Naked cop should resign from police force

I was absolutely astounded to learn Superior Court Judge Melvin Gelade ruled Patrolman Ioannis Mpletsakis should be reinstated to the Edison police force and the township will most likely have to pay part of his legal fees and he may be entitled to back pay. A police officer is supposed to be a person of high moral and ethical character with good common sense and judgment. He has the responsibility to uphold the law and to look out for the welfare of the community, which he is serving. The facts in this case show he has none of these attributes.

While driving naked, he rear-ended a box truck, fled from the scene of the accident and tried to elude capture by his fellow officers. Do these facts portray the type of officer we should have looking out for the safety and welfare of our community? This person was only looking out for his own self-interest knowing full well everything he did was wrong. Perhaps, I am wrong but should not officers of the law be held to the same standard of conduct as other citizens or are they above the law they are sworn to uphold? Ioannis Mpletsakis owes an apology to those he injured, his fellow officers and the citizens of Edison whom he disgraced with his actions. He should now do the honorable thing by resigning from the police department and apologizing to his fellow officers and the community of Edison for the dishonor he has brought upon us all by his actions. He is the epitome of everything that is wrong with our judicial system today. Fortunately, the vast majority of officers on the Edison police department is of a higher caliber and does not fit the mold of Ioannis Mpletsakis.

Judge Melvin Gelade in believing officer Ioannis Mpletsakis only deserved a slap of the wrist and should continue to enforce the laws of our community has a very warped sense of the law, ethics and morals himself. Judge Gelade did not even infer that Ioannis Mpletsakis owed an apology to those he had wronged by his actions. Perhaps Judge Gelade should have considered the rights of the citizens of Edison rather than those of Ioannis Mpletsakis for he has betrayed their trust to uphold the law while on or off duty. On this decision alone, I would question the qualifications of Judge Melvin Gelade to serve on the bench in the state of New Jersey. How could any reasonable person ever come to his conclusion in this matter?

Frederick R. Wolke

Edison