There’s a saying in cop circles: “Control the scene, or the scene will control you.” But for Rebecca Sayegh — a nine-year veteran of the Toms River Police Department — the night of April 26 was anything but controlled. According to prosecutors, it was pure chaos.
It was nearly midnight in the sleepy Bayville section of Berkeley Township, New Jersey, when an off-duty Sayegh allegedly turned up at the home of her ex-boyfriend. She wasn’t there to patch things up.
Court documents and police affidavits paint a picture of a violent and personal implosion. Sayegh, 32, is accused of smashing through the front glass door with her police-issued baton — storming into the house where her former partner was present with another woman. What followed, prosecutors say, was a barrage of shouting, shoving, and destruction. She allegedly assaulted both occupants, broke household items, vandalised a car parked in the driveway, and then resisted arrest when officers arrived. As she was being escorted away, she reportedly threatened to burn the house down.
It was the kind of scene you expect from a crime procedural — not from the officer usually first on the scene.
Now, Sayegh is the one facing a first-degree burglary charge, along with assault, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, and making terroristic threats. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years behind bars. And the state wants her to stay there until trial.
From Cop to Defendant
On Tuesday, during a virtual hearing, Judge Joseph Grisanti informed Sayegh that prosecutors were seeking to keep her detained without bail. A formal detention hearing is scheduled for Friday.
The decision to re-arrest her didn’t come lightly. Initially, she had been issued a summons and released, as is often protocol for first-time offenders or non-flight risks. But Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer made it clear: this was no routine domestic incident. After reviewing the case, prosecutors deemed the charges too serious to ignore — and Sayegh was hauled back into custody on Monday.
In court, she appeared from the Ocean County Jail, expressionless, as the charges were read aloud.
Her attorney, Terrance Turnbach, maintains that she is cooperating and understands the severity of the case. “She has been a member of the Toms River Police Department and proudly served her community for almost nine years,” he said. “She is taking all the appropriate steps to properly address the matter at hand.”
The Lawsuit in the Background
But this isn’t the first time Sayegh has been in legal conflict — only, until now, she was the plaintiff.
Last year, she filed a lawsuit against the Toms River Police Department, alleging a toxic “Boy’s Club” culture of sexism and retaliation. According to her civil complaint, Sayegh claims she was sexually harassed, overlooked for promotions, and subjected to disciplinary actions for behaviour that male officers routinely got away with.
At the centre of her allegations is retired Captain Shaun O’Keefe, whom Sayegh accuses of persistently pursuing her for a sexual relationship. The most serious allegation: that during a 2022 charity golf event, O’Keefe followed her into the women’s restroom and asked her to perform a sex act — something she says the department failed to investigate adequately.
In its official response, the township denied all claims, dismissing them as “frivolous” and “without legal basis.” And just weeks before Sayegh’s arrest, a judge dismissed the claims against O’Keefe on procedural grounds — not because they were found to be untrue, but because the statute of limitations had lapsed.
One could argue this entire situation — from the alleged misconduct to Friday’s violent breakdown — is a study in how institutions fail both their members and the communities they serve.
A Force in Crisis?
Sayegh’s case comes at a time when law enforcement agencies nationwide are under scrutiny for issues of accountability and internal culture. What happens when an officer under immense pressure doesn’t get help — but instead implodes?
Toms River PD has remained tight-lipped about Sayegh’s current employment status. The department is no stranger to controversy: in recent years, it has faced multiple lawsuits and internal disputes, including accusations of gender bias and retaliatory discipline.
While it’s unclear if Sayegh’s past grievances with the department played any role in the alleged home invasion, the sequence of events seems to suggest a downward spiral — personal, professional, and legal — that culminated in a shattering night in Berkeley Township.
What Happens Next
The outcome of Friday’s detention hearing will determine whether Sayegh remains behind bars or is released ahead of trial. Prosecutors argue she poses a threat to the alleged victims and potentially to herself. Her defence team will likely argue for supervised release or psychiatric evaluation.
In the meantime, a woman who once wore the badge to protect others now finds herself on the other side of the justice system, as a symbol of what can go wrong when unchecked power, personal turmoil, and institutional neglect collide.
Whatever the court decides next, one thing is clear: for Rebecca Sayegh, the thin blue line has become a tightrope — and it’s fraying fast.
