The Coaster

By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI

A pregnant Ocean Township police officer who asked to be reassigned to light duty has been granted her request and transferred from patrol duty to a desk job.

Police Chief Antonio Amodio said Wednesday that he offered Sonia Henriques the option of coming off field duty immediately following a dispute that began at Monday night’s council meeting.

Amodio said the issue is still in negotiations with the Police Benevolent Association and the township to finalize the legal language of a new light duty policy.

“I am comfortable that I now have the authority to do that,” Amodio said of offering Henriques light duty.

Amodio said Henriques would be on modified maternity duty as of Thursday.

As of mid-day Wednesday Ocean Township Mayor William Larkin did not know if Police Officer Sonia Henriques would accept the offer of a desk job, made by the township.

Henriques is two months pregnant and the officer, who has received numerous citations for her police work, asked to be taken off patrol and given a desk job as a precautionary measure. At first the request was not granted.

Mayor Larkin, said Henriques is a good police officer, and said he understands her concerns regarding her pregnancy.

“She is a little concerned as she should be,” Larkin said.

He said if she accepts the desk job she would most likely keep the position until she leaves for maternity leave.

The mayor also said their would be no reduction in pay for her new duties.

Mayor Larkin said he was not aware of any difficulties Henriques was having with her pregnancy, but that she did indicate she was having a cesarean section delivery.

The case drew statewide and national attention.

Contact Joanne Papaianni at joanne@thecoaster.net.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 2:32 pm and is filed under Ocean Township. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.