Prosecutor: Area Police Officer Charged with Illegal Accessing Police Databases

An area police officer has been charged with computer theft stemming from his accessing of multiple law enforcement databases for personal use, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Friday.

Brian M. Dreher, 37, a Brielle police officer, of Brick Township, has been charged with one count of third-degree computer theft in connection with the incidents. He has been suspended without pay.

An investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Responsibility Unit and the Brielle Police Department revealed that from December of 2020 to November of 2023, Dreher accessed multiple law enforcement database systems to look up information on a number of people in his personal life. Dreher is currently suspended without pay.

“This is a very sad and disappointing situation,” Brielle Police Chief Gary Olsen said. “When any officer engages in this type of conduct, he/she violates the trust and integrity of the community in which they have sworn to protect and serve. Police officers are held to a higher standard, and it is essential that we always do the right thing in order to maintain public confidence in our police department. Behavior such as this is unacceptable, and will never be tolerated.”

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office