NOVEMBER 18--A New Jersey policeman was arrested yesterday and charged with unzipping his pants and exposing himself to a series of young male drivers whom the cop pulled over during a seven-month period this year.

Jason Miller, 37, is facing official misconduct and lewdness charges in connection with his duties as an officer with the Newton Police Department, where he has worked since 2001.

Pictured at right, Miller, a married father of two, is free on $35,000 bail.

A probable cause affidavit alleges that Miller exposed himself during “numerous” late-night traffic stops to "satisfy his prurient interests." He then allowed the male motorists to leave without traffic summonses, though, in some instances, he was aware the driver had been drinking or that a vehicle’s registration and insurance were expired.

While the affidavit details Miller’s interaction with five men, aged 18 to 26, investigators noted that they have evidence of other “late night or early morning stops involving Officer Miller and young adult males…wherein it appears that Officer Miller’s pants were opened and/or his genitals were exposed and/or a zipper can be heard opening or closing.”

An 18-year-old college student--identified by his initials, J.A.--told police that he was stopped by a Newton officer in September, and that when the cop approached his car, “he noticed the officer’s zipper was down and he saw what he believed to be the officer’s exposed genitals.” Though the driver’s registration and insurance had lapsed, the officer--identified by investigators as Miller--let the teen drive away instead of impounding the car. When later recalling the incident for his girlfriend, “J.A.” said that the cop’s “junk was hanging out.”

“K.K.,” a 23-year-old driver, told police that he was recently stopped by a Newton officer while driving a male friend home after a late night out. The officer, “K.K.” said, “asked him if he noticed the officer’s zipper was down.” The driver said no. After the traffic stop was completed, the man dropped his friend off and continued driving.

It was then that the driver realized he was being followed by the same officer who had pulled him over. The cop eventually pulled up alongside “K.K.” and motioned for him to roll down his window. “The officer again asked him if he noticed that the officer had his fly down. K.K. again told him no,” according to the affidavit. “The officer asked him if the person he was dropping off was his boyfriend. K.K. told him no, and then told him that he has a girlfriend.” The cop--whom investigators have identified as Miller--then “told him to have a good night and left the area.”

As part of the probe of Miller, police have reviewed numerous videos of traffic stops conducted by Miller. The videos, investigators allege, support their claim that he exposed himself to male drivers. For example, video of a 2:39 AM stop in August “clearly appears” to show Miller’s “pants are open and his genitals are exposed” while he interacts with a 26-year-old driver.

Following a March stop of a man who “acknowledged he was coming from a bar and had consumed alcohol,” Miller returned to his patrol car without having issued summonses or investigated the motorist for drunk driving. On the tape from Miller’s cruiser, “you can hear what appears to be the sound of a zipper opening and/or closing,” according to the affidavit.

Miller has been indefinitely suspended without pay pending the outcome of his criminal case. (8 pages)