Paid vacation for cop arrested for stealing


Palisades Park police officer charged in theft to be paid while suspended
BY MONSY ALVARADO
PALISADES PARK — A police sergeant who was charged with theft by deception and forgery earlier this month will be paid while on suspension, Mayor James Rotundo said Thursday.
Sgt. Marc Messing, an 11-year police veteran, was suspended on Jan. 6 after an internal affairs investigation was conducted that led to the charges. Messing’s base salary was $119,706 in 2014.
A day after Messing was suspended Police Chief Ben Ramos said it was up to the mayor and council to decide if Messing would be paid while suspended. But on Thursday, Rotundo said the initial decision to pay Messing was made by the chief, and that in the past under similar circumstances the borough has always initially suspended with pay. He said the mayor and council would decide later if a change was in order.
“Until we had a better handle on exactly what was going on and whether it was serious enough to then change it to suspension without pay,’’ he said. “And we haven’t been given any of that yet.’’
Rotundo said the case has been transferred over to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. John Molinelli, the prosecutor, said the case was not transferred to his office for investigation, but he said the complaint was probably sent to the office like all other municipal arrests that must go through screening and prosecution.
Messing, the son of Councilwoman Cynthia Pirrera, is being represented by Hackensack attorney Robert Galantucci, who said earlier this week that his client has not had a court appearance. A court date had not been set as of Thursday, according to an employee at Bergen County Superior Court.
Messing is alleged to have altered a $1,000 check written to the municipality and deposited the funds into his personal account, according to a complaint summons. The summons stated that Messing altered a check paid to the municipality by High Point Utilities by adding a “slash and the name of Marc Messing” on the payer line. Messing, the complaint summons stated, then deposited the check in a personal account.
Messing was sworn as a police officer in 2003. He grew up in the borough and has served as an emergency medical technician on the ambulance corps, and previously as a special police officer and traffic officer.



Gerry Hyland killed police oversight after the cops gunned down unarmed citizens...you  elected him now toss him out.,