New Jersey
Inmate kiss warrants jail guard's removal, New Jersey Supreme Court rules • New Jersey Monitor
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.”
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JAMESBURG, New Jersey (WABC) — When it comes to home deliveries, having your order stolen right off your doorstep can be infuriating, so one New Jersey man did it right.
Peter Tsistinas had his brand-new cell phone delivered to a so-called safe pickup site, designated by the seller, where it was stolen.
Delivery services can drop off your item at any number of safe locations, where you can later pick up your order. But as exclusive video obtained by 7 On Your Side shows, porch pirates are upping their game.
Captured on a security camera, a man calmly walks into the CVS store, asks for a delivery, shows an ID, signs for it, and walks off with a brand-new iPhone. There’s just one problem.
“They saw somebody that was not me getting my package,” said Tsistinas when asked what the police were seeing on the tape.
The real Peter, a popular DJ for hire, was dumbfounded. He chose the safe drop to avoid being porch pirated, but the thief still got the goods.
“Yeah, I actually paid extra for it. It wasn’t much. It was $7.99,” Tsistinas said.
Tsistinas got a notification from UPS that the phone was dropped off at 12:39 p.m., less than two hours later, he got a notice it was picked up.
But Tsistinas didn’t pick it up. It was the unknown suspect who went into the CVS, walking off with the brand-new iPhone for Peter’s son.
Tsistinas reported the crime to the police and alerted UPS, CVS and T-Mobile, which shipped the smartphone. The response to the DJ was what he called, “crickets.”
“I was watching, you know ABC News, and I saw 7 On Your Side and I’m like, ‘you know, you’re the first thing I thought of,’” Tsistinas said
7 On Your Side reached out to both CVS and the cell phone provider.
Within a week, T-Mobile responded, saying, “Our care team is working with Mr. Tsistinas directly to get him the device he ordered from us, and we’re working closely with CVS and our other partners to further protect our customers’ orders from theft. Our dedicated fraud, crime and logistics teams collaborate with vendors to address these issues and improve delivery processes.”
CVS also sent 7 On Your Side an official statement, saying, “We’ve connected with the customer and apologized for his experience. T-Mobile is now working directly with Mr. Tsistinas to help resolve the matter. Anyone picking up a UPS package at CVS Pharmacy must present identification matching the person and name on the package to be released. We’re working with the store team to help prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.”
After weeks of back and forth with the companies, Tsistinas could finally focus on his beats again.
“I paid almost $500 in deposit, and then it was going to be like so much per month. So, they just squashed all that,” Tsistinas said.
Referencing the Rolling Stones, he says he not only got his satisfaction, but also his money back.
“Nina, you’re the best!” Peter said.
Police are still looking for the suspect in the video and say he’s part of a crime ring. If you recognize him, call Jamesburg police in New Jersey.
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A police investigation took place at a Walmart in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Wednesday morning and shoppers may have noticed an increased presence of officers at the shopping center, officials said.
On social media, the Cherry Hill Police Department alerted residents that an investigation was underway in a Walmart, located along Route 38 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
However, officials did not immediately detail the cause of this increased police presence, other than saying an investigation was underway and “the scene has been secured.”
Police were asking people to avoid the area, if possible, to allow officers the ability to complete this investigation.
However, as of about 10 a.m., police said on social media that the incident was resolved and there was no threat to the public.
OFFICIAL UPDATE: INCIDENT RESOLVED
The police activity at Walmart (500 Route 38) has been resolved without incident. There is no threat to the public.
Thank you to residents and motorists for their patience and cooperation while officers worked in the area. #CherryHillPD pic.twitter.com/668By2Ttht
— Cherry Hill Police Department (@CherryHillPD) July 8, 2026
As of about 10:15 a.m., police had not provided further information on the nature of this investigation, nor did they say if anyone was arrested through the course of this incident.
NBC10 is working to learn more.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
WILDWOOD, N.J. (WPVI) — Multiple people were rescued from the ocean off Wildwood, New Jersey, over the weekend, and the rescue was caught on video.
It all happened around 7:45 p.m. Sunday on the beach near Schellenger Avenue.
In total, officials say nine people were saved.
The Wildwood Beach Patrol, which was among the responding agencies, posted video of the rescue on Facebook.
A woman who witnessed it all said she was struck by the act of bravery she witnessed.
“What I just experienced was just the most beautiful thing ever. These people just came out of nowhere – I’m talking about like Baywatch – out of nowhere, come out there and save those people in that water. It was so beautiful,” she said.
Officials are reminding beachgoers to only swim when lifeguards are present.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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