By Noah Cohen
A Palisades Interstate Parkway police officer
was arrested and charged with drug possession, the agency said Wednesday.
NJ.com
ALPINE — A Palisades Interstate
Parkway police officer was arrested on drug charges two months ago as part of
an internal affairs investigation, the department said Wednesday.
Lee Frazzano, a PIP officer for
three years, was immediately suspended without pay following his arrest July
16, according to a statement released on the police department’s website.
Frazzano was arrested for possession of cocaine and oxycodone, the agency said.
The statement was issued
Wednesday night by PIP Police Chief Michael Coppola in response to an inquiry
from NJ Advance Media earlier in the day.
“Our internal affairs unit
received information that Mr. Frazzano had become involved in illegal narcotics
thus prompting our swift and immediate action,” the statement said. “Mr.
Frazzano was subsequently ordered to undergo a Reasonable Suspicion Drug Test
to which he complied.”
Further investigation by the
department revealed Frazzano was in possession of the narcotics, the statement
added.
Coppola said he could not
disclose details of the case, citing ongoing criminal and internal affairs
investigations. He said the department issues media statements about major
breaking news incidents, not every drug arrest.
“It is critical to understand
that the allegations contained herein should not reflect on the exemplary
professionalism of the members of this agency,” the statement said.
Frazzano was scheduled for a
Sept. 24 hearing, a court representative said.
An attorney for Frazzano could
not be immediately reached for comment.
Kimberly Redmond contributed to
this report
