Barnegat police chief mysteriously suspended

BARNEGAT — The Township has suspended Police Chief Art Drexler — but no one's saying why.

Township Attorney Jerry Dasti confirmed that Drexler, who has been chief since 2006, was suspended with pay but would not offer an explanation. Calls to the department were referred to Dasti.

The Barnegat Police department recently was denied reimbursement of $28,000 spent in the search for escaped fugitive Arthur Beckel in May by the New Jersey Department of Corrections. The DOC cited an mutual aid agreement that towns will help in the search for fugitives but not bill the DOC.

Barnegat Police also came under criticism for ending their local dispatch in favor of using the Ocean County Sheriff's Department that eliminated 6 full-time positions according to the Asbury Park Press.

The Sandpiper news site reported that a building bought by the township for $60,000 in the Settlers Landing section to be used as a police substation was put on the market after the plan was dropped.

Tom Mongelli contributed to this report

More from New Jersey 101.5: