NEW YORK--In a sharp rebuke of a former commissioner forced to resign over an obscenity-laced tiradecaught on video during a routine police traffic stop, Port Authority officials publicly censured Caren Z. Turner for a litany of ethics rules they claimed she violated.
At the same time, they apologized to the police chief in Tenafly and the two patrol officers in the Bergen County community where the incident occurred for "the outrageous and abhorrent conduct" of Turner, and the "unwelcome attention that followed."
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole said Turner "clearly and unambiguously" violated the board's code of ethics.
"Commissioner Turner's conduct was outrageous and profoundly disturbing and represented a betrayal of the public trust," he said.
The board, which voted unanimously for a resolution of censure, also referred the matter to the New Jersey Ethics Commission.
Turner sparked a firestorm of criticismafter the video of the March 31 traffic stop involving her daughter by the Tenafly police became public.
It showed the 60-year-old Democratic lobbyist attempting to intervene--first by flipping out her Port Authority gold badge and insisting she be addressed as "commissioner," then trying to bully the officers by dropping the names of higher-ups in town, and then ending with a string of profanities.
She was never charged by police.
But all of it was captured on a dashcam video, and Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlain sent a copy of the recording to the Inspector General for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. That led to Turner's resignation as a board member of the powerful bi-state agency last week, after an internal investigation.
Taking issue with Turner's assertions that she never violated the Port Authority's Code of Ethics, the Port Authority board in its resolution detailed those violations, including seeking "unwarranted privileges" for herself and family members, using her Port Authority badge for non-official purposes, and "pursuing a course of conduct that was plainly in violation of her trust."
O'Toole said her actions "badly damaged the reputation" of the agency, and that had she not resigned, she would have been asked to do so.
The resolution came a day after Turner issued a statement that included an apology of sorts, but insisted she had done nothing wrong--setting off even more scorn by suggesting that the police "review best practices with respect to tone and de-escalation, so that incidents like this do not recur."
In the statement issued by her attorney, Turner referenced the traffic stop of her daughter and three of her friends in a car that had been pulled over byTenafly police officers"for non-moving violations, including having tinted windows." She said she went to the scene after the officers decided to impound the vehicle, which they determined had an expired registration from Nevada.
"As a parent, I was upset and uncomfortable with the unfolding events. I let my emotions get the better of me and regret my tone toward the police officersand use of off-color language. For this, I apologize," Turner said in the statement.
But she added: "at no point did I violate the Port Authority's Code of Ethics or ask for special treatment for anyone involved, nor did I suggest,in any way,that I would use my position at the Port Authority to affect the outcome of the violations issued to the driver. My resignation from the Port Authority is a recognition that this unfortunate incident could and should have been avoided."
She also suggested the fault did not rest not entirely on her shoulders.
"As a long-time Tenafly resident, I have always taken an active role in the community, including working with law enforcement officials, and I encourage the Tenafly Police Department to review best practices with respect to tone and de-escalation, so that incidents like this do not recur," she said.
O'Toole said he went to Tenafly on Wednesday to deliver a personal apology on behalf of the board to the chief of police and the officers who became the focus of Turner's wrath.
In a letter, released by the Port Authority, the chairman thanked Chamberlain and the two patrolmen for the department's handling of the "outrageous and abhorrent conduct" of Turner.
Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
