A 19-year veteran police officer was arrested on Saturday and charged for allegedly operating a methamphetamine lab out of his home, New Jersey prosecutors said.
The officer, 50-year-old Christopher Walls, is a nearly two-decade veteran with the Long Branch Police Department. He was charged with six criminal offenses, including possession, manufacturing methamphetamine, and endangering the welfare of a child. Walls was suspended without pay from the department, according to a statement from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office.
Walls was reportedly in his home late Saturday when LBP was alerted to reports of a domestic disturbance, according to prosecutors. When officers arrived, a resident of the home alleged Walls was involved in illegal drug activity.
Following the report, the New Jersey State Police Hazmat Unit was called to the home and discovered “materials, chemicals and instruments consistent with a methamphetamine laboratory” in the basement and shed on the property. Books and instructional materials to make methamphetamine were also found, along with explosives and poison.
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walls.jpg“Thanks to the swift action of our office, the Long Branch Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police, a very serious risk to public safety has been averted. The collaborative efforts of our agencies dismantled a very dangerous situation. It is particularly distressing that this hazard was caused by a sworn law enforcement officer.” Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni wrote.
Officers also recovered a hoard of weapons left in an unsecured safe. Authorities recovered two long guns, four handguns, eight high-capacity magazines, and an abundance of ammunition.
“It is disappointing beyond measure that one of our officers could have risked the safety of his family and neighbors by engaging in such dangerous conduct. This officer’s actions do not reflect the moral compass of our officers or this agency,” acting Long Branch Police Chief Frank Rizzuto said.
Walls was held Sunday at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending a detention hearing. He faces decades of prison time if convicted on his charges.
Contact information for Walls’s legal representation was not immediately available.
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The MCP did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
