Princeton’s Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson has been suspended as of Monday, February 23, the same day on which charges brought by Mr. Johnson against Littlebrook Road resident Edward Linky were dismissed in Princeton Municipal Court.

The timing of the suspension raised the question as to whether there was any connection between it and the dismissal of the case against Mr. Linky who was given two tickets by Mr. Johnson on February 8.

When asked, neither Police Chief Nick Sutter nor Town Administrator Marc D. Dashield would comment on a purported connection between Mr. Johnson’s suspension and the dismissal of the case brought against Mr. Linky. “Because your question is related to an on-going personnel issue, I am not at liberty to respond at this time,” said Mr. Dashield. “Mr. Johnson has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of his personnel process. In fairness to all involved I cannot comment any further at this time.”

What is clear is that Mr. Johnson issued two tickets to Mr. Linky, one for feeding deer and the other for interfering with a bait station, located on Littlebrook Road. After the tickets had been issued, they were questioned by a local resident in a telephone call to the Princeton Police Department.

“The Department had concerns about the charges as filed,” said Mr. Sutter, Monday. “And this was brought to the attention of the prosecutor as is required; the prosecutor then presented those facts to the court and requested that the charges be dismissed.” The charges against Mr. Linky, who appeared in court Monday, February 23, were indeed dismissed. Later that day Mr. Johnson was suspended on full pay.

Born and raised in Hopewell, where his father had been animal control officer, Mr. Johnson has served Princeton in that capacity for over two decades. He was certified in 1991 after attending animal control school and then added certification in animal cruelty investigation a decade later, allowing him to do similar work at the SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals].

Besides handling incidents of unwelcome bats intruding into people’s homes, cats stuck in trees, groundhogs tunneling beneath backyards, snakes making themselves comfortable in basements, and unusual wildlife sightings, over the years he’s had to investigate dogs locked in hot cars, and even dog fights. He also keeps track of local deer, foxes, coyotes, and bear sightings.

What Is a Bait Station?

A municipal ordinance prohibits anyone from interfering with bait stations that are set up to attract deer so that they can be captured and euthanized. Princeton’s deer culling operation has several such stations. The technique, it has been argued, is more effective and more humane than allowing an excess numbers of white-tailed deer to starve or be killed in road accidents.

The bait station that Mr. Linky had allegedly interfered with is located on Littlebrook Road. Perhaps the more important question raised by this incident, is why a bait and deer culling station is located in a residential area not too far from a neighborhood school?