After first being sworn in just under a decade ago, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez will be retiring on August 1st after 25 years as a public employee.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Serving as Hudson County Prosecutor, the very community where I was born and raised, has been an incredible honor. My goal, since day one, was to build an Office that can better address the needs of the residents of Hudson County, while also providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to protect and serve,” she said in a statement.
“This has included establishing the Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit to make our streets safer, Hudson County Regional S.W.A.T to ensure a safe resolve for individuals in crisis, and the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force to investigate fatal and widespread fires.”
Suarez also mentioned launching an in-house DNA laboratory, a child advocacy center, and a cybersecurity lab as accomplishments during her tenure.
She also said she looked forward to working with New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin and Gov. Phil Murphy (D) ensuring a smooth transition process for her successor.
“This would not have been possible without the support I received from the members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, our County government, municipal police departments, and statewide law enforcement partners,” she added.
“Their passion and commitment to public service were a continued source of personal motivation, and for that, I am tremendously grateful … I leave here filled with gratitude and appreciation for the opportunities that have been presented to me over the past 10 years.”
Suarez, who previously served as Hoboken corporation counsel and a Hudson County Superior Court judge, was sworn in as county prosecutor in September 2015 at a ceremony at Jersey City’s Dickinson High School.
She pursued being named New Jersey’s U.S. Attorney when the post became vacant in 2021, but she ultimately withdrew from consideration and was sworn in for a second term in mid-2021.
In between those two appointments, Suarez faced some heat for not charging Al Alvarez after then-activist Katie Brennan alleged he raped her during a Phil Murphy for governor campaign event in 2017.
Then-Attorney General Gurbir Grewal vouched for Suarez and said she acted appropriately at the time, as HCV first reported.
Furthermore, the presidents of the two unions for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office praised Suarez’s leadership over the past decade.
“She has been a steadfast supporter of both the Police Benevolent Association Local 232 and the Superior Officers Association 232A, from contract negotiations to ensuring that our members are equipped with the resources they need to serve the residents of Hudson County effectively,” wrote Local 232 PBA President Robert Till and Local 232A SOA Acting President John Kolakowski.
“Thanks to her vision and investment, Hudson County is undeniably a safer and stronger community. Prosecutor Suarez championed initiatives that modernized our department and prioritized the wellbeing of law enforcement professionals.”
A spokeswoman for the HCPO said that an acting prosecutor has not yet been selected to take over once Suarez retires next month.