Recently disclosed records reveal that James Palmisano, a Republican candidate for Brick Township Council, was arrested and found guilty after a trial on charges of harassing a police officer. Palmisano was charged after he threatened a Brielle police officer and the officer’s children.

Palmisano’s campaign has been rocked by the disclosure of the long-buried report, coming only days before the election for Brick council.  One political insider commented, “It doesn’t matter if the incident was last week or years ago, Palmisano’s threats to a police officer’s family show his true character. The details in the police reports completely destroy his claims of respect for law enforcement.”

As recited in the police reports of the incident, the incident began when Brielle police were called to a parking lot on Ashley Avenue to investigate a noise complaint. The police report stated that Palmisano was found to be creating a disturbance.  When confronted Sgt. Michael Luciano and Patrolman David Buckle, Palmisano raised his voice and “became more abusive to the officers.”

Palmisano was arrested by the officers and taken to police headquarters. At the time of his arrest, Palmisano was 43 years old. Based on Palmisano’s abusive conduct, Sgt. Luciano charged him with disorderly conduct.

While at the police station, Palmisano was placed into a booking room. In a supplemental report, Patrolman Buckle stated that Palmisano was loud, verbally abusive and used foul language to the officer while at the police station. “You probably would not be such a bad guy if you weren’t such an ———,” the report quotes Palmisano as saying.

According to the report, Palmisano threatened Buckle, saying, “Do you miss your children, don’t forget pal, paybacks are hell, I have connections.”

“I asked the accused several times if these statements he was making were threats against me and my family,” Buckle said in the report. “He would sometimes reply, ‘You know exactly what it is, buddy, I have connections.’ At other times he would simply stare and give no answer or just laugh.”

At the time of the incident, Palmisano was an elected member of the Brick School Board.  Officer Buckle and his children resided in Brick. Because of his threats against Officer Buckle and his family, Palmisano was charged with harassment of a police officer.

Palmisano later pled guilty to the charge of disorderly conduct. A trial was held on the charge of harassment of a police officer. At the trial, presided over by Judge Mark T. Apostolou in November 1996, Officer Buckle testified that Palmisano made threats against Buckle’s children. 

Judge Apostolou, after hearing the evidence, found Palmisano guilty of the charge of harassing a police officer.

Following the incident, Palmisano did not seek re-election to the Brick School Board.