New Jersey Police Chief Accused of Violent and Vulgar Harassment at Work
The New York Times
Five officers in the North Bergen, N.J., police department have filed notices of intent to sue the township over the allegations, which the chief denies.
Police officers in northern New Jersey have accused their chief of engaging in a campaign of strange and violent harassment, including stabbing his assistant with a hypodermic needle, shaving his body hair onto workers’ desks, pouring prescription drugs into the office coffee pot and defecating repeatedly on the floor of police headquarters.
Descriptions of angry and occasionally revolting behavior by Robert Farley, chief of the police department in North Bergen, N.J., were included in court filings by five officers giving notice of their intent to sue the township. The notices were first reported by NJ.com. Under state law, the municipality has six months to investigate the claims, or possibly settle them, before the officers can file a lawsuit.
“I’ve never seen anything this bizarre in all my life,” said Patrick Toscano, the lawyer representing the police officers.
In a statement, Philip Swibinski, a spokesman for the township, said that Chief Farley “denies the allegations and looks forward to continuing to serve the people of North Bergen as he has his entire career in law enforcement.”
In a biographical statement on the police department’s website, Chief Farley described himself as a lifelong resident of North Bergen whose father and grandfather served as deputy police chiefs there.
“I am proud to serve this diverse community, and look forward to continued collaboration with our community to deliver proactive, efficient and professional services to prioritize public safety and quality of life,” he said.
