Jerry Speziale

Jerry Speziale
Occupation	American law enforcement officer

Jerry Speziale is an American law enforcement officer and presently the Police Commissioner for the Paterson Police Department, City of Paterson, New Jersey. Paterson is a city and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States with a population of approximately 146,199, making it New Jersey's third-most-populous city, and the 2nd most densely populated city outside of New York City. Speziale was the Sheriff of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States (US) for (10) years. Speziale previously served as the Chief of Police for the City of Prichard, Mobile County, Alabama, which has a population of 40,000, encompassing (27) square miles with a violent crime rate similar to Chicago, Illinois. Prichard's violent crime rates were significantly reduced through Speziale's strategic police initiatives and institution of hot-spot policing.^[1] Speziale served as the Deputy Police Superintendent, Assistant Director of Public Safety for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department from 2010 to 2013.^[1] Speziale began his career with the New York City Police Department, (NYPD) and retired in 1997. Speziale then served as County Sheriff, Chief Deputy, Chief of Police and Detective Commander in a diverse community with a population of 500,000 residents and (56) different socio economic, religious and ethnic groups. During his law enforcement career he worked as an undercover officer in the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Drug Enforcement Task Force while in the NYPD and was assigned to a special group that targeted the Cali Drug Cartel in Colombia, South America.^[2]

Education

Speziale graduated from Wayne Hills High School in 1978 and, in 2003, he graduated from the University of Louisville's Southern Police Institute, Command Officers National Academy. In 2006, he graduated from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government for executive's in state and local government, and in 2007, he graduated from the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development School. In 2008, Speziale graduated, cum laude, from Caldwell College with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. He also received a Masters of Administrative Science (MAS) degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2010. Speziale received an Honorary PhD. in Leadership from Yeshua University in Anaheim, California.^[3]

Speziale has served as an Adjunct Professor for Fairleigh Dickinson, teaching leadership and criminal justice.^[4]

Personal life

Speziale was born in the City of Paterson, New Jersey, US, to parents Gerardo Speziale, a barber,^[5] and Barbara Speziale, a paralegal for a municipal court judge. Speziale lived his early life in the suburban town of Wayne, New Jersey.

Speziale married Maggie Reinhardt-Speziale who he met in 1978 and they were childhood sweethearts. Speziale and his wife Maggie married in 1986 and have three children. Maggie Speziale was a beautiful, strong, vibrant professional woman who was a dental office manager. Maggie battled cancer for twelve years and died on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014 in Wayne, NJ; Maggie was 51 years old and very much loved by her family.^[6]

Law enforcement career

Speziale's police career began with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a patrol officer in the South Bronx. In 1986, Speziale was shot and wounded.^[7] In 1987, Speziale was assigned as an undercover officer to the NYPD's Special Anti Crack Unit, a unit designed to combat the proliferation of crack-cocaine in New York City in the late 1980s.

Undercover work with the DEA

In 1989, Speziale was promoted to the rank of detective and assigned as an undercover agent with United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Throughout his career with the DEA, Speziale undertook international travel and participated in a number of raids and undercover operations targeting drug smuggling. Speziale primarily worked with Paul Lir Alexander, a high level informant, who taught him the intricacies of the South American drug trade. Alexander introduced Speziale to members of South American drug cartels,^[8] which assisted Speziale, Alexander and the members of the DEA operation, "Group 93," to infiltrate the infamous Cali Drug Cartel.

In July 1992, Speziale was responsible for capturing and arresting the largest Cali drug cartel leader ever prosecuted under New York State law.^[9] Speziale arrested the cartel leader at the Hilton Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland and extradited him to the United States with the assistance of the New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutors Office and the US Marshall Service. Despite the collaboration between Alexander and Speziale, Alexander ultimately betrayed Speziale.^[10][11]

Monument Point 911 Memorial

On September 11, 2011, Deputy Police Superintendent Jerry Speziale personally brought a flag flown over ground zero to Laguna Beach, California to unveil the Monument Point 911 Memorial. "A total of 60 police officers and 343 firefighters died at the World Trade Center, the most ever killed in a single incident in the United States," Jerry Speziale, Deputy Police Superintendent of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said at the memorial. "Although this 10th anniversary is one of tragedy, it is also an anniversary of triumph. The terrorists hoped to bring the people of this great nation to their knees and instead they brought us to our feet. "It is important that we show our respect for the victims of that terrible day, but it is of equal importance that we honor and celebrate the countless acts of courage, compassion, allegiance and devotion to duty that have been demonstrated by our police officers, firefighters, rescue workers and our citizens. "They have demonstrated the best of humankind — courage over cowardice, kindness over cruelty, service over selfishness, hope over fear and love over hate." Bagpipes wailed and police and firefighters saluted as the flag was raised over Monument Point.^[12]

Expert witness in Federal Court

In 1992, Speziale and his team traveled to Anchorage, Alaska and raided the compound of Frank Plunk an established cocaine trafficker responsible for coordinating the transportation of cocaine from Los Angeles and Houston to the New York City area. Plunk was responsible for recruiting drivers to transport shipments of approximately 200-250 kilograms of cocaine in recreational vehicles and produce trucks and was successfully directed approximately two dozen shipments. In December 1993, Speziale through court-authorized wiretaps revealed the existence of a large conspiracy to transport cocaine across the United States. Many of the monitored telephone calls were from Frank Plunk in Alaska. Speziale coordinated a multi-state wiretap operation with federal, state and local law enforcement utilizing authorized wiretap of Plunk's cellular telephone, which caused Speziale and his team to stop a motor home driven by Hal Booher. Speziale and his team searched Booher's vehicle and discovered 220 kilograms of cocaine. Booher identified Frank Plunk as his employer, and an ensuing search of Plunk's home by Speziale and his team uncovered several firearms, a scale, and nearly $10,000 in cash. Speziale of the New York City Police Department testified in federal court in Alaska as an expert witness "in the field of narcotics trafficking, including wiretapping investigations, analysis of codes, words, and reference[s] used by narcotics traffickers." Speziale was qualified by the court to provide expert testimony under Federal Rule of Evidence 702 about his "specialized knowledge of how drug trafficking is sometimes conducted and the methods and techniques that may be employed. Speziale testified about code words used by drug traffickers and interpreted encoded conversations between petitioner and his co-conspirators. The court cautioned the jury that Speziale's interpretation of the conversations was "only an opinion" and that it was up to the jury "to decide whether to believe any, all, or none of that opinion." In the end, Frank Plunk was convicted on six of the ten counts against him. Plunk challenged Speziale's testimony and the court determined that "Detective Speziale's testimony concerned a proper subject of expert testimony," because "the jargon of the narcotics trade and the codes that drug dealers often use constitute specialized bodies of knowledge." The court also upheld the district court's ruling that Detective Speziale was qualified as an expert on that subject. The court of appeals concluded that the district court acted "well within the bounds of its discretion in qualifying Detective Speziale as an expert and allowing him to testify as such regarding the cryptic codes and jargon of narcotics dealers.".^[13]

Operation Foxhunt - Zorro

In 1993 the Frank Plunk investigation expanded to California. Speziale travelled to Los Angeles, California and assisted the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, (HIDTA) Task Force initiating wiretaps on Diego Fernando Salazar-Izquierdo (Zorro). Speziale coordinated efforts with federal, state and local law enforcement in California and Operation Foxhunt commenced. Operation Foxhunt took its name from one of the investigation's primary targets, Diego Fernando Salazar-Izquierdo, a Cali cartel transportation cell director in Los Angeles known as "Zorro." (Zorro is Spanish for fox.) A second cell director, Over Arturo Acuna directed parallel drug operations, also out of Los Angeles. Zorro and Arturo each directed their own drug networks, but were tightly controlled and compartmentalized distribution networks. Both Zorro and Arturo, reported directly to the head of the organization's U.S network based in Cali, Colombia. Operation Foxhunt was significant in that the arrest of Zorro and Arturo effectively and completely shut down the distribution of cocaine in the United States by the family in Colombia that supplied these two cell directors. Operation Foxhunt was an enormously successful investigation, benefitting from support from more than 55 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.^[14]

In 1995, the culmination of this investigation resulted in the arrest of 199 suspects, seizure of over $13.5 million and 6.5 tons of cocaine. The investigation dealt a major blow to the Colombian drug cartel's operations in seven U.S. cities, New York City, Los Angeles, Colorado, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington, DC.^[14]

National Wiretap Expert - FBI - DEA Academy

Until he retired from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) at the rank of Detective 1st Grade in 1997, Speziale's career was distinguished by ever higher promotions.^[1] Speziale is recognized as an expert on cell phone and wiretapping technology, narcotics smuggling, money laundering and has lectured on these subjects at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.^[15] Speziale has testified before the U.S. Congress and frequently lectures at law enforcement training centers throughout the nation. Speziale has received numerous departmental recognition awards, including the Michael John Buczek Medal of Honor; twenty-two New York City Police Department commendations, two DEA Administrator's Awards, the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau of Excellence Award, and the New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor's Award.^[4]

Testimony before US Congress on Money Laundering

On May 15, 2000, Jerry Speziale testified before the United States House of Representatives Commission on Banking and Financial Services. Speziale the Chief of Police for New Hope Police Department and former DEA Task Force Agent investigating drug and money laundering testified about the 600 billion dollars laundered annually and the problem of bulk cash smuggling in the United States.^[16]

Passaic County Sheriff

Election to Passaic County Sheriff

On November 2, 2001, Speziale was elected 8th Sheriff of Passaic County, New Jersey. Speziale, a member of the Democratic Party, was the first Democrat in 50 years to be elected Sheriff in the county.^{[17][18][19][20]} Speziale was reelected Sheriff in 2004 and 2007 after winning reelection overwhelmingly by a 75% percent margin.^[21]

In August 2010, Speziale resigned to accept a position as Deputy Superintendent of Police for the NY NJ Port Authority Police Department. Everyone knows that had Speziale stayed in the race he would have won by a landslide, though his replacement pulled out an impressive victory on his own, blitzing his Republican opponent by 15 points. Democrats must remember, though, what Speziale did for them all those years: give them a solid crossover candidate who could not only hold the expected precincts in Paterson and Passaic, but could pick off Republican votes in Clifton and even Wayne.^[22]

Campaign fundraising - Speziale remains with $600,000 in leftover campaign funds

In June 2010, Speziale considered a popular political star raised more than $1.1 million that year and left office to become Deputy Police Superintendent at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department. It was the most money ever raised in a county sheriff's race. In January 2013, the New Jersey Election Commission reported Speziale had an inactive campaign trust account (ICTA), with more than $600,000 after donating to several charities.

In accordance with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Speziale's leftover campaign funds can be utilized by him for elected office or donated to other elected officials or individuals seeking elected office nationwide if supported by Speziale^[1]

Recruitment for 2013 Passaic County Sheriff election

On January 23, 2013, Passaic County GOP Chairman John Traier conducted a screening of candidates for county sheriff at the Grand Chalet Restaurant in Wayne, New Jersey.

Passaic County Republicans hoped they might be surprised by Jerry Speziale walking through the front door of the restaurant. A former Democratic Party sheriff with law enforcement rock star credentials, Speziale in 2010 took a job with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey rather than pursue another three-year term as sheriff. Two and a half years later, the Passaic GOP watched Speziale closely to see if he might come back to the county, this time as a Republican with Gov. Chris Christie at the top of the ticket. Speziale, a successful deep undercover for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, has made it clear to supporters on both sides of the aisle, he considered it an honor serving as Sheriff of Passaic County, but most believe Speziale truly enjoys being a hands on law enforcement professional, behind the scenes, creating programs, advanced policing, solving crimes and running the day-to-day operations of a law enforcement agency.^[23]

Attempted jail break

In 2002, Speziale ordered the lock down of the Passaic County jail after the gang intelligence unit at the jail, uncovered plans for a major disturbance, which involved a plot to riot, break out and kill an officer. The plot involved sporadic disruptions to occur throughout the jail, so the gang associated inmates would be sent to the bullpen area of the jail on the first floor where they would be waiting for their discipline and reassignment to a different housing unit. Once they were all confined in the bullpen, they planned to overtake the first floor, where the keys are and escape from the facility by killing an officer. Speziale mobilized 100 officers and members of the sheriff's emergency response team and went through the jail, identifying the gang members involved. The focus of the raid was on leaders of some notorious gangs, including the Bloods, Crips and Latin Kings.

16 gang members were identified in the operation and segregated so they couldn't communicate. Some were immediately shipped out to state prison in the night. Afterwards, the entire jail facility was searched, shaken down and secured.^[24]

Drug war purchases of police vehicles

Speziale created a program to provide tax savings for struggling towns. Speziale's program provided each of the 16 municipalities and 2 universities in the county with a fully equipped police car worth around $30,000. Speziale purchased the police cars with drug forfeiture money. Throughout Speziale's nine-year tenure as sheriff drug forfeiture funds have been used to buy all the equipment and vehicles for the Sheriff's Department keeping the departments operating expenses flat. In early 2010, Speziale's Narcotics Unit and its counterparts seized more than $16.8 million in drug forfeiture funds.^[25]

SWAT Team BearCat armored vehicle

Speziale equipped his county SWAT team with a state of the art equipment, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) compliant vehicle. He replaced the Passaic County SWAT team's converted bread truck with a $400,000 BearCat armored vehicle that can crash through brick walls. The BearCat was paid for with a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and $195,000 seized during drug raids. Speziale said the BearCat gives officers more options when handling dangerous situations. The BearCat vehicle can go up to 70 mph and gets about 7 miles per gallon on diesel fuel. It's also airtight and has an oxygen supply that lasts as long as 10 hours.^[26][27]

Jerry Speziale Community Outreach Foundation

Speziale created the Jerry Speziale Community Outreach foundation that raised thousands of dollars annually to support the community and crime prevention programs for senior citizens, and the youth. The organization provided college scholarships, turkeys for the needy on Thanksgiving, inner-city sports programs, and thousands of toys on Christmas for families in need.^[28] In an effort to educate rescue workers and the public, Speziale, on behalf of the Jerry Speziale Community Outreach Foundation, hosted a forum called "Autism and Law Enforcement: A Panel Discussion To Enhance Awareness and Support. The event was held on January 15, 2009, at the Passaic County Sheriff Department's Community Policing Division where first responders, other nearby police departments and school administrators from neighboring towns met to discuss autism and related disorders. Speziale learned about an incident involving an autistic child restrained by another jurisdiction that traumatized a child because of the lack of understanding between the parties. Speziale created a forum to train his officers how to identify and handle someone with autism whether it be a child or an adult.^[29]

Community policing

Speziale is a strong advocate of community collaboration, community policing, intelligence led policing, predictive policing and community outreach concentrated on problem solving, crime reduction, crime prevention, senior citizen and youth programs, which reduced violence and forged strong community relationships between law enforcement and the community.^[30] Speziale created a community-policing unit tasked with providing a variety of programs and community services.^[31] The PRIDE program was designed to productively assist in community re-entry for county jail inmates, providing GED's and college courses and working together with the faith-based community.^[32] The senior citizen medical identification program assisted senior citizens in a medical emergency and the junior police academy camps for children in the summer built relationships between the police and the community.^[33] Speziale also provided scholarships for students graduating from high school through a community outreach foundation.^[34] Speziale also introduced a state of the art texting information system for the community to provide intelligence to the police called "Text for Tips".^[35][36][36]

Sheriff's labor assistance program

Speziale implemented the first sheriff's labor assistance program utilizing inmate labor to assist at risk senior citizens and disabled residents with snow removal. The snow removal program was capable of handling significant snow accumulation and assisted seniors in exiting their homes for needed necessities. The program utilized carefully screened, non-violent inmates serving a county jail sentence. The inmates received credit for good time served and were supervised by an experienced correction deputy. The sheriff's labor assistance program provided assistance to municipalities, non-for-profit and religious organizations with community service tasks, painting fire hydrants, patching potholes, cleaning debris from blighted areas and learned construction trades through the department's "PRIDE" program.^[37]

Absorbing City Housing Police

Based on high crime and illegal drug sales, Sheriff Speziale met with the City of Passaic Housing Authority and negotiated a contract absorbing the responsibilitiesf the former Passaic City HousingPolice. Sheriff Speziale established the Passaic County Sheriff's Department Housing Police Division and increased revenues by $325,000 for the County of Passaic. Speziale conducted monthly crime forums with residents and through problem solving policing and proactive police strategies crime was reduced by thirty percent.^[38]

Speziale Receives Catalyst for Change Award

On September 27, 2006, Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale received the Catalyst for Change Award in recognition of his leadership and vision, while the Passaic County Sheriff's Department received the Above and Beyond Award for its services to the people of the County. "The College's commendation of Sheriff Speziale is special because he is originally from West Paterson, and his mother is a Berkeley graduate," noted Berkeley College Vice President of External Affairs Teri Duda, who was the Mistress of Ceremonies for the celebration.^[39]

Chemist murder

On February 9, 2005, Getha Angara, a chemist at the Passaic Valley water treatment plant located in Totowa, New Jersey was found dead in an underground water tank.^[40] As a result of the unsolved murder investigation by the County Prosecutor's Office, the Passaic Valley Water Commission disbanded their security force and contacted Speziale to provide police services to protect their employees, facilities and property. Speziale met with commissioners from the authority and negotiated a contract to provide full police services establishing the Passaic County Sheriff's Department Water Resource Protection Unit.^[41]

The murder remains unsolved and continues to be investigated by the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office.

Katrina rescue convoy

On September 14, 2005, based on the devastation created by Hurricane Katrina, Speziale coordinated and comprised a task force of Passaic County Sheriff's Deputies and law enforcement officers from his county's (16) municipal police departments. This was one of the first task forces to respond from the State of New Jersey and each of the agencies provided supervisors, officers, vehicles and equipment in an effort to assist with swift water rescue operations in New Orleans. After a two-week deployment, the team was being rotated out and was scheduled to return to New Jersey for decontamination of the officers, vehicles and equipment.

On September 25, 2005, as the convoy crossed into Virginia, they were stopped by an Augusta County, Virginia, Sheriff's Deputy and notified to shut their police warning lights off or they would be arrested. The convoy was accused of speeding and driving with their emergency lights. The sheriff's deputy, who intercepted the convoy, asked the officers to refrain from engaging their emergency lights, given that they were not responding to an emergency. Speziale was contacted immediately after the stop by one of the unit's commanders informing him of the circumstances. The detail commander informed Speziale that, based on the length and size of the equipment convoy, which included police vehicles, SUVs, trucks and trailers, it was extremely dangerous to operate without utilizing emergency lights because of the terrain and "blind spots" on a two lane interstate highway. The detail commander argued that emergency lights were a necessity because they warned drivers in all directions of the convoy's existence. Speziale contacted the Virginia State Police and explained the circumstances to the on duty supervisor. The Virginia State Police acknowledged the explanation and dangers outlined in the telephone conversation. Moments after the call Speziale received a telephone call from the Augusta County Deputy Sheriff who felt different about Speziale's officers. Speziale told the deputy that he "was a disgrace" for interfering with fellow police officers on a serious rescue mission. Speziale supported his officers and told the deputy that he hoped to show him "the same courtesy up here in New Jersey."^[42][43]

Hospital explosion and evacuation

On June 16, 2006, Speziale commanded the response, coordination and evacuation of St. Mary's Hospital a 200-bed acute care hospital in the City of Passaic, New Jersey after an early morning explosion. At 2:30 a.m., a boiler room exploded knocking out water, air conditioning and power requiring an immediate plan and rapid deployment, which led to the evacuation of critical care patients.

Speziale and members of the Passaic County Sheriff's Department under his command, responded, established and set up a unified command with emergency medical service members, fire, building, engineering and hospital officials. Plans were formulated utilizing mutual aid partners and (80) critical care patients were evacuated, with (57) ambulances from neighboring communities moving them safely to other medical facilities. The evacuation took place as hot weather was settling into New Jersey. The National Weather Service predicted a high of 85 for Passaic City that evening and the temperature was expected to reach 100.^[44]

Detective rescue

On August 31, 2007, Speziale was scheduled to be the keynote speaker for the graduating police recruit class when he nabs a suspect in a brook after dragging one of his detectives. Speziale plunged into a slimy brook to help arrest a man who allegedly stole a police car and dragged a detective with it. Two plainclothes detectives from the Sheriff's Department's warrant unit noticed a Jeep Cherokee stopped on a street in Paterson, New Jersey. One detective recognized the driver as having outstanding arrest warrants and they pulled their unmarked Ford Explorer in front of the vehicle. When detectives asked the driver for his identification, he handed them a Peruvian passport that appeared fake. Realizing he was about to be arrested, the man pushed one of the detectives, exited his car and leaped into their unmarked police vehicle. As the suspect drove away, a detective grabbed onto the vehicle and was dragged for about 700 feet as the suspect wove near parked cars on the street. The detectives hopped into the man's vehicle and chased him, losing him in traffic. Other officers in the area joined the chase and Speziale, on his way to deliver the keynote address at a police academy, joined the chase after he heard the call come in over his police radio. Within 15 minutes, the suspect abandoned the vehicle in the driveway of a business at a dead end. The suspect jumped a fence and climbed into Molly Ann's Brook, a shallow, rocky creek that feeds into the Passaic River. Speziale was among the officers who arrived. He hopped the fence with his officers and waded in after the man with several police dogs. The suspect was arrested and taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. Doctors were evaluating him for health complaints. The detective who was dragged, was also taken to St. Joseph's and was in stable condition. The suspect was charged with eluding arrest and aggravated assault on a police officer. Downplaying his role, Speziale said he was just supporting his officers and acting on gut instinct. "When your guys go in the water, you go too," said Speziale, in a telephone interview. Speziale was wearing dress pants, new socks and his police boots at the time. All of them, he said, were ruined by the slimy water. He arrived at the event for his speech late, and a little bit wet.^[45]

Explosives removed from local high school by bomb squad

On June 14, 2007, Sheriff Jerry Speziale ordered the evacuation of Wayne Valley High School after (16) gunpowder-filled devices with fuses were located in two lockers by the Passaic County bomb squad. The 1,400 students from the school, Wayne Valley High School, were moved to the football field bleachers and then off school grounds to Calvary Temple, about a block away. The devices, which were found in two lockers on the second floor of the two-story building, were about six inches long and shaped like mini-sticks of dynamite. Each locker contained eight sticks, which were bundled into groups of four and attached to a fuse that would burn about six minutes.

Speziale's County bomb squad robot removed the devices. The pyrotechnic devices were removed, transported and ignited at the county bomb pit producing a large fire and a large amount of smoke. If ignited during school the smoke would've overtaken the entire top floor of Wayne Valley High School.

Sheriff's officials also found a backpack filled with regular fireworks on the school's first floor, though it is unclear whether it was related. The sheriff's department searched the school grounds throughout the afternoon and said it was safe for the students to return on Thursday. Every police chief in the county was contacted and organized a check of every high school to make sure this was an isolated incident.

Within days of the incident three juveniles were arrested and charged with planting the devices.^[46]

County layoffs instigated lawsuits

In 2008, as the result of the County of Passaic's and nations financial crisis lawsuits were advanced by several laid off employees.

Shortly thereafter a Passaic County sheriff's officer Raymond Tanis claimed he was discriminated against because of a disability when he was transferred to what he considered a less desirable position from the more favorable Patrol Division back to the Passaic County Jail to oversee inmates. Tanis was injured at his home while responding to a pre-planned department terrorism drill. Tanis was out sick for more than three years when the county was forced to make transfers as part of a budget crisis.^[47] Raymond Tanis sued Speziale for damages to compensate him for emotional distress and sought reinstatement to his previous position. There were no lost wages involved in the move and none were sought as part of the litigation. Over one hundred sheriff's employees were affected by the 2008 county budget crisis and some employees were transferred or bumped to other positions. Speziale was among those to take the witness stand during the trial. Speziale denied he had any animosity toward Tanis and insisted the move was strictly professional and because of the budget crisis. On April 5, 2012, Tanis lost his discrimination suit and the jury denied Tanis any compensation.^[48]

Judge dismisses case in progressive discipline and strict department policies

In 2011, Passaic County Sheriff's Officer Eli Rivera claimed he was harassed and subjected to a hostile work environment, which was dismissed by a federal judge on June 27, 2013, by U.S. District Judge William J. Martini who granted an unopposed motion for summary judgment by the defendants: Passaic County, the Sheriff's Department, former Sheriff Jerry Speziale, Jail Warden Charles Meyers, Sheriff's Lt. Michael Dunlop and Sheriff's Capt. Scott Smith. Eli S. Rivera of Paterson, who was terminated in 2008, filed the suit in federal court in Newark in 2011, seeking damages for emotional distress and lost wages. Rivera was hired in November 1990 as a corrections officer and became a sheriff's officer in June 2002. He alleged that he had been humiliated, harassed, retaliated against and intimidated by Dunlop, and that his complaints to higher-ups were ignored. In a five-page opinion, Judge Martini cited as undisputed the fact that Rivera had been disciplined for misconduct on several occasions, including a suspension for being insubordinate to his supervisor, Dunlop. The judge also noted that Rivera was terminated in September 2008 after a psychiatrist conducted a fitness-for-duty evaluation and determined he was not fit for employment with the Sheriff's Department. In his suit, Rivera alleged that certain actions by Dunlop and Smith were discriminatory and created a hostile work environment in violation of federal civil rights laws and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. He alleged that the other defendants were equally responsible for the discrimination he suffered because they were negligent in their hiring and supervision of Dunlop and Smith. But in a deposition last August, Rivera testified that the allegedly unfair treatment he was complaining of was not based on his race, age, sex, marital or familial status, military service, or a mental or physical disability. As a result, the defendants moved for summary judgment on grounds that the undisputed facts demonstrate there is no actionable category of discrimination in the case. The judge agreed. "This evidence strongly suggests that plaintiff is without legal recourse under" state and federal law, Martini wrote. He said Rivera failed to show that he is a member of a protected class, that non-members of any protected group were treated more favorably than him, or that such treatment was done in a way that would suggest unlawful discrimination. "Even assuming all evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiff, the undisputed facts of record demonstrate that even if plaintiff received less favorable treatment than other Sheriff's Office employees, it was not based on his membership in a class protected by the law," the judge held.^[49]

Attorney General Less Than Lethal Force Committee

In 2008, New Jersey began discussing the prospect of stun guns being authorized for police, Speziale was one of a dozen experts providing recommendations, suggestions and criticisms to a panel appointed by Attorney General Anne Milgram to consider when it is appropriate for officers to employ less-lethal force. The Attorney General's Advisory Committee on Less-Lethal Force utilized the testimony to draft recommendations on whether stun guns should be allowed in New Jersey. The committee has already recommended the use of rubber bullets, bean bags and other less deadly ammunition by police.

Attorney General Anne Milgram relied on those recommendations in drafting a new policy that allows police to use less deadly ammunition against suspects who threaten officers or others but are not in a position to immediately carry it out. In the past, they could use it only if the officer feared for his life or the life of another at the scene. The new policy, issued in March, also allowed officers for the first time to intervene when a suspect is threatening suicide or self-destructive behavior.

Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale and others said the state should take the next step by allowing police officers to use stun guns as a way of stopping suspects who are becoming increasingly combative. "It's important that we equip them with the state-of-the-art tools," Speziale said after testifying. "It's much better than taking an individual's life."^[50]

Campus security

In 2009, Speziale collaborated on a new security plan with William Paterson University to enhance campus security by integrating modern law enforcement technology. U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) secured a $300,000 designation in a spending bill recently signed into law by President Barack Obama to advance a newly coordinated campus safety initiative. The security initiative included the purchase of surveillance cameras, radio interoperability, video surveillance and enhanced exterior lighting in parking areas around the exterior of public and student residence halls creating remote observation posts for law enforcement and other safety personnel. The security plan integrated communication and incident command systems between University Police and the Passaic County Sheriff's Department.^[51]

Release of jailed police officer

In 2009, a local police officer was freed after spending three days in a Mexican jail for accidentally packing his gun on a honeymoon flight to Cancun, Mexico. Mexican authorities discovered a .40 Glock handgun and hollow-point bullets in Wayne Police Sergeant Andrew Verdon's suitcase when his plane arrived in Cancun, Mexico. Mexican officials arrested Verdon confining him to a Mexican prison. Members of the PBA, Wayne Police Department and family members concerned for the officer's safety contacted Speziale to intervene. Speziale contacted the US Embassy in Mexico City and had officials dispatched to protect Verdon at the jail during the negotiation for his release. Speziale met with the Mexican Ambassador to the United States in New York City and with the assistance of Congressman William Pascrell Jr., convinced Mexican authorities that Verdon was an honest cop who simply made a mistake. After three days of incarceration in a Mexican prison, Verdon was released and returned to the United States.^[52]

Automatic license plate reader technology

Speziale was committed to modernizing the Passaic County Sheriff's Department with advanced technology. In January 2010, Speziale was one of the first law enforcement agency in the State of New Jersey to introduce cutting edge technology with automatic license plate readers. Already in use by the Parsippany and Marlboro Township Police Departments since 2008, Speziale realized the value it could bring to law enforcement investigations, and purchased two fully equipped police patrol cars and new technology, for $86,000. The cars were bought with proceeds from drug seizures by his department and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. The cars equipped with the new technology could scan 500 license plates a minute through infrared cameras that scan both sides of the road, day or night and alert the officer to a suspect or wanted vehicle. The system allowed for an officer to manually enter license plates into a computer and an alarm would sound if the system encountered the vehicle.^[53]

Text-A-Tip

Speziale introduced Passaic County to "intelligence-led policing" and a program he created called "text for tips" that allowed any cellphone within the county's confines to be linked to a network where residents could anonymously send a crime tip via a text message. The program showed immediate results with more than 50 arrests for such crimes as burglaries, animal cruelty, drug possession and sale, assault, murder and prostitution.^[36] Three month's after the program was introduced an anonymous "Text-A-Tip" service led to the arrest of a man wanted for murder. The program was successful and detectives closed 60 percent of the intelligence information forwarded through the Text-A-Tip program. Speziale focused Text-A-Tip on school bullying and travelled to the county's numerous middle and high schools to introduce it to students. The Text-A-Tip campaign was effective against school bullying.^[54][55][56]

Police pursuit

On February 11, 2010, two men were charged with assaulting a police officer after they allegedly rammed into Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale's SUV during a car chase. Henry Higinio, 36, and Luis Acevedo, 35, both of Paterson, New Jersey, where arraigned on charges, including aggravated assault on a police officer, assault, theft, resisting arrest and eluding police. Speziale was returning from a "swearing-in" ceremony for Jeff Levine, a Passaic Valley Water commissioner, at the Meadowlands that evening, when Speziale heard a radio broadcast about two robbery suspects at the Olive Garden on Route 3. Higinio and Acevedo broke into a car in the parking lot of the restaurant and stole an iPod and laptop computer. Speziale, a front seat passenger in the unmarked Dodge Durango driven by a staff member, spotted the men after their vehicle pulled up at a Valero gas station on Route 17 in Hasbrouck Heights. Speziale attempted to make an arrest "in full uniform," but the men sped away and onto Route 46 east in Little Ferry.

During the pursuit, just before an intersection, Higinio U-turned into Speziale's SUV, ramming the passenger side. Little Ferry police arrived at the scene shortly following the impact. Detective Ronald Callahan and patrolman Frank Sciacca chased the two suspects with Speziale across the highway after they fled from the vehicle. Speziale and Callahan arrested Acevedo in the parking lot of Monobaik Inc. and Sciacca arrested Higinio in another parking lot nearby. The sheriff, who police said was wearing a seatbelt, suffered some injuries and was taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson where he was treated and later released. Speziale returned to work the following day but was assigned light duties.^[57]

Civil Service Commission

Speziale stood behind eight newly appointed officers that were in jeopardy of losing their positions because of a vague civil service statute. Speziale interpreted the statute to be incorrect and sided with the officers by appealing the decision and challenging the state Civil Service Commission over how many sheriffs' investigators he was allowed to hire. Speziale was victorious in his challenge and the officers retained their positions. New Jersey Civil Service rules limit the number of investigators a sheriff can hire "at will" to no more than 15 percent of the number of sheriff's officers in the department. An "at-will" investigator can be hired without taking the civil service exam and through a resume interview process. Normally, these officers already hold an active police certification. Originally, the Civil Service Commission ruled that Speziale had overstepped the 15 percent limit when he hired eight investigators in the summer of 2009. The commission ordered Speziale to terminate the eight investigators, but Speziale challenged the ruling. The question put to civil service was whether supervisors – sergeants, lieutenants, captains and chiefs – should count in the overall contingent of sheriff's officers. Speziale argued that supervisors should count, and appealed the decision. While the appeal was pending, Speziale was appointed deputy superintendent of the NY NJ Port Authority Police Department. Months later, the Civil Service Commission reversed itself and said that Speziale was correct in his assessment all along. Robert B. Czech, the head of the Civil Service Commission, wrote in a March 16 decision that a "common sense" reading of the statute suggested that supervisors should be counted along with rank-and-file officers in determining the 15 percent limit on at-will hires. Speziale applauded the decision and praised the ruling of the commission.^[58]

NY-NJ Port Authority Police Department

In 2010, Speziale was appointed to the role of Deputy Police Superintendent of the NY - NJ Port Authority Police Department. The NY - NJ Port Authority Police Department is a law enforcement agency in New York and New Jersey which is mandated to protect the public, travelers and tenants within facilities owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.^[59]

Passaic County Freeholder Director Bruce James on Sheriff Jerry Speziale's tenure

On August 10, 2010, after the resignation by Speziale as Sheriff of Passaic County, Freeholder Director Bruce James, applauded Speziale as an outstanding sheriff who dedicated his life to law enforcement and serving the people of Passaic County. James applauded Speziale's efforts post 911 and further elaborated on the tremendous strides in crime fighting, protecting, serving the public and keeping Passaic County safe throughout Speziale's tenure. Director Bruce James characterized Speziale's departure by stating, "it was a great loss to Passaic County because he was a great sheriff."

James further acknowledged the reason for Speziale's departure being the seriousness of his immediate family's health and wished him well in his future endeavors stating, "Speziale's service as sheriff will be greatly missed.^[60]

Mayor's Domenick Stampone's statement

In 2010, Haledon Mayor Domenick Stampone put out the following statement on the resignation of Sheriff Speziale. "Sheriff Jerry Speziale has done a magnificent job over the last nine years managing the Sheriff's Department, decreasing crime rates throughout the County, and aiding local officials in keeping our children and families safe. Passaic County's loss is the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's gain. His expertise, energy, and passion for law enforcement will be missed. Throughout my time as an elected official in Haledon – first on the Borough Council and the last four years as Mayor – Sheriff Speziale has always been a strong partner in solving problems facing our community and working with me to find cost effective collaborations to save our constituents tax dollars. Although this news comes as a shock to the Passaic County Democratic Organization, I am confident we will field a capable, qualified candidate who can continue the strong progress made in the Sheriff's Department under Sheriff Speziale's leadership".^[61]

Law enforcement recruitments

Chief of Police, Miami, Florida

In November 2011, Jerry Speziale after a nationwide search was selected out of (70) applicants as a finalist to lead the City of Miami Police Department as Chief of Police during serious mistrust between the police and community as the result of police related shootings and excessive force complaints. Speziale was selected and interviewed by a (10) member committee in Miami, Florida.^[62][63]

Crime reduction in Hazleton, Pennsylvania

In March 2012, with a spike in violent crime, drugs and gang activity, Mayor Joseph Yannuzzi selected Speziale to lead the City of Hazleton's Police Department out of (84) applicants. Speziale withdrew from consideration and did not accept the position.^[64]

Undersheriff in Broward County

In January 2013, it was heavily rumored that Jerry Speziale, the number two at the New York Port Authority Police Department, is slated as undersheriff for the Broward County Sheriff's Office, (BSO). Sheriff Scott Israel stated, "I have a lot respect for him, talented man," in an interview about Jerry Speziale becoming undersheriff.^[65]

Cincinnati Police Chief Finalist

In September 2013, after a national search, several rounds of personal interviews, questions, Google searches, background and reference checks, Jerry Speziale was selected as a finalist to lead the Cincinnati Police Department as Chief of Police during a serious crime wave of murder and violence.^[66] Speziale was one of (28) candidates narrowed down to the final (4) after being selected first by an (11) person committee, which included a former police chief, a former prosecuting attorney, Air force veterans, business leaders and community members.^[67] Jeffery Blackwell a former subject matter expert for the City of Cincinnati on testing and a Deputy Chief in Columbus, Ohio was the final selection.^[68] Before a selection was made, Cincinnati Councilman Sittenfeld requested City Manager Milton Dohoney hold a town hall forum for the candidates to allow the communities participation. City Manager Dohoney responded in a letter that the candidates were thoroughly vetted and the final selection would be made by him.^[69]

Without A Badge

In 2003, Jerry Speziale authored a book with Mark Seal titled Without A Badge: Undercover in the World's Deadliest Criminal Organization. The book detailed the activities and methods of how he and an undercover informant, Paul Lir Alexander brought down some of the biggest drug lords, including Alexander himself. Alexander was enraged that his dirty laundry was now being published. Paul Alexander actually sued Speziale under the pretense that the book violated his privacy.^[70]

In the end the courts ruled that Speziale's book did not violate Alexander's privacy, and the case was dismissed.

Brooklyn's Finest

In 2010, Speziale acted alongside Richard Gere and Don Cheadle in a big-budget cop drama, "Brooklyn's Finest," directed by Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day," "Shooter") and starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke, chronicling the struggles of officers patrolling a dangerous section of Brooklyn, similar to the area Speziale worked in his early days as an NYPD officer in east New York.^[71] Speziale received credits in the film for acting as Captain Sidney Geraci, Gere's Captain and also received film credits as the film's "Police Consultant."^[72] David Permut of Permut Presentations and Christie Hsiao of Serenity Entertainment have picked up the rights to "Without a Badge."^[73]

Television appearances

Speziale is a national expert and has been on Bill O'Reilly, Nancy Grace, Lou Dobbs, CNN, Fox News, Good Morning America, Court TV, Rita Cosby, Wake up Seattle, NJ Cable News Network, Meet the Leaders and many others.^[74][75]

Professional affiliations

Speziale serves as a board member on the Saint Joseph's Medical Center Foundation, fifteen year member of the International Association Chiefs of Police, ten year member of the Passaic County Police Chief's Association, ten year member of the National Sheriff's Association, New Jersey Sheriff's Association, New Jersey PBA Silver Lifetime member and longstanding member of the NYPD Patrolman's Benevolent Association, NYPD Detective's Endowment Association, FBI LEEDA, Italian American Police Society of New Jersey and Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association.^[28]

References