HOBOKEN – The Hoboken Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) wrote Mayor Dawn Zimmer, in a letter dated April 4 and received by the Reporter on Friday, to “express its concern” over the administration’s handling of an alleged incident on March 24 and the subsequent arrest of Hoboken Parking and Transportation Director Ian Sacs and city employee Bill Laney.
Specifics of the arrests have not been released by City Hall, but a source leaked the police report of the incident on March 30. Click HERE to see the report.
Two sides of the story have emerged, but according to a police report, a vacant, city-run Hop shuttle was found by Sacs on the side of the road with the keys in it, so Sacs decided to drive it back to the city’s municipal garage. Laney was the driver of the bus, and claims Sacs harassed him and took his personal keys and refused to give them back. The bus keys were attached to Laney’s personal keys, which Sacs allegedly took, according to police. Laney said in the report that he was helping his wife and infant child get into their personal car. Then, a confrontation occurred at City Hall that resulted in counter complaints and the arrest of both men.
“After reviewing the report by the Hoboken Police Department, it is clear that there are two versions of the events that transpired on March 24 which led to the arrest of Mr. Ian Sacs,” according to a letter from Eugene Drayton, President of the NAACP and William Ayala, chair of the legal redress committee.
Zimmer has called for a third party investigation into the incident that saw Sacs be arrested for harassment and theft of property, and Laney be arrested for simple assault.
The organization says they are concerned by reports that the administration handled the incident “in a manner that is prejudicial against Mr. Laney and could serve to violate his Civil Rights.”
The letter states that a city attorney advised Sacs and not Laney. The letter also says Sacs received “preferential treatment” at the Police Department after the city got involved.
“We note that Mr. Laney has a pending lawsuit against the city of Hoboken that predates the events of March 24,” the letter states. The letter finishes by saying the Hoboken NAACP “will monitor this situation for violations of Mr. Laney’s civil rights.” — Ray Smith