Sunday, February 23, 2014

Bloomfield, NJ – Political Corruption under color of law


Bloomfield, NJ – Political Corruption under color of law

 

Bloomfield acting police chief placed on paid leave after speaking out at council meeting

Bloomfield Acting Chief James Behre confirmed today that he received a letter from Township Administrator Ted Ehrenburg relieving Behre of his duties effective immediately. (Star-Ledger file photo)
By Eunice Lee/The Star-Ledger Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on February 12, 2014 at 7:36 PM, updated February 14, 2014 at 9:58 AM
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BLOOMFIELD — Acting Police Chief James Behre was placed on paid administrative leave today, less than 48 hours after he spoke at a council meeting and claimed that a councilman asked him to trade favors to ensure Behre’s appointment as permanent chief.
Behre, 50, said that he received a letter today from Township Administrator Ted Ehrenburg relieving Behre of his duties, effective immediately. Behre said he’s been scheduled for a “fitness of duty evaluation” with a doctor on March 3.
Mayor Michael Venezia confirmed that Behre was placed on paid leave today but said it was due to concerns over Behre's health and not due to his comments regarding Councilman Carlos Bernard.
"He's still being paid. We felt that we needed to take precautions," Venezia said. During Behre's comments on Monday, the acting chief claimed he had lost 10 pounds due to stress caused by the turmoil within the police department and that his children ask "why daddy is angry every night," the mayor noted.
On Monday, Behre publicly blasted Bernard, who represents the Third Ward, during public comments by claiming that Bernard sought favors on behalf of Hispanic police officers on two occasions, called township officers on their cell phones to divert patrol assignments and even asked Behre “to fix a parking ticket.”
Bernard told the acting chief that his cooperation “would solidify my position as chief,” Behre told the council. He labeled Bernard’s actions as “political interference” and demanded that Ehrenburg and Venezia call for an investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office.
Behre, a 27-year veteran of the Bloomfield Police Department, said he's convinced he was placed on leave as a direct result of speaking out against Bernard's meddling in police affairs.
“That’s exactly it,” Behre said when reached by phone. "They can do what they want but I find it interesting that when a chief of police tries to protect his department, instead of taking my concerns seriously and forward them up to the Attorney General's Office, they relieve me of my duties."
Venezia maintained that Behre's leave is unrelated to speaking out publicly against Bernard.
"Speaking out? Absolutely not. That's a totally separate matter that we are looking into. We will do a thorough investigation" to determine the truth of the matter, he said.
Bernard did not attend the Monday council meeting and has not returned multiple requests for comment.
Behre claimed that the councilman asked him to promote a Hispanic officer to detective and said, "This will solidify your position as chief and make all your problems go away."
In another instance, Behre said Bernard asked that two Hispanic officers be permitted to take the sergeant's exam several months early. The councilman also asked Behre "to fix a parking ticket" — all to grease his promotion to chief of the 124-member department.
"He's come into my office and used the word 'we' to imply that he's there on behalf of the whole council," Behre said.
Behre became acting chief in January after Chief Chris Goul retired and took early leave as an Internal Affairs investigation into two officers allegedly taking improper military leave roiled the department.
Capt. Glenn Wiegand has taken over as officer in charge of the department.

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NJ police chief's assoc. defends Bloomfield top cop placed on leave, councilman speaks out

James Behre, acting chief of the Bloomfield Police Department, claims that Third Ward Councilman Carlos Bernard asked him fix a parking ticket, among other requests, in order to "solidify" Behre's appointment to the permanent chief's position, according to Behre. (SCOTT LITUCHY/THE STAR-LEDGER)
By Eunice Lee/The Star-Ledger Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on February 18, 2014 at 10:19 PM, updated February 19, 2014 at 1:38 AM
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BLOOMFIELD — The president of the state police chief's association has asked Bloomfield officials to reinstate James Behre as Bloomfield's acting police chief, calling Behre's placement on leave last week after publicly criticizing a councilman "disgusting."
"We are asking this town council to take action...we want the chief to be put back," Paul Cell, president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, said at tonight's council meeting. More than 400 people flooded the township council chambers, roughly half comprised of police officers including 100 Bloomfield police, 22 police chiefs and officers from departments around the state.
Behre, who became acting chief in January, claimed at the Feb. 10 council meeting that Councilman Carlos Bernard asked him "to fix a parking ticket" and pressed him to promote Hispanic officers on two separate occasions — all to "solidify" Behre's promotion to police chief.
On Wednesday, Behre was placed on paid administrative leave by Township Administrator Ted Ehrenburg, pending a fitness for duty examination by a doctor next month.
"What's going on is absolutely disgusting," Cell said. "I'm telling you, this shouldn't happen."
Bernard, who was absent from the Feb. 10 council meeting, publicly addressed the claims tonight for the first time that the councilman brazenly meddled in police affairs. Earlier at tonight's meeting, Mayor Michael Venezia read a prepared statement saying the Essex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating and reviewing Behre's claims.
"In this case, I welcome the prosecutor's to investigate this," Bernard said. "I am sure that any investigation will confirm that I acted ethically and appropriately."
Behre claimed that the councilman asked him to promote a Hispanic officer to detective. On another occasion, Behre said, the councilman asked him to permit two officers to take the sergeant's exam several months early — all to grease Behre's promotion from acting chief to permanent chief of the department. Behre labeled Bernard's actions as "political inteference" and called for the state Attorney General's officer to investigate the matter.
Bernard, who represents the Third Ward, said that since taking office two years ago, he noticed that only one minority officer has been promoted to the detective bureau, despite there being roughly 25 minorities in the entire police department.
Bernard countered Behre's claims by saying he was advocating for minority officers by asking questions, not making demands.
"Just to reiterate, it was a question, not a request for anything," he said. Bernard is Bloomfield's first Hispanic elected official.
Several police officials voiced support for Behre, who attended the meeting dressed in a suit and tie but did not speak during the public comments session.
Raymond Hayducka, a spokesman for the state police chief's association, defended Behre's character but also raised concerns about creating a police director position, a rumor that roiled the Bloomfield Police Department as Behre was removed.
"You want to bring a civilian outsider in? That's a slap in the face," said Hayducka, South Brunswick's police chief. "This township has always been led by a police chief."
Behre became acting chief in January after Chris Goul retired and took early leave as an Internal Affairs investigation into two officers allegedly taking improper military leave roiled the police department.
Behre said he is represented by Gina Mendola Longarzo, an attorney for the Superior Officer's Association.

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