SPCA Governance Moves To County Prosecutor’s Office
Changes Include Designated Municipal Police Officers And A New Hotline
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [SPCA] law enforcement is now a part of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office jurisdiction, Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced in a written statement.
“Monmouth County residents are not going to notice any changes in the way animal cruelty cases are handled because the new law recognizes the successful model we have employed here for many years,” Gramiccioni said. “It was designed with our input and real-world experiences.”
The move is a result of law enacted by former Gov. Chris Christie that moves enforcement of animal cruelty cases from the SPCA to the various county prosecutor’s offices. Under the newly revised statute police departments are now required to designate a municipal humane law enforcement officer and the Prosecutor’s Office must assign a member of their team to investigate, prosecute, and take other legal action for animal cruelty cases.
The newly formed MCSPCA department will be led by Chief Enforcement Officer Ross Licitra, a retired detective lieutenant from the Prosecutor’s Office, who also serves as the executive director of the organization. The second highest ranking humane law enforcement officer is Lt Tom Nuccio, who is a retired detective sergeant from the Prosecutor’s Office. Both Licitra and Nuccio retired in 2011.
“Our day-to-day activities will remain the same while we aggressively enforce animal protection laws,” Licitra said. “We will do our best to protect these vulnerable creatures who find their ways into our hearts and win their place in our family structures at home and in our neighborhoods.”
Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Melanie Falco and Joshua Detzky will serve as County’s Animal Cruelty Prosecutors. Falco also serves as director of the Office’s Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau; and Detzky is assigned to that same unit.
Cruelty to animal incidents can now be reported via 732-542-0040.
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