Porn and sex favors from wives: NJ jury convicts abusive police chief

⭕ Police chief Thomas Herbst was charged in 2023 with "abhorrent" sexual abuse

⭕ The abuse and misconduct took place over 13 years

⭕ Herbst was named Manville's police chief in 2019

MANVILLE — A jury convicted a police chief of several counts of official misconduct related to years-long sexual harassment of subordinates.

Manville police chief Thomas Herbst was charged in 2023 of "abhorrent" sexual abuse that went on for over a decade. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Herbst groped, exposed himself to, and sexually harassed an employee of the police department, according to Attorney General Matt Platkin.

The jury found Herbst guilty on four counts of official misconduct, one count of pattern of official misconduct and one count of sexual assault, all second-degree crimes. He was also found guilty of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

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Abuse of non-police officers

The person who was Herbst's "primary victim" was sexually assaulted over 13 years. Some of the attacks happened while they were on duty and occasionally within police headquarters, prosecutors said.

The jury also convicted the chief of seeking sexual favor from the wife of someone in the department in exchange for "favorable employment decisions" including a promotion. He asked another officer's wife for explicit phone calls to get him a schedule change. Herbst was also found guilty of viewing pornographic websites on his borough computer in his office.

The chief was also found guilty of violating department policy by keeping his badge after his suspension and flashing it during a traffic stop. He identified himself as the chief during the stop.

“For years, Herbst abused his power and tormented his victims. Today’s conviction shows no one is above the law. At a time when corruption prosecutions and protections are being eroded nationally, in New Jersey my office will continue to hold corrupt officials to account," Platkin said in a statement.

"We will continue to protect victims and serve the public. I want to thank the career prosecutors and law enforcement in my Office of Public Integrity and Accountability who expertly prosecuted this case."

Herbst was named chief in 2019, according to Manville PBA #236. Payroll records show he has been in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System since Jan. 1991.

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