SALEM — A Salem County Sheriff’s Office sergeant appeared in court Thursday at the new Salem County Courthouse facing animal cruelty charges connected to the deaths of two of the department’s working police dogs that occurred just outside in the parking earlier this summer.
Sgt. Cody Henderson is accused of leaving K-9s Boomer and Rip inside his patrol vehicle for roughly seven hours while on duty on May 29. Both dogs died of heat stroke. Investigators found that the vehicle’s windows were closed and that the emergency alert system meant to automatically lower windows and alert an officer when temperatures inside the vehicle rise to dangerous levels had apparently been deactivated.
At Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors offered Cody Henderson a plea deal that reportedly included probation and restitution. His attorney rejected the offer, and the case is now expected to go before a grand jury.
Henderson was placed on administrative leave with pay following the dogs’ deaths in May. However, after a hearing a once charges were filed on June 7, 2026 it was specifically told to The News of Salem County that he was no longer on paid leave but rather “unpaid status after the Loudermill hearing,” according to the Clerk of the Board Stacy Pennington on July 7th at 9:30pm.
A “Loudermill” hearing is part of the “due process” requirement that must be provided to a public employee prior to removing or impacting the employment property right. The purpose of a one is to provide an employee an opportunity to present their side of the story before the employer makes a decision on discipline. In this case determining whether he was paid or unpaid during administrative leave.
The employee must be given a Loudermill letter —i.e. specific written notice of the charges and an explanation of the employer’s evidence so that the employee can provide a meaningful response and an opportunity to correct factual mistakes in the investigation and to address the type of discipline being considered— prior to the hearing
Henderson has not been convicted, and the charges against him remain allegations at this stage of the case.
The News of Salem County will continue to follow the case as it moves toward a grand jury.