A New Jersey police chief accused of using a homophobic slur while on duty has been reinstated to his position in Roselle following a legal process that determined termination was too severe a penalty, sparking criticism from an officer who says he was the target of the remark.
Why It Matters
The case raises questions about disciplinary standards for law enforcement leadership in New Jersey, where a record 654 officers faced major discipline in 2025. The reinstatement of Roselle Police Chief Stacey Williams comes after a chain of administrative and judicial rulings that reduced his punishment from termination to a 30-day suspension.
What Happened
Two subordinate officers alleged that Williams used a gay slur in October 2022 in a basement hallway of the Roselle Police Department. One of those officers, Delmonte Pryor, who is gay, also alleged Williams used the slur in a separate 2020 conversation. Pryor said he did not file a complaint at the time because earlier complaints about homophobia within the department had not been taken seriously.
A county prosecutor’s investigation concluded Williams had used the slur. Williams was fired in 2024 as a result. However, Administrative Court Judge Thomas Betancourt ruled the conduct, while offensive, warranted a 30-day suspension rather than termination. Betancourt found the remarks were not discriminatory or targeted in intent.
Williams testified during the proceedings that he did not recall using the word but acknowledged it was possible. He also admitted to calling another officer a shortened version of the slur approximately a decade earlier.
The State Civil Service Commission backed Betancourt’s ruling in December, and a state Superior Court declined in April to block Williams from returning to his post. He was reinstated in the days before mid-June.
The second officer who made an allegation, Helder Freire, later succeeded Williams as chief during the period Williams was removed.
Legal and Administrative Response
Officer Pryor is now suing the Borough of Roselle over this matter and additional allegations. His attorney, Peter Paris, was sharply critical of the outcome, saying: “While there is a long and sordid history of homophobic behavior by police chiefs in Roselle and other towns, I never imagined that the Civil Service Commission would expressly condone the unapologetic use by a police chief of abusive, homophobic tropes toward a subordinate officer.”
Judge Betancourt, in his written ruling, assessed Pryor’s reaction to Williams’ language differently, writing that he found the officer’s “amount of discomfort over (Williams’) use of the offensive term overstated.” That characterization has drawn additional criticism from Pryor’s legal team.
By the Numbers
- 2022: The primary incident allegedly occurred in October of that year
- 2024: Williams was terminated following the county prosecutor’s findings
- December (prior year): The Civil Service Commission upheld the reduced penalty
- April 2026: Superior Court declined to prevent reinstatement
- 30 days: The suspension penalty the court and commission found appropriate in place of termination
Zoom Out
Disputes over proportionality in police discipline have become a recurring issue across the country, with civil service protections frequently shielding officers and department heads from termination even after sustained misconduct findings. New Jersey’s civil service framework, which grants significant review authority to administrative judges and the Civil Service Commission, has come under scrutiny in multiple cases where terminations were reduced on appeal.
What’s Next
Officer Pryor’s lawsuit against Roselle is ongoing. The reinstatement of Williams as chief means Freire, who had filled the role during the interim period, no longer holds the top position. Legal observers expect the lawsuit to test whether the administrative rulings insulate the borough from civil liability related to the underlying conduct. No further court dates in the reinstatement matter have been publicly announced.