RUTHERFORD, NJ – At the recent commencement ceremony of Bergen Academy’s 131st class, a notable absence of instructors marked the event at Felician University on December 15. The New Jersey Police Training Commission (PTC) relieved all but one instructor from their duties following accusations of misconduct.
This decision has led to the postponement of training for the upcoming Academy Class #132. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (BCPO), responsible for law enforcement training at the Academy, confirmed the initiation of an investigation into the alleged improprieties.
“In the course of the most recent police recruit class, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (BCPO) was notified by the Police Training Commission (PTC) that they had received information regarding alleged rule violations occurring at the Bergen County Police Academy (Academy). The Academy is a unit of the County of Bergen’s Law and Public Safety Institute and operates as a partnership between the County of Bergen, the BCPO, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. The BCPO is responsible for all law enforcement training occurring at the Academy, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our police recruits receive the highest quality training,” said Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella. “We take all allegations of misconduct seriously, and we immediately began an investigation into those allegations. We have been working collaboratively with the PTC, the County of Bergen, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association to ensure that the Academy provides all police cadets with the highest standards of professional training possible, and we are committed to implementing all reforms recommended by the PTC. We are confident that in cooperation with the PTC, the Bergen County Police Academy will be authorized to continue police recruit training in the future.”
The BCPO, in collaboration with the PTC, Bergen County, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Police Chiefs Association, is committed to upholding high training standards. Reforms recommended by the PTC are set to be implemented to ensure the Academy’s future operations.
Accusations against the dismissed instructors include ethics code violations, notably inappropriate socialization with recruits before their graduation
. The PTC is further investigating what some high-ranking officials describe as a “huge systematic issue” within the Academy. The situation remains under close scrutiny as the involved authorities work towards resolving the concerns raised.