Police dashcam video of the incident went viral. Unethical and even criminal wrongdoing by past Port Authority leaders has badly damaged the agencys reputation, said Kevin OToole, the bi-state agencys new chairman, reading from a resolution that ultimately won unanimous board approval. "I was sitting there watching, I saw the argument continuing and realized it was going to escalate," Don Morgan of Tenafly Auto Collision told News 4. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) on July 26 introduced the bill, which would bar the badges for Port Authority Commissioners, NJ Transit board members and all local and state elected officials except for county sheriffs. Turner said she's "heading up over 4,000 police officers" and insisted it was her "business" to know exactly why the college students were pulled over and repeatedly dropped names of elected officials. People cross the line and don't know when to stop. Shame on both of you. It has not yet been introduced in the Assembly. "What graduation? Turner, in a statement earlier this week, said she had initially gone to the scene of the traffic strop after the officers decided to impound the vehicle her daughter had been riding in with friends. Turner could not be reached for comment Tuesday. She also served as the bistate agency's ethics chair. All rights reserved, NBC 4 to Exclusively Air and Stream Live Coverage of 262nd St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, Nasty Winter Storm Eyes NYC Area: Heavy Rain, 40 MPH Winds, Snow Expected Over 12-Hour Siege, This 26-Year-Old Pays $0 to Live in a Luxury Tiny Home' She Built for $35,000 in Her Backyard Take a Look Inside, Port Authority commissioner Caren Z. Turner was captured on police dash cam ranting at and cursing at police officers in Tenafly in March, Her daughter was in a car that had been pulled over; she yells at the cops, "You may shut the f--- up! If she wasn't happy with what she was being told she should go to court." Police Chief Robert Chamberlain said she did not continue to press her case when she came to headquarters. Turner becomes combative. I genuinely believe you had no idea, 100 percent.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. On Thursday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey wanted to make one thing abundantly clear: Despite the misdeeds of former Commissioner Caren Turner, the agency has come a long way since the days when its chairman pleaded guilty to bribery and its executives were caught red-handed engineering the Bridgegate scandal. I never violated the code and ethics of Port Authority and never requested to change rules for anyone involved. You're being very demanding with me," the officer says. TENAFLY, N.J. -- A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioner who abruptly resigned last week was caught on camera cursing at two police officers during a traffic stop. Trust me. It is utterly unbecoming of a public servant and entirely inexcusable. "And then-commissioner Turner forfeited that trust with her actions on March 31, 2018.". "She didn't drop any names, nor did she use her title to identify herself when she came into the department. ", As she continues to complain, the officer suggests they move the conversation to another location because they were on a high-speed road. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. In a new video provided by police, Turner is shown in the lobby of police headquarters following the March 31 incident on busy Route 9W in Tenafly. You are a disappointment. A moment later, however, the officer reverts back to his old form of address: "Miss, this does not involve you.". Caren Z. Turner, a Democratic lobbyist, has been flogged for days on social media for berating police officers in New Jersey in a video that went viral. "I'm not so nice. "Ma'am, take a step back. That is why I used some harsh words and tone. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The video showed her attempting to intervene with police--first by flipping out her Port Authority gold badge and insisting she be addressed as "commissioner," then trying to bully the officers by dropping the names of higher-ups in town, and then ending with a string of profanities. Turner, who had been the chair of the Port Authority's ethics committee, was forced to resign as commissioner last week after the police reached out to the bi-state agency's inspector general. Moment Nine: 'I will be in with the police commissioner'. ), Turner then rounds out her litany of insults with, "You're an ass.You're not a nice person. The video also shows the Democratic lobbyist becoming increasingly agitated with the responding officers. Caren Z. Turner, a now-ex-Commissioner for the Port Authority inserted herself into a routine traffic stop involving her daughter, and in the process behaved so obnoxiously towards Tenafly police . ", Turner resigned Monday when she learned she was being investigated by the Port Authority board. She was not the driver, it's not her vehicle, it's not your vehicle. "No, no, no. Moment One: 'Alright, you guys are all set. "You may not tell me when to take my child. Graduates of Yale University around the world, already having to deal with the fact that everyone thinks they are snobs, let out a collective groan. Further, OToole, the Ports chairman, said he sent personal letters to the two officers involved, and to the police chief, and that he and the Port Authoritys deputy inspector general apologized to the police chief in person. Former Chairman David Samson, another Christie ally, resigned in 2014 after it was revealed that he'd used his power as chairman to coerce United Airlines to operate a direct flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, for his convenience. 2023 www.northjersey.com. Soon after, Port Authority commissioners voted to get rid of their badges. He has a regular Port ID, which he said sufficed. The bill, NJ S2858, is also sponsored by Weinberg, who championed Turners nomination to the Port Authority. Turner interrupts him, "No, no, no, don't call me 'Miss.' He also thanked the Port Authority "for their professionalism and prompt attention to the matter.". The officer tells her, "I just don't appreciate your demeanor. "As a parent, I was upset and uncomfortable with the unfolding events. All rights reserved (About Us). She was a commissioner of the Port Authority. Turner had abruptly resigned from her Port Authority seat last week after the video surfaced, making the public censure largely symbolic. "Unethical and even criminal wrongdoing by past Port Authority leaders has badly damaged the agency's reputation," the board's censure resolution against Turner acknowledges. The resolution commends the officers, stating that they "deserve the admiration of the public for their extraordinary professionalism, and for a job well done. Turner said, she is my daughter and the officer said, she is one of them sitting in the car. Two Tenafly Police Department. They soon found that the car's registration was expired, and the driver had no insurance card to present, which prompted them to have the vehicle impounded. I'm not so nice.'. We cannot allow our state and municipal employees and representatives to take advantage of their positions.. Two others, Bill Baroni and Bridget Kelly, are appealing their convictions. "The video evidence is, simply, deeply disturbing," the resolution reads. Port Authority commissioner of New York and New Jersey has caught by camera giving an explosive-laden tirade to the police officers during a traffic stop. Turner, a 60-year-old Democratic lobbyist who served as ethics chair of the Port Authority, had been called by her daughter on March 31 to pick up her and several friends on Route 9W after the car in which they were riding was impounded, according to a police report. Upon learning of the incident from the Tenafly Police Department, the Port Authoritys inspector general launched an investigation, OToole said. As a crime of the second degree, official misconduct carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison without parole, and carries a maximum of ten years. I'm 'Commissioner.' Call it the ultimate "Do you know who I am" PR disaster. He added in a statement to News 4 Wednesday that he was "extremely proud of the composure, poise and restraint" the two officers showed in the video. Thank you. A spokesman for Turner declined further comment on Thursday. Turner, who led the Port Authority's ethics committee, resigned from the agency in April after its leadership learned of the incident. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Moment Four: 'No, no, no! Hudson County Freeholder Bill ODea also used a police-style badge to pull over a driver during a traffic dispute, telling the driver the police work for me, according to The Jersey Journal. I'm involved. Mark Zinna, the former Tenafly Borough Council President who served as acting Mayor in 2017 is now calling for official misconduct charges to be brought against Turner. Chris Christie appointed Caren Turner to the Port Authority. Turner says. O'Toole said he'd be meeting with Savitsky and Casper on Friday. According to the agency report, she resigned from the post after deep thinking and an internal investigation. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, said the referral was necessary because Ms. Turner, in a statement about the episode she released publicly, denied that she had violated the Port Authoritys code of ethics or had asked for special treatment. "Let's hear -- why were they pulled over, first of all?" One officer takes a proffered business card, but lead officer declines, saying, "I don't need that." Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Then she said, she is a commissioner and leads 4000 police officers. The car is owned by the parents of the driver's girlfriend, who was also in the car, and the officer explains to the driver that the car has been unregistered for two years: "We can't have an unregistered car that's operating on the street. The Port Authority called the findings of the investigation "profoundly disturbing." "After Commissioner Turner became aware of the investigation, she resigned," it said in a statement. "Badge number 540. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? What happened? ", The officer says the car has to be impounded, and the driver nods and responds agreeably through the conversation, even prompting the officer to tell him, "You seem like a really nice guy, I don't mean to be doing this to you, putting you in this spot. Read more about it here. Gov. She asks why they were pulled over, and an officer responds, "The driver has all the information, he'll tell you all you need to know," adding that she wasn't involved in the traffic stop. The eighth-minute video clips showed that Turner reached the spot where police officers pulled her daughters friends. "No, no, no, no, I need to know," Turner said. Turner has already worked as the ethics chair of Port Authority before leaving it. After being caught, she apologized for her wrongdoing and she said, she was trying for special treatment. Authority, Yassie Safai denies the rumor of dating Dustin Johnson, US Got Talent star Michael Ketterer says his marriage is stronger than ever, Gail Ernsts wife was rapped by a man in college after refusing to cheat on her, Lux Russell Lowry, the son of TV star Kailyn is becoming a star as he has become a. A spokeswoman for the Attorney General's office said on Tuesday afternoon that it neither confirms nor denies investigations. The officers, who maintained their composure and spoke respectfully to Turner, would not share the details of the traffic stop with the woman because they said the driver and Turner's daughterwere over the age of 18. "That's fine. Unethical and even criminal wrongdoing has badly damaged the reputation of this agency, Mr. OToole said, in explaining the censure. Chris Christie (R) appointed Turner as a Port Authority commissioner in March 2017. Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlain said Wednesday he was "extremely proud of the composure, poise and restraint" the officers showed in the video. Moment Fourteen: 'I will be speaking to the chief of police.'. ", "No, no, no, I'm involved," Turner said. Samson, a former New Jersey attorney general, was convicted and sentenced to home confinement and was fined $100,000 in what became known as the "chairman's flight" episode. A former police commissioner for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Turner was captured bullying. But whatever you call it, you can't look away. The Port Authority oversees airports, bridges, tunnels and rail facilities across the region. Turner says. ", "Guess what? "When I realized who she was and what committee she headed at the Port Authority I was shocked, no wonder why our political system is so screwed up." The tense exchange continues for several minutes. Police called a tow truck to impound the car and issued several summonses to the driver. The Port Authority was wise to confirm POLITICOs story about Turners resignation, said Stephen Sigmund, the agencys former communications director. Told to ask the driver for the reason for the stop, she stammers, "It's not they. Schmaradaski?" The Tenafly police reported the episode, which did not result in any charges against Ms. Turner, to the Port Authority on April 11, according to its chairman, Kevin OToole. said Turner, in what has to be the understatement of the encounter. She was at the department for approximately one hour.". Turner didn't return a call seeking comment. The astonishing patience of the Tenafly officers is only beginning to be tested. I found it most useful [in] trying to get your grandchildren to go to bed, Cotton said. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, White House cybersecurity strategy pivots to regulation, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Rape kits from two women lead to arrest in 1979 murder of one of them, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Port Authority official seen ranting at officers resigns. But the Turner was stepping forward and the officer said, keep distance, please. She asks why they were pulled over, and an officer responds, "The driver has all the information, he'll tell you all you need to know," adding that she wasn't involved in the traffic stop. | Getty. Turner arrived on the scene demanding answers and flaunting. Anyone can read what you share. Former Gov. You must understand the nature of our work, you can read out the report about them and let us do our work. No really, her name is actually Caren with a C. Caren Turner, to be precise. ", The officer reiterates that she can ask the driver of the vehicle herself why the car was pulled over. TENAFLY, New Jersey (WABC) -- A commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has resigned after video surfaced of her conduct at a police stop involving her daughter in New. One of the officers said its a ridiculous way to talk and behave with us. ", The officer reiterates that she can ask the driver of the vehicle herself why the car was pulled over. Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole said the board had sent letters of apology to Tenafly officers Matthew Savitsky and Tom Casper, as well as Chief Robert Chamberlain. There is no need for municipal and state officials to carry such badges; it opens the door for officials to abuse their badges and their power. Unfortunately for Turner, and perhaps also the Port Authority, the episode was caught on a police dash cam and released to the press. Then Turner threatened them by using her relations with the mayor and chief of police. My resignation from the Port Authority is a recognition that this unfortunate incident could and should have been avoided.". Don't miss out on content from Dave Rubin free of big tech censorship. "I'm here as a concerned citizen and friend of the mayor and been in Tenafly for 20 years.". Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. And she is not directly in charge of them in any way, shape or form. Call it high comedy and/or low tragedy. "Trust me, I will be in with the police commissioner of Tenafly," warns Turner. she asks the officers, handing out Port Authority business cards. Turner was apparently called to the site of the traffic stop to pick up her daughter and her friends. Recently, adopted codes and conduct by commissioners, the board is looking toward them very consciously and arranging a separate committee to review the results of the investigation by the inspector general and is ready to take strict action at Thursdays board meeting. one officer asks Turner when she introduced herself. However, there are only 1,600 officers employed at the Port Authority. Who is Caren Turner and why did she become the focus of a viral dashcam video. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He had sent a copy of the video to the Port Authority Inspector General, along with the incident report by the officers. Chris Christie had engineered a scheme to close lanes at the George Washington Bridge to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, who'd declined to endorse Christie's re-election that year. Things now get heated, as Turner threatens to go over their heads to their boss. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. | Getty. ", "No, don't call me miss," Turner said. On the afternoon of March 31, Turner, who chaired the board's ethics committee, intervened in a traffic stop involving her daughter. Big mistake. after they pulled over a car in which her daughter was a passenger over the Easter weekend. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Mr. Horwitz is now chairman of the boards committee on governance and ethics, a position Ms. Turner held at the time of the traffic stop. Just shame on you said, Turner. I'm involved. She just seemed out of control with her emotions. yet before even greeting anyone or identifying herself as a Commissioner at the Port Authority, Turner demands to know what's going on. "You know what, Matt? Turner became agitated when one of the officers told her to ask the driver of the car. A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement to News 4, "The Board takes its recently adopted Code of Ethics for Commissioners extremely seriously Commissioner Turners resignation was appropriate given her outrageous conduct.". The tense exchange continues for several minutes. ", She then accuses Officer Savitsky of enjoying their inconvenience because of "a smug-ass look on your faceand it seems to please you.". Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A New Jersey Port Authority commissioner who touted her status and told two New Jersey cops to "shut the f*** up" during a traffic stop, which didn't involve her, has resigned, the New York Daily News reported. But she added: "at no point did I violate the Port Authority's Code of Ethics or ask for special treatment for anyone involved, nor did I suggest,in any way,that I would use my position at the Port Authority to affect the outcome of the violations issued to the driver. ", Then she turns to the other officer, "And you are just following him. There was not any charge against her for her wrongdoing. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sought to make one thing abundantly clear on Thursday: Despite former Commissioner Caren Turners misbehavior, the agency has come a long way since the days when its chairman pleaded guilty to bribery and its executives were caught red-handed engineering the Bridgegate scandal. This isn't going to go down nicely," warns Turner. 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