JACKSON, NJ – Sources within Jackson Township today confirmed that Jackson Township Mayor Michael Reina, who has for years been at odds with Jackson Police Chief Matthew Kunz has written up the chief after he failed to alert the mayor that young black adults were partying at a house in town. On July 27th, 700 partiers, mostly African Americans were caught renting a Jackson Township home for a large house party. Police calmly broke up the party and there were no incidents, property damage reported or arrests made. Officers at the time said the crowd was dispersed peacefully. That wasn’t good enough for the Mayor of Jackson, who according to township workers chastized Kunz, including giving the police chief a formal mark against his record.
The crime was that the chief, at 12:30 A.M. in the morning, didn’t call the mayor about the party. Township employees said Reina was furious after he received calls about “inner city” and “black” young adults partying in the home. That party featured free jungle juice and a prize-winning twerking contest.
“He said his phone was ringing off the hook and he was furious at the chief,” the employee who wished to remain anonymous in fear of retaliation said. One police officer in the township said the department routinely is called out for parties involving young adults and calling the mayor is not the standard operating procedure.
Reina said he was upset after learning that he wasn’t notified about the large house party, which became an international viral news story.
Reina has had run-ins with many of his employees and is now facing at least five lawsuits and employee grievances against his bullying and harassing style of management both as the mayor of Jackson Township and as the head of the Ocean County Bridge Department.
Prior to becoming Mayor, Reina was appointed as an auxiliary police officer but was fired by then-Mayor Mark Seda. Reina often credits his firing by Seda as the driving factor that led him to run for town committee and eventually mayor.
Reina refused to comment on this story.