On Thursday, the former commissioner was formally censured by the Port Authority board, in a highly critical condemnation that cited her for a litany of ethics rules violations, in connection with the Easter weekend traffic stop caught on a police dashcam video that has since gone viral. (Image source: Video screenshot). It was only after the Inspector Generals office sought an interview with Turner that she resigned. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sought to make one thing abundantly clear on Thursday: Despite former Commissioner Caren Turner's misbehavior, the agency . "Badge number 540. Police explain that the stop doesn't concern her since all the passengers are adults, and direct her to inquire of the driver. April 25, 2018 / 10:48 AM But one of the passengers was the daughter of Caren Z. Turner, a commissioner at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she oversaw its ethics panel (until her firing, that is, on Monday). It seems like you would have more of an inside look at the job it just caught me by surprise, your demeanor a little bit, using inappropriate words and such. You must understand the nature of our work, you can read out the report about them and let us do our work. The bill prohibits the agencies and all counties and municipalities from issuing badges that may be mistaken as a law enforcement badge to any county elected official who is not elected as a law enforcement officer.. 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. Turner "became further enraged and began using profanity," the report said. Police called a tow truck to impound the car and issued several summonses to the driver. "Ma'am, take a step back. Former Port Authority commissioner Caren Turner seen arguing with Tenafly Police officers following a traffic stop on March 31. 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. 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. But it is a credit to the Tenafly Police Department that she did not succeed.. On Wednesday, Caren Turner added a statement, one day later Tenafly Police Department broke a video taken by A spokesman for Turner declined further comment on Thursday. Anyone whos seen that video will agree that the conduct on that video is not only out of bounds for any public official, its out of bounds for any member of the public in respect to how they act with the police, Mr. Horwitz said. Told to ask the driver for the reason for the stop, she stammers, "It's not they. To replace Turner on the board, Daniel Horwitz, a white collar defense attorney, has been elevated from vice chair to chairman of the ethics committee. You are a disappointment. And she is not directly in charge of them in any way, shape or form. "Not very often. At this, she begins to verbally berate the officers as "pathetic" and unleashes a torrent of profanity. The Tenafly Police Department released the video Tuesday showing Caren Turner attempting to pull rank on the officers. I'm very involved," she said. Turner is told to leave the roadside to ensure her safety. I'm 'Commissioner.' We'll go to (Mayor) Rustin.". Call it high comedy and/or low tragedy. He said, I dont say anything about your behavior, but you are demanding more than our approach. Her posting took place last year by Chris Christies reference. Chris Christie (R) appointed Turner as a Port Authority commissioner in March 2017. Turner was. The censure was a swift and harsh rebuke of Ms. Turner, who interceded in a March 31 traffic stop in Tenafly, N.J. Video released by the police captured Ms. Turner, 60, flashing her Port Authority badge and swearing at officers who had stopped and impounded a car her daughter was riding in. as she continued stepping in closer and closer to one of them. Both the Port Authority and Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlain say the video shows Turner was right to resign. I'm involved. At one point in the video, she instructed the police officers to address her as commissioner.. O'Toole said he'd be meeting with Savitsky and Casper on Friday. Things now take a turn for the surreal as Turner, frustrated, claims she'd attended the officers' graduation ceremony at the police academy. A police dashcam video which has gone viral shows Turner, who lives in Tenafly, arriving in her own vehicle just as police were finishing up ticketing the driver for violations that included. ", Later, out of sight of the camera, after the car is impounded by a police-contracted towing operator, she tells the officer: "I hope you're happy because you seem to have a smug-ass look on your face and it seems to please you. The driver had a valid license, but couldn't find the vehicle's insurance card or registration and so the car was impounded. Caren Z. Turner abruptly resigned on Monday as the Port Authority said that it was investigating allegations that she'd violated the board's code of ethics. "I have seen situations like this before," he said. The video also shows the Democratic lobbyist becoming increasingly agitated with the responding officers. ", Moment Fifteen: 'You know what, Matt? She was forced to resign last week as commissioner after police reached out to the inspector general of the bi-state agency regarding her conduct. "No, no, no. ", "No, don't call me miss," Turner said. Unfazed, the officer offers his own badge number and even his first name. asks the officer, incredulously. 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. Turner said, she is my daughter and the officer said, she is one of them sitting in the car. We have witnessed the potential for the abuse of power and now it is time to act, Gopal said in a statement. The second officer looks on, a look of bemused bafflement on his face. "Trust me, I will be in with the police commissioner of Tenafly," warns Turner. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. "As a long-time Tenafly resident, I have always taken an active role in the community, including working with law enforcement officials, and I encourage the Tenafly Police Department to review best practices with respect to tone and de-escalation, so that incidents like this do not recur," she said. yet before even greeting anyone or identifying herself as a Commissioner at the Port Authority, Turner demands to know what's going on. Tenafly's longtime mayor, Peter Rustin confirmed on Tuesday that he is a personal friend of Turner. Moment Six: 'I am a commissioner of the Port Authority.'. 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. 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. "I'm commissioner. Just shame on you said, Turner. The Turner episode was an embarrassment for an agency that's struggled to rebuild its public reputation in the wake of the 2013 Bridgegate scandal. I did not violate the Code and Conduct of the Port Authority in any way. The Port Authority Board of Commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to censure Caren Z. Turner, once a prominent fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and referred the. "I know Louis, what's his name? The officer said in the report that he told her he was under no legal obligation to fill her in on what happened because all the occupants in the car were adults. A lot better for [the Port Authority] to be taking action than reacting to that mess., At the Ports monthly board meeting on Thursday, OToole and his colleague repeatedly excoriated Turners conduct, describing it as deplorable and saying it clearly and unambiguously violated the Code of Ethics for Port Authority commissioners, in multiple ways.. "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." We cannot allow our state and municipal employees and representatives to take advantage of their positions.. Finally, she begins to berate the officers. On Thursday, her former peers on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officially censured Ms. Turner, calling her conduct outrageous and profoundly disturbing.. Trust me. 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. Police dashcam video of the incident went viral nationally. Schmaradaski?" dash camera. Bridgegate defendants to have their appeals heard following 2016 conviction, Tenafly police report reveals traffic stop was routine until PA commissioner arrived, Tenafly police officers' boss 'very proud' after traffic incident with PA commissioner, Lowry: In Tenafly, a 'cursed' traffic stop rolls up against privilege, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. Former Gov. (Does she also know Angelina Jolie? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. It's notthem.'. 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 . Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. I'm very involved. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Turner told the men they were a "disappointment" and that she would be reporting them. Read more about it here. After being caught, she apologized for her wrongdoing and she said, she was trying for special treatment. Turner soon begins demanding to know why the driver was stopped. State Sens. No one answered the door at her listed home address. I want to take these four people on Easter Sunday to New Haven. A former commissioner of the Port Authority, who headed the agency's ethics committee, was censured in a unanimous vote Thursday for berating two Tenafly police officers during a traffic stop involving her daughter the day before Easter. There is an elevated level of authority associated with these badges, Gopal said. Daniel J. Horwitz, a commissioner appointed by Gov. The video showed that a Democrat lobbyist was shouting at the responding officers and saying may you shut. I'm not so nice.'. Call it the ultimate "Do you know who I am" PR disaster. Caren Turner was born on 4 July, 1957 in American, is a Democratic lobbyist and former commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Unfortunately for Turner, and perhaps also the Port Authority, the episode was caught on a police dash cam and released to the press. Things now get heated, as Turner threatens to go over their heads to their boss. "You may shut the f--- up and not tell me when I may take my kid, and her friends, who are PhD students at MIT and Yale. After the internal investigations of the agency about Turner, she resigned from her post as commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Who is Caren Turner and why did she become the focus of a viral dashcam video. 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. My resignation from the Port Authority is a recognition that this unfortunate incident could and should have been avoided.". An official from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey caught on video apparently trying to influence police by citing her powerful government job is reportedly apologizing. "You may shut the f--- up and not tell me when I may take my kid and her friends, who are Ph.D. students from MIT and Yale. "Your daughter was very nice as well," said the officer. I found it most useful [in] trying to get your grandchildren to go to bed, Cotton said. The agency hurried to head off any further damage to its image. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Caren Turner, the former chairman of the Port Authority's Governance and Ethics Committee, belittled the Tenafly officers who pulled over the driver of a Toyota Corolla with Nevada plates, which was carrying three passengers, includingTurner's adultdaughter, over Easter weekend. Once the video was public, there was no other alternative than to have the commissioner resign, he said. All rights reserved, UPDATE: Port Authority Chief in Viral Cop Rant Issues Her First Statement on Controversy, 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! ", Turner vows to meet with the Tenafly police commissioner over the traffic stop, and then tells the officer, "I hope you have a really nice holiday weekend, because you just ruined it for a lot of people. I can't move back any farther and you keep stepping toward me," thecop said as he backed up to his car. It is utterly unbecoming of a public servant and entirely inexcusable. He also thanked the Port Authority "for their professionalism and prompt attention to the matter.". ", 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. You may shut the f--- up and not tell me when I may take my kid and her friends, who are Ph.D. students from M.I.T. ", When she asked again why the car was pulled over, the other officer addressed Turner as "miss. I don't need it. Chris Christie appointed Caren Turner to the Port Authority. The police officers impounded the car and left them on the roadside. Turner arrived on the scene demanding answers and flaunting. A moment later, however, the officer reverts back to his old form of address: "Miss, this does not involve you.". Moment Seven: 'Don't call me 'Miss,' I'm 'Commissioner!'. The traffic stop stemmed from side tinted windows -- which are not legal in New Jersey -- and a partially obscured license plate. 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. "It is the definition of it. I'm involved. As the officer examines the gold shield, Turner, wearing a plum colored, hooded vest, lowers her voice somewhat and answers, "I am a . "What graduation? But Turner did put out a statement on Wednesday the Port Authority board, via its resolution, directly refuted. "What does that have to do with anything?" 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. The eighth-minute video clips showed that Turner reached the spot where police officers pulled her daughters friends. A former police commissioner for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Turner was captured bullying. The Port also says its considering eliminating the issuance of law enforcement-style badges to Port Authority commissioners to prevent this sort of abuse. The Port Authority, in taking action against Turner, apologized to the police chief in Tenafly and the two patrol officers in the Bergen County community for "the outrageous and abhorrent conduct" of the former, and the "unwelcome attention that followed.". After being caught, she apologized for her wrongdoing and she . 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. We will redouble that work. "She asked, and I told her. I need to know!'. And it's fine. Except it's never a good look to name drop whenyou don't actually know the person's name. Two Tenafly Police Department. Instead one of the passengers called her mom. In an interview with NJ Advance Media on Tuesday, Tenafly Mayor Peter Rustin said that he'd not spoken to Turner since the traffic stop. "I'm very disappointed in the way you're acting. During the conflict with police officers, Turner threatened them to use the favor of the Chief of Port Authority of Tenafly. Finally, the officer told Turner she could take her daughter and her friends home. And whenthe Tenafly police released a dashcam video of the traffic stop on Tuesday, well, the world united in shared outrage over the alternately appalling, obnoxious and plainly inexplicablebehavior of now ex-Commissioner Caren Turner. Turner becomes more agitated, insisting, "I need to know" why the stop occurred. She has already worked on the finance committee of Hillary Clinton and her partner Jon Corzine. He has since recused himself on four occasions, which include an item today pertaining to insurance coverage for the World Trade Center.. "You are not involved here. "I've got all your information, sweetheart," responds Turner, "I know Sikoryak" apparently dropping another name, that of Tenafly Police dispatcher, George Sikoryak. He has a regular Port ID, which he said sufficed. The first officer, perhaps because this is a total non-sequitur, is unmoved. Port Authority is a common agency between the two states. By Claude Brodesser-Akner | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Some New Jersey lawmakers want to eliminate law enforcement-style badges for most politicians after former Port Authority Commissioner Caren Turner used hers to pressure a cop who pulled over a car with her daughter in it. Turner continued boasting about her position, when a police officer said this car was not registered then she said tell me first why you pulled my daughters friend. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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