The Attorney General in turn appointed deputies for the various counties, including Essex, to enforce the criminal laws on behalf of the local populace.
In 1822, the New Jersey General Assembly passed an act authorizing a more independent Prosecutor of Pleas for each county, to be appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions once every five years.
The earliest record of a prosecution by Prosecutor Dodd involves “a nuisance in suffering the water to stagnate and become offensive in the old burying ground” in Newark.
Although the prime suspect was found hanged soon after the incident, the Office continued its investigation and identified Schultz's real shooter who pleaded guilty to the murder in 1940.
In 1951, Prosecutor Edward Gaulkin gained attention by successfully prosecuting four men charged with conspiracy, extortion and bribery in the Newark milk scandal case.
Also during Byrne's tenure, the “Charlie Squad” was formed, a name coined after members of the public were urged to report illegal gambling by calling a dedicated phone number.
Shortly after Prosecutor Byrne left the Office in 1967, the City of Newark experienced a violent week-long civil disturbance, which heralded long-term social and economic change in Essex County.
Eventually specialized units were established in Child Abuse, Sex Assault, Arson, Domestic Violence, Megan's Law, Gangs, and Economic Crime and Corruption.
Governor James McGreevey appointed Paula T. Dow as Acting Prosecutor and effectively ended State oversight of the Office's daily functioning.
Since the year 2000, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office has responded to increased auto theft, narcotics and youth gang activity through the formation of special task forces in conjunction with federal, state and multi-state law enforcement agencies.
ECPO also established a fatal vehicle collision investigation unit, and a program to assure humane treatment and accurate evidence collection from the victims of sexual assault.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office has been involved in a variety of high-profile cases that gained national attention over the past twenty five years.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office helped to investigate the case and brought forth an indictment against Ms. Michaels, setting the stage for a trial.
In 1989, a sexual assault case was brought by ECPO against four high school athletes from Glen Ridge, NJ, who were convicted in 1993 for victimizing a 17-year-old developmentally disabled woman.
Both ECPO and the local police were criticized for the arrest of two suspects, the first alleged to have been held wrongly because of the failure to interview a key alibi witness, and to have been physically mistreated while in custody.
Some local commentators criticized Prosecutor Dow regarding her Office's handling of the case, citing delays and the fact that murder charges had been dropped.
Ms. Murphy's son Wesley also pleaded guilty to a reckless endangerment charge for a "wrestling" incident during which Faheem Williams had died about four months before being found.