http://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen/Two_Bergen_County_cops_disciplined_after_confrontation_with_trooper_caught_on_video.htmlA New Jersey state trooper — mindful of a string of carjackings by police impersonators — walks up behind an unmarked minivan with flashing lights that has pulled a motorist over on southbound Route 95 in Leonia. The trooper briefly draws his sidearm, puts it back in his holster, but keeps his hand poised on the butt of the gun.
This screengrab from a camera in a State Police cruiser shows part of the confrontation between the Bergen County Police and a trooper.
STATE POLICE. This screengrab from a camera in a State Police cruiser shows part of the confrontation between the Bergen County Police and a trooper.
A man wearing a bulletproof vest — and with a handgun tucked into his rear waistband — identifies himself as a Bergen County Police officer and later begins berating the trooper.
“Get the [expletive] out of here,” says the officer, whose supervisor walks up and joins the intense verbal fray.
The trooper stands his ground, thumping one hand to the badge on his uniform and briefly taking off his cap. After a few minutes that include a chest bump and a lot more cursing by all involved, the trooper returns to his vehicle and later files his report.
That report and the raw expletive-laden 12-minute video taken by the trooper’s dashboard video camera, triggered an internal investigation that resulted in Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan imposing an unspecified disciplinary action against the two unidentified county officers.
“The officers have been disciplined according to department procedures,” Jeanne Baratta, Donovan’s chief of staff, said Thursday. She said state attorney general guidelines prevent the county from detailing the specifics of the disciplinary actions. She said the discipline was imposed immediately after the internal affairs investigation concluded this summer.
The release of the video — obtained by The Record this week through a public records request — comes as a contentious debate over the future of the county police force — and whether it should be merged with the Sheriff’s Office — has been revived. It also comes as separate investigations by the county police and Sheriff’s Office are looking into a traffic stop in which a sheriff’s officer pulled over Freeholder Maura DeNicola, who has opposed the merger.
