Ocean County Sheriff Accused of Undermining Union, Ignoring Misconduct, and Destroying Morale
A bombshell lawsuit filed by veteran Sheriff’s Officer Sergeant Peter Glass has pulled back the curtain on what he calls a “toxic culture of retaliation, neglect, and mismanagement” under long-serving Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy.
The 32-page complaint - originally filed in Ocean County Superior Court, but just moved to Monmouth County - alleges that Sheriff Mastronardy systematically punished union leadership, turned a blind eye to internal misconduct, and denied promotions to highly qualified officers as retaliation for protected whistleblower and union activity.
Glass, a nearly 18-year veteran of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office and longtime President of the PBA Local 379 Superior Officers Association - who is represented by Clifton Attorneys Charles J. Sciarra and Matthew R. Curran, Esq. - claims he was bypassed for promotion despite being the top-ranked candidate on the Civil Service list. According to the lawsuit, the Sheriff had never skipped over a top-ranked candidate in his ten years in office — until now.
But the complaint goes far beyond a single promotion. It paints a picture of a workplace where retaliation is standard, grievances are ignored, and staff morale is actively undermined by top brass.
“You Never Know. Look What Happened With Horton.”
In one particularly chilling allegation, Glass claims Sheriff Mastronardy deflected a question about future promotions with a reference to a fellow officer who had recently died: “You never know. Look what happened with Horton,” the Sheriff allegedly said, suggesting tragedy might clear the path for advancement.
The lawsuit also accuses Captain (now Chief) Craig Johnson of attempting to falsify time slips and steal time during off-duty work. When Glass and other union leaders reported the misconduct, they were labeled as complainants in an internal affairs case — despite refusing to participate — and no investigation ever occurred.
“Bite the Pillow and Take It”
The complaint details how a 2022 staff meeting devolved into intimidation when Johnson announced an unpopular schedule change and told the room, “Everyone needs to bite the pillow and take it.” Union representatives objected that the change violated their contract. Their objections were ignored.
In response to multiple grievances filed by the union — ranging from unlawful schedule changes to the unequal distribution of overtime — Sheriff Mastronardy reportedly went silent. Glass alleges that the Sheriff stopped responding to emails, refused to meet, and rerouted issues to a Human Resources director who claimed he lacked authority to intervene.
A Culture of Retaliation
Glass’s lawsuit invokes both the New Jersey Civil Rights Act and the state’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), alleging that his efforts to advocate for his fellow officers led directly to retaliation — including being shut out of promotions, stripped of responsibilities, and marginalized within the department.
In one instance, Undersheriff Jon Lombardi allegedly told another officer, “Not having filed a complaint against me” would help their chances of advancement — a direct reference to pending labor charges Glass had filed with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC).
“Take Care of the Team” — Or Don’t
The central theme of the lawsuit is a simple but powerful indictment: Sheriff Mastronardy, despite campaigning as a pro-union, pro-team leader, failed to live up to his promise. Glass accuses the Sheriff of turning his back on his own officers — not just in failing to advocate for better contracts, but in allowing misconduct to fester, grievances to languish, and good officers to be pushed aside.
The complaint is now pending before the Superior Court. Glass is seeking damages, attorney’s fees, and instatement to the position of lieutenant — a role he claims he earned not just through test scores, but through a long and decorated record of service, innovation, and leadership.
Ocean County officials have not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit.
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1 comment:
All I can say is I am not surprised by any of this and hopefully the Sheriff, Undersheriff, and chief are held to the same standard they hold the officers. But obviously they haven’t done that so far, so it’s really wishful thinking. Hopefully things change and the corruption is eradicated within the department.
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