New Jersey Lawyers BlogNew Jersey Appeals Court Examines Effect of Conviction on Police Officer’s Law Enforcement License
A New Jersey employment law decision recently examined the effect of a conviction under the newly enacted New Jersey Police Training Act and with the New Jersey Police Training Commission in the case of Garcia vs. New Jersey Police Training Commission.
Background
Gregory Gacia was a police officer with the Wharton, New Jersey, Police Department. As a result of a search of his residence, he was charged with false representations and gun possession offenses. Thereafter, on November 14, 2022, he entered into a plea agreement whereby he pled guilty to one count of possessing a large capacity ammunition magazine in the fourth degree. He was sentenced to one year of probation, with the judgment of conviction entered on January 13, 2023. Garcia appealed his decision to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, when affirmed his conviction on October 7, 2024. He thereafter appealed to the Supreme Courts of New Jersey and the United States, both of which refused to hear his appeal.