The former Public Safety Director has filed a civil lawsuit against the Township of Jackson, the Jackson Township Police Department, former Police Chief Matthew Kunz, and other unnamed individuals, alleging a pattern of serious safety failures, mismanagement, and retaliation tied to his role.

According to the complaint filed in Ocean County Superior Court, plaintiff Joseph Candido — who served in a public safety leadership role — claims he identified multiple issues within the police department that he believed violated laws, regulations, and public policy.

Among the central allegations:

• Police Licensing Concerns: Candido claims the department failed to properly comply with mandatory licensing requirements set by the New Jersey State Police Training Commission. The lawsuit alleges that despite assurances from Chief Kunz that all officers were properly re-licensed, at least one application was submitted late — beyond the state deadline — raising concerns about compliance.
• Range Safety and Oversight Issues: The complaint outlines what Candido describes as serious security lapses at the township’s police firearms training facility. He alleges:
• Poor control over keys and access to the facility
• Multiple individuals sharing access codes, making it impossible to track who entered the building
• Unknown individuals accessing the range during early morning hours
• Outside vendors using the range without proper insurance documentation on file
Candido claims these conditions created “potentially dangerous” risks for both officers and the public.
• Equipment Safety Concerns: The lawsuit also references issues involving police safety equipment, including concerns over expired bulletproof vests and lack of proper tracking of expiration dates for officers’ gear.
• Internal Actions and Fallout: According to the filing, Candido took steps to address these issues, including initiating audits, implementing stricter controls, and submitting disciplinary actions. The complaint suggests that his actions and efforts to raise concerns ultimately led to conflict within the department.

The lawsuit seeks damages and a jury trial, alleging that the defendants are responsible both individually and collectively for harm suffered by the plaintiff.

No response from the township or police department was included in the filing, and the allegations have not yet been tested in court. The case is expected to proceed through the civil litigation process in Ocean County.

However, a high-ranking Township official who spoke on condition of anonymity, tells TLS “the lawsuit is very strong, and they are disappointed to see these allegations.”