Audubon officer cleared after gun incident

This story has been updated to reflect the dismissal of charges against former Audubon police officer Thomas Gorman, as well as the state’s approval of his application for a disability pension.

HADDON TWP. - An Audubon police officer has been cleared of charges arising from an incident outside his Westmont home in September 2015.

Thomas Gorman, then 37, was accused of trying to disarm an on-duty Audubon police officer during an altercation in the first block of Utica Avenue, according to a criminal complaint.

Superior Court Judge Kathleen Delaney in Camden dismissed the charges against Gorman in January 2020, after he had satisfied conditions of a pretrial intervention program.

A state pension board in November 2017 approved Gorman's application for an ordinary disability retirement.

The retirement took effect in September 2016.

At the time of the incident, a uniformed Audubon officer went to Gorman's home while "acting in the performance of his duties," according to the complaint.

A gun was fired during the 4:45 p.m. confrontation, but no one was injured, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Gorman shared the property with his wife, also an Audubon police officer, online records said at that time.

Gorman, a corporal, joined the borough's police department in December 2002.

"This is a very unfortunate situation that is negatively impacting all involved," Audubon Mayor John Ward said after the incident. "As this is a personnel issue, as well as an active investigation, I will not comment any further."

The complaint did not say why an Audubon officer was responding to an incident in Haddon Township. Additional details were not available from the prosecutor's office.

The complaint also said there was reason to believe Gorman "is a danger to himself or others." It barred him from any contact with an unspecified "victim."

Jim Walsh; (856) 486-2646; jwalsh@gannettnj.com