Zisa whisked girlfriend from cops after crash, authorities charge

ONLY ON CLIFFVIEW PILOT: Hackensack Police Chief Charles “Ken” Zisa went to the scene of a single-car accident involving his former live-in girlfriend, put her in his car and drove her away before officers could administer sobriety tests, authorities said this morning. The couple then filed a bogus insurance claim that, according to a source, she had swerved to avoid a rodent that dashed across the road that February 2008 night.

Photo Credit: *Dominican American Council of NJ*

Jerry DeMarco

04/30/2010 4:25 p.m.

And as reported here earlier, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office announced it will monitor the department.

Kathleen Tiernan had smashed an SUV owned and insured by Zisa into a utility pole on Moore Street in Hackensack, said First Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor William Galda.

“A short time later, Zisa arrived at the accident scene and removed Tiernan from her vehicle and then drove Tiernan away from the scene,” Galda said.

“As a result of these actions,” he said, “sobriety tests could not be administered.

Zisa mugshot COURTESY BCPO

“Zisa subsequently filed an insurance claim and both he and Tiernan signed an insurance document that contained a false statement in support of the claim,” Galda added.

CLIFFVIEWPILOT.COM BROKE THE STORY: Hackensack Police Chief Ken Zisa turned himself in to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Thursday night on charges of ordering a subordinate to file a false report to cover up a DWI accident his girlfriend had, sources with knowledge of the investigation told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. FOR THE FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

To restore the public’s faith in the Hackensack Police Department, a monitor will be appointed to review and approve the agency’s day-to-day operations:

“It has come to pass that as a result of circumstances occurring within the current administration of the Hackensack Police Department, divisiveness and discourse has occurred that has eroded or may, if not resolved, continue to erode the faith and confidence that has existed for many years between the City of Hackensack and its citizens,” a news release says.

“To restore an effective chain of leadership and command, to restore order amongst the ranks and to ensure the faithful and diligent service of police services within the City, the Office of the Bergen County Prosecutor deems it necessary to provide temporary oversight, through a Monitor, of all major policy decisions and further oversight over the implementation of daily police operations as shall be administered by a City appointed Acting Officer in Charge.

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This was originally reported in CLIFFVIEW PILOT last night:

Who runs Hackensack PD now?

Zisa in happier times with then-Gov. Corzine and current state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (COURTESY: Dominican American Council of NJ)

Zisa, who surrendered to Bergen County authorities in Paramus last night to face insurance fraud charges, could resign as early as today, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the case.

Both he and Tiernan are due for initial appearances in Central Municipal Court in Hackensack at 9 a.m. Wednesday on charges of insurance fraud.

If convicted, they could face as much as five years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines, Galda said.

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