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About The Hudson County
Prosecutor's Office
Hudson County Directory and Telephone Numbers
The county prosecutor is a
constitutional officer, nominated and appointed by the Governor with the
consent of the State Senate. County prosecutors serve in their individual
jurisdictions as the foremost representative of the executive branch of
government in the enforcement of the criminal law. The various county
prosecutors have been given the power to use all reasonable and lawful
diligence for the detection, arrest, indictment and conviction of offenders
against the laws of the State. Each prosecutor is given, by statute, within
his or her jurisdiction, the same powers as the Attorney General of the
State.
In order to complete the
mission of detection, arrest, indictment and conviction of persons
committing crimes within a county, the prosecutor employs a staff of
lawyers, investigators and support personnel. The members of the staff, in
addition to performing their assigned duties, must cooperate with each
other, municipal police departments and the public. The Hudson County
Prosecutor's Office currently has a staff in excess of 300 that includes
assistant prosecutors, detectives, and clerical and support personnel. The
investigative division of the office is supplemented by officers employed by
the County Sheriff and the county's 12 municipalities. It is the second
largest county prosecutor's office in the State of New Jersey, exceeded only
by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. It is also the second busiest
county prosecutor's office in the State, reviewing over 11,000 adult
criminal complaints, and over 7300 juvenile criminal complaints in 2000.
Once again, these totals were exceeded only by Essex County amongst the
various county prosecutor's offices.
Prior to the 1947
Constitution, the county prosecutor was known as the prosecutor of the pleas
of the county (RS 2:182-1 Revised in 1877). From 1948 and until 1970 the
Office was a part time position. In 1970, the prosecutor and all assistants
to the prosecutor became full time employees of the people of Hudson County.
Geoffrey Gaulkin, served as prosecutor from 1970 until 1973; James T.
O'Halloran served as prosecutor from 1974 until 1980; Harold J. Ruvoldt, Jr.
served as prosecutor from 1980 until 1986; Paul M. DePascale served as
prosecutor from 1986 until 1991; Carmen Messano served as prosecutor from
1991 until 1997. Fred J. Theemling served as prosecutor from 1997 until
2002. Former Prosecutors Gaulkin, O'Halloran, DePascale, Messano and
Theemling were subsequently appointed to serve as judges of the Superior
Court of New Jersey.
for additional information:
http://www.hcpo.org
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