A Raritan police officer received a 30-day loss of time penalty after investigators found he improperly deactivated his body-worn camera and later damaged department property during an on-duty dispute with another officer, according to New Jersey’s Major Discipline Report.
A former Raritan Police Department officer was disciplined following an internal investigation into a body camera violation and a confrontation with a fellow officer that resulted in damage to a police vehicle.
According to New Jersey’s 2025 Major Discipline Report, Officer Damien Chromowsky was found to have violated multiple department policies during and after a call for service.
The disciplinary case resulted in a 30-day loss of time penalty totaling 360 hours.
Body Camera Turned Off During Investigation
According to the report, the incident began during a call for service when Chromowsky deactivated his body-worn camera while speaking with a possible suspect.
Investigators determined the action violated the department’s body-worn camera policy.
The report does not provide details regarding the underlying call or the identity of the individual involved.
Dispute With Fellow Officer Escalated
After officers cleared the scene, the investigation found that Chromowsky became involved in an on-duty altercation with another officer concerning his conduct during the call.
During the dispute, Chromowsky removed his bulletproof vest and threw it toward a police vehicle.
The vest struck the vehicle and cracked the windshield, causing damage to department property, according to the disciplinary report.
Multiple Department Charges Sustained
The report states that Chromowsky pleaded guilty to several departmental violations, including:
- Insubordination
- Code of Ethics violations
- Standards of Conduct violations
- Performance of Duty violations
- Department Property and Equipment violations
- Violations of the department’s Body Worn Camera Policy
As a result, the department imposed a 30-day loss of time disciplinary sanction, equivalent to 360 hours.
Officer Later Retired
The report notes that Chromowsky was not terminated, suspended, or demoted as a result of the disciplinary proceedings.
Instead, he served the loss-of-time penalty.
According to the report, Chromowsky retired from the department after the internal investigation had been completed and the case was closed.
Included in State Discipline Report
The case appears in New Jersey’s annual Major Discipline Report, which requires law enforcement agencies to publicly disclose significant disciplinary actions involving sworn officers.
The report identifies the disciplinary findings as sustained and details the sanctions imposed by the department.
Key Points
• Raritan Officer Damien Chromowsky was disciplined for turning off his body-worn camera while speaking with a possible suspect.
• Investigators found he later became involved in an on-duty altercation with another officer and damaged a police vehicle by throwing his ballistic vest.
• Chromowsky received a 30-day loss of time penalty totaling 360 hours and later retired from the department.
