County Prosecutor’s Office Earns Fourth Reaccreditation from NJSACOP

Published on August 14, 2025

Catch You Later Foundation Honored for Efforts to Prevent Impaired Driving

Local officials and law enforcement gathered last night for the Morris County Board of County Commissioners public meeting in Morristown, where the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) formally received its fourth reaccreditation from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP).

Harry Delgado, accreditation program director for NJSACOP, presented a reaccreditation certificate to Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll and his leadership team, praising the MCPO for its continued excellence in training, policy, records management, community outreach and operations.

“Only a select few law enforcement agencies in the state have achieved reaccreditation four times. Out of all agencies in New Jersey -- including sheriff’s offices, prosecutor’s offices, local law enforcement and campus police -- about 54 percent earn accreditation once and remain in the program. Twelve percent obtain a second reaccreditation, and fewer than eight percent secure a third,” said Director Delgado. “The MCPO is now among less than six percent of agencies statewide to earn a fourth reaccreditation, demonstrating exceptional longevity and commitment towards following best practices.”

The reaccreditation follows a comprehensive assessment completed in April by NJSACOP, which reviewed compliance with 112 professional standards covering administration, personnel, operations, investigations and arrestee management. The MCPO was first accredited in 2013, and its status is now valid through June 2028.

Catch You Later Foundation Honored

Following the presentation, Prosecutor Carroll thanked Delgado and NJSACOP for their rigorous review.

“I commend Director Delgado and his team of accreditors for conducting a thorough and comprehensive examination of our office that fully evaluated and tested our operations and oversight functions,” said Prosecutor Carroll.

Prosecutor Carroll then honored Pam O’Donnell, founder of the Catch You Later Foundation, with a certificate recognizing her work to raise awareness about impaired and distracted driving. O’Donnell established the foundation after her husband, Tim, and 5-year-old daughter, Bridget, were killed in 2016 by an impaired driver on the New Jersey Turnpike.

"Pam O’Donnell turned personal tragedy into a mission of hope and action. Her foundation is helping raise awareness of dangerous driving behavior and inspiring people to speak up before it's too late. Her work has directly supported our DWI enforcement efforts and public safety outreach across Morris County,” said Prosecutor Carroll.

He also cited two high-profile impaired driving matters this year: an April crash in Roxbury that killed a young woman and led to a vehicular homicide charge, and a recent DWI checkpoint in Florham Park held in memory of Tim and Bridget O’Donnell.

“We have worked hard with our law enforcement partners, municipal leaders, county commissioners and administration to confront these perennial tragedies. Our local patrols have amplified their efforts to identify impaired vehicle operators,” said Prosecutor Carroll. “An important component of this effort is help from the public to notify police. When residents report dangerous driving, it makes a difference.”

The MCPO regularly coordinates DWI checkpoints and educational outreach in partnership with municipal police, supported by funding from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. Between 2023 and 2024, the MCPO ran four DWI checkpoints, interviewing 1,116 drivers, resulting in six DWI arrests and 23 motor vehicle summonses being issued. So far in 2025, three checkpoints have been conducted with 657 interviews, resulting in two DWI arrests and 11 summonses.

“The MCPO’s reaccreditation from NJSACOP confirms what we in Morris County already know: that the Prosecutor’s Office is committed to the highest standards of professionalism and public service,” said Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen. “We also commend Prosecutor Carroll’s dedicated efforts to reduce impaired and reckless driving, which continues to claim far too many lives.”

The Catch You Later Foundation promotes New Jersey’s #77 Aggressive Driving reporting program and provides scholarships in Bridget’s memory.

“The memory of Tim and Bridget continues to make an impact. We are proud to partner with those who are willing to stand up, speak out and help prevent another family from experiencing such loss,” Prosecutor Carroll said.

To date in 2025, there have been 315 fatal crashes resulting in 335 deaths in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey State Police. Morris County has reported 14 fatal crashes resulting in 17 deaths. From 2006 through 2023, the state recorded 10,356 fatal crashes, with 2,428 -- about 23 percent -- involving drivers who had consumed alcohol, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

Attendees at the meeting included members of the MCPO, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, local police departments, and Florham Park Mayor Mark Taylor, Hanover Township Mayor Thomas “Ace” Gallagher, Morris Plains Mayor Jason Karr and Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty.

Media inquiries concerning this press release should be directed to Public Information Officer Meghan Knab at mknab@co.morris.nj.us or by phone at 973-829-8159.

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Photo 1: (l-r) MCPO Capt. Joe Costello, MCPO Capt. Steven Brylinski, MCPO Deputy Chief Jan-Michael Monrad, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, Prosecutor Robert Carroll, NJSACOP Director Harry Delgado, MCPO Chief of Staff Ernie Giampietro, and MCPO Capt. Mark Castellano.

Photo 2: (l-r) Commissioners Douglas Cabana, John Krickus and Christine Myers; Director Tayfun Selen; Pam O’Donnell, founder of the Catch You Later Foundation; Prosecutor Robert Carroll; Commissioners Deborah Smith and Thomas Mastrangelo.