Unfortunately for Turner, and perhaps also the Port Authority, the episode was caught on a police dash cam and released to the press. | Getty. ", She responds, "Yeah, I work with 4,000 of them. The man who inadvertently found himself in the midst of a now viral rant against police by a recently resigned Port Authority commissioner late last month tells News 4 he tried his best to stay out of it because "my only job was to tow the car." I'm very involved," she said. It is utterly unbecoming of a public servant and entirely inexcusable. Turner says. "No I'm not," Turner said. "You're just here as the ride, right?" At this, she begins to verbally berate the officers as "pathetic" and unleashes a torrent of profanity. Turner asks, apparently referring to Tenafly police traffic officer Louis Smaragdakis. 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. The Port Authority was wise to confirm POLITICOs story about Turners resignation, said Stephen Sigmund, the agencys former communications director. The bill, NJ S2858, is also sponsored by Weinberg, who championed Turners nomination to the Port Authority. The board also approved a referral of the matter to the New Jersey State Ethics Commission. "Let's hear -- why were they pulled over, first of all?" Unethical and even criminal wrongdoing has badly damaged the reputation of this agency, Mr. OToole said, in explaining the censure. The officer tells her, "I just don't appreciate your demeanor. "You are not involved here. According to the agency report, she resigned from the post after deep thinking and an internal investigation. 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. Turner interrupts him, "No, no, no, don't call me 'Miss.' It says she spoketo the officers in "an insulting and condescending manner; using foul and aggressive language" and invoked her status as a commissioner. Soon after, Port Authority commissioners voted to get rid of their badges. During the conflict with police officers, Turner threatened them to use the favor of the Chief of Port Authority of Tenafly. "What graduation? Police dash cam video shows Port Authority commissioner Caren Z. Turner ranting at two Tenafly police officers, You may shut the f up!, Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. One of the officers said its a ridiculous way to talk and behave with us. Then she said, she is a commissioner and leads 4000 police officers. Ms. Turner had abruptly resigned from her Port Authority seat last week after the video surfaced, making the public censure largely symbolic. 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. 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 . 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). The video also shows the Democratic lobbyist becoming increasingly agitated with the responding officers. Unfazed, the officer offers his own badge number and even his first name. Except it's never a good look to name drop whenyou don't actually know the person's name. Turner could not be reached for comment Tuesday. 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. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. 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. ", "Those who aspire to serve the public must earn the public's trust," the resolution states. 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. The officer tells her, "I just don't appreciate your demeanor. The traffic stop stemmed from side tinted windows -- which are not legal in New Jersey -- and a partially obscured license plate. Two Tenafly Police Department. 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. Amen to that, brother. Turner interrupts him, "No, no, no, don't call me 'Miss.' You may tell me nothing.". Tenafly's longtime mayor, Peter Rustin confirmed on Tuesday that he is a personal friend of Turner. I'm very involved," she said. How are you involved? 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.". "Well, I'm just telling you who I am," answers Turner. Morgan was the tower. Just so there's no discrepancies," says the officer, Matt Savitsky, with the calm righteousness of a man who knows all of this is being filmed, and that Commissioner Turner is not going to come out of this one looking good. Police never brought her to trial for any wrongdoing. O'Toole said he'd be meeting with Savitsky and Casper on Friday. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. 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. At one point, Turner seems to become confused. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Police Chief Robert Chamberlain said she did not continue to press her case when she came to headquarters. "You may take them," says the officer, gesturing to the vehicle's driver and passengers. 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. I can't move back any farther and you keep stepping toward me," thecop said as he backed up to his car. "It is the definition of it. It's notthem.". We will redouble that work. The tense exchange continues for several minutes. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. I genuinely believe you had no idea, 100 percent.". In a statement posted byNew Jersey On-Line, the agencysaid: Turner received a law degree from Georgetown University and served on the National Finance Committee for Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, according to her company bio. 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 Port Authority did not reveal what Caren Turner is accused of having done, saying only that she violated the board's "newly enacted code of ethics." (Scott Roth/Getty Images for. "No, no, no. The woman scolded the officers for inconveniencing her and the four "Ph.D. students" from "Yale and M.I.T." ", Moment Fifteen: 'You know what, Matt? By Hafiz Hamza Last updated Jul 15, 2022. 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. Turner shouted an expletive at the officers when she was told that she may take the group from the car away. It's notthem.'. Instead one of the passengers called her mom. Anyone can read what you share. Turner becomes more agitated, insisting, "I need to know" why the stop occurred. Tenafly Police /Storyful . I'm not so nice.'. Police explain that the stop doesn't concern her since all the passengers are adults, and direct her to inquire of the driver. Turner digs in, now insisting she be informed of the charges, saying, "I'm involved. 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. Turner shows them something -- later identified in a police report as a Port Authority gold badge -- and says, "I am the commissioner of the Port Authority, and I am heading up over 4,000 police officers, OK?". 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. Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlain said Wednesday he was "extremely proud of the composure, poise and restraint" the officers showed in the video. The second officer looks on, a look of bemused bafflement on his face. Turner does not relent, however, and presses him: "I just want to know why.". April 25, 2018 / 10:48 AM The Tenafly. After her tirade with Tenafly police, former Port Authority commissioner Caren Turner went to the Tenafly police headquarters to ask about the impounded car. Turner, a 60-year-old Democratic lobbyist who served as ethics chair of the Port Authority, is seen in the video introducing herself to the officers who pulled over the car, saying, "I'm here as a concerned citizen and friend of the mayor.". Three former Christie administration officials were ultimately convicted in the case. My resignation from the Port Authority is a recognition that this unfortunate incident could and should have been avoided.". What happened? You must understand the nature of our work, you can read out the report about them and let us do our work. Former Port Authority commissioner Caren Turner seen arguing with Tenafly Police officers following a traffic stop on March 31. 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