Cop Says His Suspension Was Chief's 'Retaliation'

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A police officer has filed a lawsuit against South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka claiming he was suspended without cause after reporting the chief for allegedly dismissing his friends’ traffic tickets.

Officer Ricardo Moreira claims Hayducka often asked “officers under his supervision to dismiss tickets issued against friends and favored individuals.”

Moreira alleged that the chief asked him to dismiss a ticket he had written “for parking in a handicap space without displaying a handicap parking tag,” according to the lawsuit filed on Jan. 28th in the Superior Court in Middlesex County.

In his lawsuit, Moreira claims that Hayducka “engaged in this manner of conduct with plaintiff and with other officers continuously through early 2020.”

Moreira approached South Brunswick Township Manager, Bernard Hvozdovic to report on Hayducka’s action, claims the lawsuit. Hvozdovic told Moreira he would “look into it,” and the report was forwarded to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to the lawsuit, prosecutors then conducted interviews with other officers about Hyaducka’s alleged conduct. The investigation was concluded around June 1, 2020.

Three weeks later, Moreira’s gun and badge were taken away. “Without any examination or opinion from a medical professional,” Moreira was presented with a letter “stating that he was a “hazard” and “unfit for duty,” and placed on immediate suspension," said the lawsuit.

After his suspension, Moreira’s lawsuit claims he has been “subjected to retaliatory and bogus disciplinary charges.” He was subject to a “retaliatory work environment” even after he returned to work on Jan 25, said the lawsuit.

These actions caused Moreira “physical pain and suffering, annoyance, inconvenience, stress, anxiety, humiliation, depression, severe emotional distress,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Moreira’s rights were violated under New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act. He seeks monetary damages.

Hayducka denied all wrongdoing, in an answer to the lawsuit filed April 6.

The filing said Hayducka “took no action which violates or could reasonably be believed to violate any” statute, ordinance, code of ethics, etc.

“Chief Raymond Hayducka, did not commit any violation of law alleged by Plaintiff and all actions taken and/or ordered by Chief Raymond Hayducka were in accordance with his duties and responsibilities,” the answer to the lawsuit states.

The filing said the police chief “acted in good faith without malice or malicious intent.”

Patch has reached out to Hayducka’s lawyers and will update the story accordingly.

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