A spokesman for Turner declined further comment on Thursday. 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. 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 eighth-minute video clips showed that Turner reached the spot where police officers pulled her daughters friends. "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. She has already worked on the finance committee of Hillary Clinton and her partner Jon Corzine. "You may not tell me when to take my child," Turner said. 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. ", "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," Turner says. Moment Thirteen: 'You may shut the f--- up.'. People cross the line and don't know when to stop. Call it privilege run amok. 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. After former Port Authority commissioner Caren Z. Turner ended her tirade at Tenafy police during a roadside traffic stop involving her daughter, she had a little more to say. "You're just here as the ride, right?" No one answered the door at her listed home address. Unfazed, the officer offers his own badge number and even his first name. Former Gov. 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. All Rights Reserved. "I'm commissioner. UPDATE: Port Authority Chief in Viral Cop Rant Issues Her First Statement on ControversyA recently resigned Port Authority commissioner was captured on police dash cam ranting at two police officers on a New Jersey roadway, yelling at them, "You may shut the f--- up!" You're picking them up. 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. You may shut the f*** up and not tell me when I can take my kid and her friends who are Ph.D. students from MIT and Yale," she said. one officer asks Turner when she introduced herself. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. ", Under New Jerseys Official Misconduct statute, "a public servant is guilty of official misconduct when, with purpose to obtain a benefit for himself or another" he (or she) "commits an act relating to his (or her) office but constituting an unauthorized exercise of his official functions, knowing that such act is unauthorized or s/he is committing such act in an unauthorized manner.". When Commissioner Horwitz spouse accepted a job at Westfield, which manages the retail complex for the World Trade Center, in October 2017, Commissioner Horwitz immediately notified Port Authoritys leadership and informed them he would from that point forward recuse himself from all matters pertaining to Westfield or the World Trade Center, Port Authority spokesman Ben Branham said in a statement. "I'm not so nice. Turner asks, apparently referring to Tenafly police traffic officer Louis Smaragdakis. ', As the officer examines the gold shield, Turner, wearing a plum colored, hooded vest, lowers her voice somewhat and answers, "I am a commissioner of the Port Authorityand I'm heading up over 4,000 police officers.". Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? It is utterly unbecoming of a public servant and entirely inexcusable. I'm very involved," she said. 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. 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. said Turner, in what has to be the understatement of the encounter. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Allies of former Gov. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But police officials say she only came in to talk about getting the car impounded during the traffic stop released, and said she was not at all disrespectful to officers--in sharp contrast to what was captured in a dashcam video of her earlier interaction with police patrol officers during the now infamous highway stop. Turner was the chairman of the Port Authority's Ethics Committee. But it is a credit to the Tenafly Police Department that she did not succeed.. April 25, 2018 / 10:48 AM Police Chief Robert Chamberlain said she did not continue to press her case when she came to headquarters. 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. Soon after Turner arrived on the scene to pick up the college students who'd been riding in the car, she pulled out herbadgeand business card, showed the police and demanded answers. The Port has referred the matter to the New Jersey State Ethics Commission. It has also threatened to further tarnish the Port Authoritys reputation a threat of which the agency seems acutely aware. "What graduation? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. One of the officers said its a ridiculous way to talk and behave with us. I'm very involved. NEW YORK --In a sharp rebuke of a former commissioner forced to resign over an obscenity-laced tirade caught on video during a routine police traffic stop, Port Authority officials publicly. But the Turner was stepping forward and the officer said, keep distance, please. Turner's daughter was a passenger in a car that was pulled over for an expired registration March 31. Chris Christie (R) appointed Turner as a Port Authority commissioner in March 2017. Turner, who led the Port Authority's ethics committee, resigned from the agency in April after its leadership learned of the incident. One officer takes a proffered business card, but lead officer declines, saying, "I don't need that." And it's fine. For more information about our use of cookies, our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information generally, and any rights you may have to access, delete, or opt out of the sale of your personal information, please view our, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Initially, the cops pulled over the driver for having tinted side windows and a partially covered license plate. At one point in the video, she instructed the police officers to address her as commissioner.. 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. Caren Turner, the former chairman of the Port Authority's Governance and Ethics Committee, belittled the Tenafly officers wh The board also approved a referral of the matter to the New Jersey State Ethics Commission. Chris Christie, and has served on finance committees for Hillary Clinton and Gov. 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. Trust me. The officer said, have a pleasant weekend and she said, same to you. The scandal's mastermind, David Wildstein, is on probation. "I've got all your information, sweetheart," responds Turner, "I know Sikoryak" apparently dropping another name, that of Tenafly Police dispatcher, George Sikoryak. asks the officer, incredulously. We'll go to (Mayor) Rustin.". There was not any charge against her for her wrongdoing. State Sens. Turner could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Both the Port Authority and Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlain say the video shows Turner was right to resign. Moment Four: 'No, no, no! I need to know!'. 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. Turner wascaptured on police dash cam ranting at two police officers on Route 9W March 31, yelling at them, "You may shut the f--- up!" 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. Shame on both of you. "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. 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?". 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.". A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement to News 4 Tuesday, "The Board takes its recently adopted Code of Ethics for Commissioners extremely seriously Commissioner Turners resignation was appropriate given her outrageous conduct.". 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. On the afternoon of March 31, Turner, who chaired the boards ethics committee, intervened in a traffic stop involving her daughter. It is deeply unfortunate that former Commissioner Turner tested the patience and professionalism of the Tenafly Police Department on March 31, 2018, the resolution read. "She didn't drop any names, nor did she use her title to identify herself when she came into the department. According to the agency report, she resigned from the post after deep thinking and an internal investigation. The astonishing patience of the Tenafly officers is only beginning to be tested. ", Moment Fifteen: 'You know what, Matt? By Hafiz Hamza Last updated Jul 15, 2022. Moment Nine: 'I will be in with the police commissioner'. Turner didn't return a call seeking comment. You are a disappointment. The video, which has no clear sound, shows the 60-year-old Democratic lobbyist waving to an officer and talking to someone at the front desk. ", "No, no, no, I'm involved," Turner said. ", "No, don't call me miss," Turner said. In which she was trying to rank over police officers who pull over a car in which her daughter was a passenger. Caren Turner . The video also shows the Democratic lobbyist becoming increasingly agitated with the responding officers. 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. ", But the officer continues, "You don't seem like a very big police supporter, I don't know. While in her statement Turner said, at no point did I violate the Port Authoritys 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, the boards resolution declares otherwise. 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! Unfortunately for Turner, and perhaps also the Port Authority, the episode was caught on a police dash cam and released to the press. 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. The bi-state agency received a complaint about. ', Less than a minute into the Tenafly Police dashcam video, the police officer is heard saying, "Alright, so you guys are all set.". The traffic stop stemmed from side tinted windows -- which are not legal in New Jersey -- and a partially obscured license plate. It started out as a routine traffic stop for an obscured out-of-state license plate. Dash cam video from that portion of the traffic stop shows the driver and the police officer speaking calmly. "No I'm not," Turner said. Turner could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Police dashcam video of the incident went viral nationally. "You know what, Matt? The officer responds, "Your daughter is not being summoned. When Turner arrives, video obtained by News 4 shows her introducing herself to the officers, saying, "I'm here as a concerned citizen and friend of the mayor.". Turner resigned on April 20, and in their resolution Thursday, the commissioners said they would have asked her to resign had she not done so. The bi-state agency received a complaint about Turner's actions on April 11. We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. He said, I dont say anything about your behavior, but you are demanding more than our approach. 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 bill, NJ S2858, is also sponsored by Weinberg, who championed Turners nomination to the Port Authority. At one point, Turner seems to become confused. After Turner's daughter called mom for a ride home, things took a major turn for the crazy. "Let's hear -- why were they pulled over, first of all?" "She" is Caren Z. Turner, who abruptly resigned on Monday as the Port Authority said that it was investigating allegations that she'd violated the board's code of ethics. | Getty. (They do not.). ", In contrast, theresolution states that Turner violated the agency's code of ethics for commissioners "clearly and unambiguously" and "in multiple ways.". 2022 Blaze Media LLC. Caren Turner, who is a Port Authority commissioner refused of wrongdoing by crying. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. And you can tell that to everybody. Turner then delivers her first name-drop, saying that she's there not just as their ride, but "as a concerned citizen, and a friend of the mayor.". Ms. Turner, like Mr. OToole, was appointed to the board by the previous governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, a Republican. and Yale. Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlaintold NJ.comhe would let the video speak for itself. "The conduct captured on the video is bullying and obstructionist. I'm 'Commissioner.' 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 . (Does she also know Angelina Jolie? Unethical and even criminal wrongdoing has badly damaged the reputation of this agency, Mr. OToole said, in explaining the censure. Finally, she begins to berate the officers. On the afternoon of March 31, Turner, who chaired the board's ethics committee, intervened in a traffic stop involving her daughter. 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 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. That's pathetic. This isn't going to go down nicely," warns Turner. 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! Herewith, our Zapruder-style, frame-by-dashcam-frame analysis of how things went so wrong, so fast. Turner does not relent, however, and presses him: "I just want to know why.". How dare you to tell me, Miss. 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. "No, no, no. As Turner and Officer Savitskywalk off camera to inspect the car as it's loaded onto a tow truck, Turner makes one final threat. 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. He said she spoke to Lt. Timothy O'Reilly at police headquarters only to inquire about the legal requirements to remove the vehicle from impound.