Gramiccioni’s nomination clears Senate committee

Christopher J. Gramiccioni will soon drop the “Acting” from his title as Monmouth County Prosecutor.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Gramiccioni’s nomination yesterday despite opposition for the state PBA who made an issue of his hiring practices. The Senate is expected to confirm the prosecutor on August 1st.

A veteran of Chris Christie’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gramiccioni was the governor’s first choice to replace former prosecutor Luis Valentin. But he did not meet the constitutional residency requirements for the job and was hired as First Assistant Prosecutor in 2011. Once the residency requirements were met, Peter Warshaw, Valentin’s replacement on an acting basis, was nominated for a Superior Court judgeship and Gramiccioni took over the top law enforcement job in Monmouth County July 1, 2012.

According to published reports, Gramiccioni defended his record against the PBA attacks during his two hour confirmation hearing. A five page letter from PBA President Patrick Colligan accused the prosecutor of failing to hire and promote minorities, of hiring four detectives who had no law enforcement backgrounds and of selectively enforcing his office’s policy of requiring detectives to live in the county.

Gramiccion said that in four years as acting prosecutor he hired 34 detectives; five women, three of whom are African American and two of whom are Hispanic. He said his office is more diverse than Monmouth County. Regarding the hiring of four detectives without law enforcement experience he said they handle specialized investigations in computer crimes, financial crimes and public corruption –specialties that have a limited talent pool in the law enforcement community.

If confirmed by the Senate, as expected, Gramiccioni will have a five year term as Prosecutor.