Permanent Wyckoff Police Chief To Be Sworn In Tuesday

WYCKOFF, N.J. — Lt. David Murphy will be sworn in as the permanent chief of the township police department Tuesday, a month after he was named acting chief, and eight months since being named the officer in charge after Ben Fox stepped down amid a racial profiling investigation.

Murphy will be sworn in during the Township Committee meeting at Scott Plaza beginning at 8 p.m.

Murphy has been the officer in charge since Fox stepped down in March. The state Attorney General's Office is investigating an email Fox sent to the entire department in which he encourages racial profiling, as long as it used "correctly and applied fairly."

The Township Council demoted Fox to a patrolman and suspended him without pay for 180 days in August. The council also gave township attorney permission to "begin disciplinary action against the chief."

Murphy has 21 years of law enforcement experience, including 10 in "a leadership position," Mayor Kevin Rooney said last month when Murphy was promoted to acting chief.

Murphy has received various awards for his work in trying to combat drunk driving, several letters of merit, and two two commendations for his responses to armed robberies in 2001 and 2011.

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