A federal judge ruled in favor of Little Falls police officers in a civil lawsuit filed by a retired Woodland Park officer who was arrested in a dealership theft investigation.
Newark, NJ – A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a retired Woodland Park police officer who claimed he was wrongly arrested after being accused of stealing designer sunglasses from a car at a dealership.
U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp Semper granted summary judgment to the Little Falls Police Department, the Township of Little Falls, and two officers named in the suit.
Key Points
• Retired Woodland Park officer sued Little Falls police after theft arrest
• Case involved alleged theft of $505 Gucci sunglasses from dealership vehicle
• Federal judge ruled in favor of police and dismissed the lawsuit
Theft report at Route 46 dealership
According to court records, Little Falls police responded on Oct. 7, 2020 to a report of theft at a Route 46 Jeep and Chrysler dealership.
A customer reported that Gucci sunglasses valued at about $505 had been taken from his vehicle while it was parked in the dealership lot after being dropped off for service.
Investigators obtained dash camera footage from the vehicle that captured activity around the car.
Video and images used in investigation
Police said the footage showed a man approaching the vehicle, opening the door, and rummaging through the interior while speaking and singing.
At one point, the man was heard saying phrases including “oh wow look at this” and “nice… this is very nice,” according to the police report summarizing the video.
Still images taken from the footage were later shown to dealership employees, who identified the individual as Richard Romaniello, a retired Woodland Park police officer who had also been at the dealership.
Romaniello did not dispute that he appeared in the images but argued they showed him holding a cellphone rather than the missing sunglasses.
Court grants summary judgment
Romaniello filed a federal lawsuit against the Little Falls Police Department, the township, and two officers involved in the case.
After reviewing the evidence and filings from both sides, the court granted summary judgment to the defendants, meaning the case was dismissed before trial.
The ruling ends the civil case in federal court.