A bombshell civil rights lawsuit recently filed in New Jersey Superior Court in Ocean County is taking aim at the Jackson Township Police Department, alleging a troubling and systemic practice that critics say turns routine traffic stops into costly ordeals for innocent drivers, a FAA News investigative report reveals.
According to the complaint, residents Michele and Edward Norberto claim they were ensnared in what amounts to a “pay-to-get-your-own-car-back” policy — even after police found no evidence of any crime.
The incident began with a routine traffic stop in January 2026. Police allegedly detained the driver for nearly an hour waiting for a K-9 unit — a delay the lawsuit claims was unlawful. After the dog allegedly “indicated” drugs, officers seized the vehicle and sent it to a private towing facility.
But here’s where things take a dramatic turn:
A judge later issued a search warrant
Police searched the vehicle
Nothing illegal was found
Despite that, the vehicle wasn’t simply returned.
Instead, the owners were told they had to pay nearly $1,000 in storage fees to retrieve their own vehicle — a 2005 Chrysler minivan.
The lawsuit claims:
The car was held at a private facility
Release was conditioned on paying mounting storage fees
The fees exceeded the actual value of the vehicle
In practical terms, the plaintiffs argue, this creates a perverse outcome:
👉 Even innocent drivers may be forced to abandon their vehicles entirely.
This isn’t being framed as a one-off mistake.
The complaint alleges that the Jackson Township, along with its police department and leadership, maintain an ongoing policy or custom where:
Vehicles flagged by K-9 alerts are automatically impounded
Cars are sent to a storage facility
Owners must pay fees — even when no crime is found
The lawsuit claims this practice amounts to:
Unlawful seizure under the Constitution
Conversion (civil theft) of private property
A violation of the New Jersey Civil Rights Act
The suit also names the department’s leadership, alleging that the policy was known — or should have been known — at the highest levels.
That raises a critical legal question familiar to civil rights litigation:
👉 Is this an isolated incident — or a municipal practice that could expose the Township to broader liability?
If proven, the allegations could echo national controversies over:
Civil asset forfeiture abuses
Municipal revenue-generation tactics
K-9 reliability and “false positive” alerts
But this case adds a unique twist:
👉 Even when police find nothing, the financial burden allegedly remains on the citizen.
The plaintiffs are demanding:
Monetary damages
Attorneys’ fees
A jury trial
And potentially more importantly:
👉 A judicial reckoning over whether this alleged policy can continue.
If the allegations hold up, this case could expose a deeply controversial practice hiding in plain sight — one where innocence doesn’t stop the meter from running.
And for residents of Jackson Township, the message from this lawsuit is chillingly simple:
👉 Your car might be cleared — but you still have to pay to prove it.
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