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The 131st Bergen Academy class of graduates from various area departments were joined at their Dec. 15 commencement ceremony at Felician University by loved ones, colleagues and dignitaries -- but not by nearly all of their instructors.
All except one of those instructors were relieved of their duties by the New Jersey Police Training Commission (PTC) amid accusations of impropriety, Daily Voice has learned.
As a result, Academy Class #132, which was supposed to begin training next month, is on hold.
The instructors reportedly were reassigned amid accusations of ethics code violations, including socializing with recruits before graduation, according to multiple high-ranking law enforcement officers in the county.
Other alleged improprieties are being investigated by the PTC as part of what one of them called a “huge systematic issue.”
“There’s a lot of cleaning house going on right now,” said another. “No classes will be scheduled until that’s done.”
Law enforcement agencies throughout the county were left scrambling to get an estimated 100 new hires into academies in other counties.
They weren't having much luck, unfortunately. A few spots in Hudson were quickly snatched up. Passaic, Essex and Morris are all either full up or not starting soon, local police officials say.
Even if the new recruits do get in, it comes at a cost to taxpayers.
“You have to pay to send your people someone else,” a third ranking police official said.
It all apparently began with an anonymous letter to the training commission.
The upcoming class initially was pushed back to February amid an ongoing investigation.
However, the one remaining instructor, Paterson Police Officer David Affinito, recently emailed that it’s been suspended indefinitely pending the outcome of a Jan. 3 commission meeting.
Affinito, a 17½ -year veteran of the Paterson force, is a highly respected former Morris County sheriff’s officer and Hackensack Special 1 officer with considerable training experience.
The PTC is the state body responsible for providing basic training courses for -- and certifying -- local and county police, sheriff’s officers, state and county investigators, state and county corrections officers and juvenile detention officers, as well as those in several other law enforcement positions.
The commision also certifies and provides developmental courses for instructors assigned to permanent positions, including those who were at the Bergen academy.
The PTC also “develops operational guidelines to implement applicable training standards, monitors the operation of all PTC certified academies, reviews all trainee injuries and investigates possible violations of the Police Training Act or PTC Rules occurring during authorized training courses,” according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
More recently, the PTC was tasked by the Legislature with licensing all law enforcement officers beginning Jan. 1, 2024. That made New Jersey the 47th state in the U.S. to require licensing of police and decertifying those who break the law.
A coalition of law enforcement officers, community leaders and civil rights advocates united to establish uniform statewide standards for hiring and firing law enforcement personnel going forward. Officers must pass a psychological exam and continue to take training courses throughout their careers to keep their licenses, among other requirements.
Coincidentally, the upheaval at the Bergen County academy comes amid a similar scandal involving a private police training firm accused of teaching unconstitutional and discriminatory tactics.
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