The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a recommendation by the Department of Corrections that a jail guard be fired over his admission that he kissed an inmate, rejecting a decision by the Civil Service Commission that he face a six-month suspension instead.

The justices found the lesser punishment for senior correctional police officer Brian Ambroise was insufficient in light of the department’s stance that he could no longer be trusted as a corrections officer.

“We agree with the DOC that there is no situation more severe and contrary to the public interest than when a correctional officer tarnishes the institution by knowingly compromising the safety and security of himself, his fellow officers, and the inmates,” Justice Michael Noriega wrote for the unanimous court.

Their ruling will remand the matter back to the Civil Service Commission.

The Supreme Court’s decision is the latest in a saga of shifting penalties for the alleged abuses at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, the lone New Jersey women’s prison the state is moving to replace. More than a dozen officers and supervisors were charged for severely beating inmates during 2021 late-night cell extractions prohibited by department policy. That same year, the prison entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice after federal authorities found the facility failed to protect its inmates from sexual abuses there.

The Department of Corrections sought to oust Ambroise after an inmate, referred to as J.O. in the opinion and related court documents, told investigators they kissed and he performed oral sex on her in a closet.

Ambroise admitted to kissing her and to performing oral sex, though he later recanted the latter, saying he had no choice but to tell investigators “what they wanted to hear.” He also admitted to passing messages from J.O. to another inmate.

The department argued either of those findings ought to have been enough to dismiss Ambroise, alleging he admitted to violations that ended his ability to be trusted as a corrections officer.

Officials noted the department has a zero-tolerance policy for inmate abuse and undue familiarity with inmates. They said Ambroise had violated both and should be removed, adding he failed to report the kiss under a department policy that requires officials to detail unusual incidents.

Ambroise alleged he was retrieving supplies from the closet when J.O. entered and quickly kissed him on the lips. He said he did not report the incident because he did not believe it was unusual enough to warrant reporting. The justices disagreed.

“Intimate contact between an inmate and a corrections officer whether initiated by the inmate or the officer can never be anything but unusual,” Noriega wrote. “In this regard, Ambroise had no choice but to report that incident.”

Ambroise’s case stretches back to 2016 and has been investigated by the jail’s internal affairs unit and county prosecutors, heard by a jury that found Ambroise not guilty of sexual assault and official misconduct in 2018, and considered by an administrative law judge and the Civil Service Commission in the years since.

The administrative law judge in 2021 rejected the department’s request to remove Ambroise after finding J.O.’s testimony was not credible and tossing out the officer’s confession, saying it was coerced and involuntary because of the interrogation techniques used.

The judge ruled Ambroise should be suspended for 20 days after finding he failed to report the kiss.

On appeal, the Civil Service Commission extended Ambroise’s suspension to six months and awarded him back pay and benefits. An appellate court affirmed the commission’s decision.

The Supreme Court found previous adjudicators failed to lend proper weight to the department’s view of the severity of Ambroise’s offenses.

The high court’s justices said his failure to report the incident spawned questions about his trustworthiness that were only reinforced by his willingness to pass messages on the inmate’s behalf.

“His affirmative obligation — indeed, his duty — was simply to report the incident. His failure to do so risks the safety and security of the inmates, his fellow officers, and the institution,” Noriega wrote. “It amounts, in short, to an offense warranting termination of the officer’s employment.”

Moved a ton over the years or forgot about that old bank account or safe deposit box you never closed out?

While it’s smart to be on high alert for scams these days, it’s no hoax that legitimate, cold hard cash may be yours, just waiting to be claimed — you just have to know where to look.

Unclaimed cash or assets just waiting for their rightful owners total about $6.3 billion in the Garden State, according to the latest figures from the New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration (NJUPA). Last year, residents put back in their pockets a record of nearly $203 million, a result of 73,686 claims filed.

Monies owed to or owned by somebody in New Jersey that never make it into the hands of its true owner are held by the NJUPA indefinitely or until a valid claim is processed.

So what is considered an unclaimed asset, and how do you know if you are owed any? The process is simple through the state’s user-friendly online tool at unclaimedfunds.nj.gov, so give it a look. You never know, you could hit the jackpot.

What are unclaimed assets?

The NJUPA, which falls under the umbrella of the New Jersey Treasury Department, refers to unclaimed property as tangible and intangible, such as:

• Uncashed checks
• Stocks and bonds
• Safe deposit box contents
• Abandoned bank accounts
• Unclaimed wages or commissions
• Unpaid life insurance benefits
• Utility deposits
• Unused rebate cards
• Trust distributions
• Securities and trust holdings
• Customer overpayments
• Traveler’s checks

How do I check for unclaimed assets?

New Jersey residents can search for unclaimed assets through the NJUPA website and then use the free search tool — https://www.nj.gov/treasury/unclaimed-property — to input your name. Individuals are encouraged to also search using a maiden name and a city, ZIP code, and if available, a property ID. You can also search the name of a business or nonprofit, and it might be worth checking alternate spelling of your name

Did you have a relative who died? There may be some unclaimed assets out there, too.

Have you ever resided or worked/owned a business out of state ? The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, which says that one in seven people in the nation has unclaimed property, operates a free nationwide search database to check for missing funds in all 50 states.

Claiming your funds

Filing a claim through the NJUPA is the fastest way to get your claim processed. After a claim is submitted, the UPA will provide you details of the properly you are claiming. To help support your claim, make sure you prepare necessary documentation, such as proof of identity and ownership, which will need to be uploaded online to show ownership.

The NJUPA will process and verify all information, and if you are advised nothing further is needed, it’ll just be a waiting game. You can check the status of your claim as you await your reunion with your missing money.

And as a reminder, searching for and claiming assets owed to you is completely free. So consider it a red flag when a company solicits offers to do the legwork for you, and avoid texts or other messages asking you to click a link to claim monies you are allegedly owed. These could all lead to scammers looking to steal your personal information.

Have more questions or comments? The NJUPA website has answers to a lot of frequently asked questions and the agency is hosting several outreach events through the end of the year.

Happy treasure hunting!

Email: lcomstock@njherald.com; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Leaders in New Jersey are in talks with the 76ers, hoping to convince them to move across the Delaware River to the Garden State.

It comes amid stalled plans for the proposed Sixers arena in Center City Philadelphia.

A spokesperson for the Sixers told Action News they want their own arena, and now it’s just a matter of where.

Philadelphia 76ers owner, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, has been working for years on proposals to build a new arena in Center City.

But with negotiations still up in the air, New Jersey is once again drawing up a game plan.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says he’s approaching these conversations with conviction.

“We’re blessed with a good relationship with these guys, both the owners and the professionals who run the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, and they own the Devils and the Sixers among other assets,” said Murphy.

The Sixers already moved their practice facility and corporate headquarters to Camden in 2016.

“We’ve been observing the lack of progress in Philadelphia and we said, ‘You know what, we’re going to raise this with them.’ And we’re serious about it and they seem to be serious about it,” said Murphy.

Another serious conversation has been putting the arena on the East Market Street Corridor, which would stand on the edge of Chinatown.

It continues to remain a concern among those who oppose it.

“There’s a lot of harm that could come from this. There’s a lot of ways that Chinatown could be wiped out a lot of folks could lose their homes and businesses,” said Vivian Chang, the executive director of Asian Americans United.

In a statement sent to Action News, a 76ers spokesperson said:

“We remain focused on bringing a state-of-the-art arena to Philadelphia as we have been for the last four years. We are hopeful to reach an agreement with the city this summer to ensure legislation is introduced in early September, which will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2031-32 NBA season.”

Fans we spoke with say they want the team to stay in Philadelphia.

“I love the Sixers, I don’t love the prospect of them leaving Philadelphia and moving to New Jersey,” said Sean Dalton from Manayunk.

“I’m not going to Jersey and neither should they,” said Tim Levy from Erdenheim.

The team’s spokesperson says their goal is to stay in the city, they just have to strike the right deal, and time is ticking.