Trouble Facing 4 NJ Police Chiefs Amid Resignations

Four current and former police chiefs in New Jersey recently have found themselves embroiled in controversies that ranged from drug possession to making lewd sexual comments. Three have resigned.

In one case, the Palisades Interstate Parkway police chief was arrested this month after he picked up what he thought was cocaine he purchased online, according to authorities. The chief had already been suspended for three months for what was described as reckless behavior.

In another case, a police officer recently accused Caldwell Police Chief James Bongiorno of making crude and offensive sexual remarks about her, such as: "She has great boobs."

Here is what has happened involving the four police chiefs:

Caldwell's 2 Female Cops Have Both Sued Police Chief: Report

The borough's only two female officers both have filed lawsuits against Caldwell's police chief for allegedly making lewd sexual comments about them to other officers, according to reports.

Officer Jessica Luszcz is accusing Caldwell Police Chief James Bongiorno of making crude and offensive sexual remarks about her, in addition to "alienating" her from the rest of the department and unfairly promoting her male counterparts, NJ.com reported Wednesday.

According to the report, the alleged remarks included:

• "She has great boobs."
• "I would love to do dirty things to her."
• "She has to be a freak in bed."

Caldwell Borough Attorney Gregory Mascera called Luszcz's lawsuit against Bongiorno "meritless" and said that the chief's alleged comments are "fabricated fantasy," NJ.com stated. Read more here...

Palisades Parkway Police Chief Bought Cocaine, Arrested: Official

The chief of the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department has resigned after he was arrested for allegedly picking up what he thought was cocaine he purchased online, said acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo.

Michael J. Coppola, 43, of Totowa, was charged with attempting to possess cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, Calo announced in a news release.

Coppola was arrested during an investigation by state, county, and federal authorities that revealed he was allegedly purchasing cocaine online and having it delivered to a post office box he maintained, Calo stated.

In July, Calo's office painted a picture that the Palisades Interstate Park Police Department is reckless, chased people around needlessly, and awarded officers with the most with meal allowances in a report released last month, NorthJersey.com reported. Coppola was suspended for three months as a result of the behavior, according to the report. Read more here...

Attorney Calls Hate Crime Case Against Ex-Chief 'Witch Hunt'

The attorney representing a former Burlington County police chief accused of a hate crime assault is seeking to have the case thrown out, describing the case against Frank Nucera as a "witch hunt." Nucera resigned soon after the allegations came to light in 2017.

Nucera, the former Bordentown police chief and township administrator, also faces alllegations of deprivation of civil rights and making false statements related to allegations that he attacked 18-year-old Timothy Stroye, of Trenton, when police responded to an incident at a hotel in Bordentown in 2016. Stroye is African-American.

The FBI previously investigated Nucera in 2007, according to the Trentonian. No charges came as a result of that investigation, and it wasn't clear what information prompted the investigation. Read more here...

Westfield Police Chief Quit After 2 Controversial Incidents: Report

Two eyebrow-raising incidents involving the police department happened in the months leading to Westfield Police Chief David Wayman's departure, a report says.

Wayman's action, which was effective Aug. 1, came after consultation with the Union County Prosecutor's office and the town's labor counsel, Mayor Shelley Brindle said in a release.

The UCPO has stayed mum on the chief's departure. "The Prosecutor's Office cannot confirm details about, or the existence of, investigations of this nature," Mark Spivey, spokesman with the UCPO told Patch.

NJ Advance Media, meanwhile, identified two incidents that raised questions in recent months without saying they had anything to do with the chief's retirement:

• Earlier this year, the daughter of Westfield police captain John Ricerca was not ticketed until a month after a serious car accident, according to NJ Advance Media, even though the crash report found her liable. Her tickets were transferred and handled by Mountainside Municipal Prosecutor James Forest, an ex-Westfield councilman, and the case was dismissed.
• NJ Advance Media also revealed two police accident reports with the same case numbers involving a hit-and-run accident involving a police vehicle. One police report said the Westfield Conservatory Center incident happened on March 7; another police report listed the same incident as happening on April 9.

In the accident case, Ashley Redding told nj.com she's upset no one was held accountable after the police captain's daughter collided with her car. The crash, she said, hospitalized her, forced her into serious financial trouble and she wasn't cleared immediately to return to her job as a school psychologist in Paterson. Read more here...

Image via Town of Westfield, NJ Police Department (left) of Wayman. Bergen County prosecutor image of Coppola