Saddle Brook officer charged with excessive force is still collecting a paycheck
⚠️ A Saddle Brook police officer has been charged in an excessive force investigation.
➡️ Prosecutors say the officer pistol-whipped a man and turned off his body camera during an arrest.
🔴 The officer has been suspended with pay while the criminal case moves forward.
SADDLE BROOK — A local police officer is getting paid while detectives investigate accusations of excessive force against him.
Officer Attilio Dente, 43, is charged with third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree records tampering, and fourth-degree obstruction. He was arrested on July 2 and released pending his next court appearance. Now he's suspended from the job and still getting a paycheck.
Saddle Brook Police Chief John Zotollo, Jr. said that Dente's paid suspension complies with all applicable laws, policies, and procedures. According to Zotollo, the department is cooperating fully with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.
"We recognize the importance of maintaining the public’s trust and remain committed to accountability, transparency, and the integrity of the investigative process," Zotollo said.
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Prosecutors say officer turned off body camera during arrest
According to Bergen County prosecutors, the charges stem from an incident on June 9 when Dente was on duty. The Saddle Brook police brought accusations of excessive force to the prosecutor's office the next day.
Authorities said that Dente used his service weapon to pistol whip a man while making an arrest. Investigators found that Dente intentionally turned off his bodycam and later made a false entry in an incident report.
New Jersey 101.5 did not know Wednesday whether Dente had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
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