New Jersey Police Chief Faces Shocking Misconduct Allegations
North Bergen Police Chief Robert Farley is under investigation following extraordinary allegations of workplace harassment and misconduct by five officers planning to sue the township. The accusations, which include defecating in office spaces, drugging colleagues, and physical assault, have prompted calls for state intervention in the Hudson County police department.
According to NJ.com, the officers filed notices of tort claims in January and March, describing behaviors ranging from juvenile pranks to acts potentially constituting criminal assault. Attorney Patrick Toscano has formally requested that New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin assume control of the department.
Serious Allegations of Misconduct
The complaints detail disturbing workplace behavior allegedly beginning immediately after Farley, a 26-year veteran whose family has a long history with the department, was sworn in as chief in February 2024. His father and grandfather previously served as deputy chiefs in the same department.
Special Captain Michael Derrin claims Farley cornered him and “stuck a hypodermic needle through his jeans into the tip of his penis,” causing bleeding, as reported by Yahoo News. Derrin also alleges the chief would place his body hair on officers and their food.
Lieutenant Alex Guzman’s complaints include allegations that Farley exposed himself repeatedly, made inappropriate comments, and defecated on the floor and in garbage cans throughout department offices. According to legal documents obtained by Patch, officers also accuse the chief of spiking office coffee with medications including Viagra and Adderall.
Additional Harassment Claims
The allegations extend beyond physical misconduct. Officer Rasheed Siyam claims Farley and others in the department used racial slurs against him. Officer Christopher Bowen alleges he faced punitive shift changes after failing to meet arrest and traffic ticket quotas.
Other reported incidents include sending a pride flag and masturbation cream to an officer’s home, which his family discovered, and placing “dangerously hot peppers” in officers’ food and heating them in the office microwave. In one instance, this reportedly resulted in first responders being called to assist a sickened officer.
One complainant believes his pet fish were poisoned with the same drugs allegedly used to contaminate the office coffee supply. The claims also mention setting off firecrackers under chairs as part of an ongoing pattern of workplace harassment.
Police chief pooped by desks, spiked coffee with Viagra, cops say in list of assault complaints https://t.co/Khy2LmcmR1
— njdotcom (@njdotcom) March 26, 2025
Department and Township Response
North Bergen Township has firmly rejected the allegations. In a statement issued Wednesday, a township spokesperson expressed “full confidence in Chief Robert Farley’s leadership” and characterized the accusations as “false and outrageous allegations made by disgruntled officers who are resorting to attacking the reputation of a dedicated public servant to further their own selfish goals.”
The township further stated it would “vigorously defend North Bergen taxpayers against these blatant cash grabs and prove that the allegations are false and defamatory” if the claims proceed to lawsuit. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, the matter has been referred to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Request for State Intervention
In his letter to Attorney General Platkin, attorney Toscano emphasized the immediate concerns for officer safety, writing, “Our clients now genuinely fear for their on-the-job safety, so request is herein made that the New Jersey State Attorney General’s Office immediately take over the day-to-day operations of the North Bergen Police Department.”
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office acknowledged awareness of the allegations but directed inquiries to the Attorney General’s Office, which has not yet issued a public response to the request for intervention.
The case has attracted significant attention for both the nature of the allegations and their potential implications for police department oversight and workplace protections for law enforcement officers. A state investigation is reportedly underway after Farley was reported to the attorney general.
