The president of the North Bergen Police Benevolent Association has been suspended indefinitely for allegedly falsifying police records, and township officials are now looking to terminate him. Officer Richard Fonde, who has been a member of the North Bergen police department for 13 years and has served as the local PBA president for the last four, was given a suspension notice by township officials at his home last week. Fonde’s suspension is without pay, putting a halt to his annual $55,000 salary, and he was forced to relinquish his badge and other police identification equipment. Because Fonde personally owns his service revolver, he did not have to turn the weapon over to officials. Police Chief Angelo Busacco and township attorney Herb Klitzner would not comment on the case. According to township labor attorney Mark Tabakan, the case is considered highly serious, but he would not discuss the details. “It is a very serious matter,” Tabakan said. “Officer Fonde was suspended immediately without pay, but we are under obligation to maintain his confidentiality. But because of the series of events, we are seeking his termination as a police officer.” A disciplinary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Feb. 29, where an independent hearing officer, hired by the township, will listen to testimony from several Internal Affairs officers who conducted the investigation against him. In a published report in the local daily newspaper, Tabakan was quoted as saying that the township was seeking to terminate Fonde “for falsifying official reports…and for various violations of rules and regulations.” However, an angry Tabakan denied last week that he had said that to the paper’s reporter. “I am deeply disturbed about the way I was misquoted in the article,” Tabakan said. “It’s not my right to say anything about the case. I have to respect Officer Fonde’s right to privacy and will not talk publicly about it.” According to the report, Fonde allegedly failed to report off-duty work to the department. That report could not be denied or confirmed by press time. The report also alluded to the fact that perhaps the actions against Fonde were directly tied to his ongoing heated negotiations in the effort to receive a new contract for the union. But Tabakan was quick to squelch that idea. “His responsibility with the union has nothing to do with it,” Tabakan said. “There is no connection whatsoever.” Just last month, it was learned that the township’s superior officers had separated from the general PBA, forming the Superior Officers’ Association, in order to have a separate voice in new contract negotiations later this year. Ironically, Fonde was also openly critical of last year’s firing of Sgt. David Eisenhauer, who was terminated last April for allegedly failing to tell superiors about an off-duty job. Eisenhauer had previously been charged in 1996 with not properly supervising officers under his command, improperly filing police reports and improperly filling out the police blotter. Tabakan also said that there was no connection between the Fonde case and the Eisenhauer case. John Young, the attorney for both Fonde and Eisenhauer, also would not comment on the case. Although Fonde faces departmental charges, Tabakan said he was not facing any criminal charges. “Absolutely not,” Tabakan said. “There is nothing criminal pending against this guy. Nothing. However, from the township’s standpoint, we have to seek his termination as a police officer.” Fonde has been the recipient of several police awards and honorable service commendations during his career on the force. The PBA met Wednesday night to discuss whether Fonde should remain as the organization’s president while the case is under investigation or whether they should name an acting president to serve out Fonde’s term until elections later this year.
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