ASBURY PARK – Two Asbury Park police officers are facing additional charges in connection to two separate incidents of vandalism to two vehicles owned by the same person in September 2019, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Suspended Asbury Park Police Officer, 30-year old Stephen Martinsen, and former Asbury Park Police Special Law Enforcement Officer, Class 2, 26-year old Thomas Dowling, both of Asbury Park, are charged with two counts each of second degree Official Misconduct.
According to police, one vehicle parked in Ocean Grove and another parked in Asbury Park were both vandalized between approximately 3-4 a.m. on or about Tuesday, September 3, 2019. Police believe that Officer Martinsen and Special Law Enforcement Officer Dowling did purposely damage both vehicles, which occurred several days after the vehicle owner filed an administrative complaint against both officers.
Dowling and Martinsen had previously been charged with two counts each of third degree Conspiracy, two counts each of third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Knife), two counts each of fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Knife), two counts each of fourth degree Criminal Mischief.
Joining the department in 2013 as a Class 1Special Law Enforcement Officer, Martinsen graduated to Class 2 in May of 2014 and then became a full-time member of the force in July of 2017.
Following the initial charges, Martinsen was suspended without pay and Dowling’s employment with the city of Asbury Park was terminated.
If convicted of second degree charges, Martinsen and Dowling face up to 10 years in state prison on each charge and a possible five year period of parole ineligibility.
