At the beginning of a roller coaster day, Carmelo Jimenez was a sergeant. He's now a lieutenant. Watch video
PERTH AMBOY -- On the same day his on-duty assignations became public knowledge, a Perth Amboy cop who took an undercover car to visit his romantic partner in a different town was promoted to lieutenant.
Lt. Carmelo Jimenez got his new rank at a ceremony at the YMCA in Perth Amboy at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, just hours after NJ Advance Media reported that he had been suspended for eight days and had to give back a chunk of his paycheck amid an Internal Affairs investigation.
The on-duty trips -- caught on surveillance footage obtained by a local defense attorney -- occurred over the course of several months. The videos show the undercover pickup truck sitting on a township street for hours at a time, sometimes after Jimenez had gotten out with flowers or food.
NJ Advance Media learned of the promotion -- at which seven other officers were elevated to new positions -- after its story was published Tuesday morning.
"Sergeant Jimenez is being promoted today consistent with the NJ State Civil Service Guidelines, along with any pay increase," Deputy Chief Larry Cattano said in an emailed statement. "The incident in question occurred in the past and appropriate discipline was instituted."
Public records show Jimenez currently makes $111,000.
"As in every situation with a City employee, progressive discipline is utilized, but understand that our officers have the same rights as every other employee in the City," Cattano said.
Jimenez has been a city cop for 17 years, and has a strong reputation in the Perth Amboy Police Department, his supporters say.
The city noted that Jimenez has received several letters of recognition from the New Jersey Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association and the 200 Club.
The suspension occurred in October 2015, about three months before he was promoted.
Jimenez helped run the city's narcotics squad for several years. An online search of his name brings up dozens of other people's mug shots as the city touted his drug busts. In one case, his actions helped save a man from jumping off a bridge in Perth Amboy.
According to figures provided by the city, Jimenez has arrested 279 people since 2011, more than any other supervisor in the department, and his teams have seized more than $500,000 in cash, $1 million worth of drugs, 16 firearms and 43 vehicles.
But in 2014, the longtime detective was himself the subject of an investigation, this time for his personal conduct.
Early that year, a defense attorney who has represented clients arrested by Jimenez began investigating the then-sergeant. Over the course of several months, Jimenez took an undercover vehicle -- a blue pickup truck -- to a woman's house in Woodbridge. It was caught on videos filmed by a private investigator and nearby surveillance cameras.
The defense attorney, Daniel Gonzalez, helped file a complaint with Internal Affairs.
Investigators in the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the case, a lawyer for Jimenez said, and determined that internal discipline was merited.
Jimenez returned 27 hours of pay to the city after the investigation, and served an eight-day suspension.
Gonzalez called Jimenez's promotion "appalling," saying it would set a bad example for officers in the police department.
"He clearly admitted to wrongdoing," Gonzalez said. "If an average citizen admitted to stealing thousands of dollars, they end up with criminal records."
Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
