Handcuffs (Shorebeat File Photo/ banspy/ Flickr)
A Brick Township man who works as a police officer in Brielle has been arrested and charged with illegally accessing law enforcement databases, prosecutors said Friday.
Brian M. Dreher, 37, of Brick, is charged with one count of third-degree computer theft, according to a statement from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the statement, a joint investigation by the county and Brielle police revealed that from December 2020 to November 2023, Dreher was accessing multiple law enforcement database systems to look up information on a number of people within his personal life. Dreher is currently suspended without pay.
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“Any transgression of this nature by an officer is unacceptable,” Prosecutor Ray Santiago stated. “While this officer’s action is not indicative of the majority of our police officers across Monmouth County, we must continue to hold our officers responsible to build upon the trust of the community we serve.”
A post from the Brielle police department’s social media page indicates Dreher was promoted to detective in 2021.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Falco, Director of the Professional Responsibility Unit. Dreher is being represented by Mitchell J. Ansell, Esq., with an office in Ocean Township.
“This is a very sad and disappointing situation,” Brielle Police Chief Gary Olsen said. “When any officer engages in this type of conduct, he/she violates the trust and integrity of the community in which they have sworn to protect and serve. Police officers are held to a higher standard, and it is essential that we always do the right thing in order to maintain public confidence in our police department. Behavior such as this is unacceptable, and will never be tolerated.”
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