Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Bergen County Police Department, New Jersey, 2008-2011
This article may not adhere to Ballotpedia's current article guidelines. Please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org to suggest an improvement.
Bergen County Police Department employee salaries are a matter of public record under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act.
In 2009, New Jersey police salaries ranked highest in the nation, with median pay of $90,672.[1]
Salaries
Sunshine Review filed a public records request seeking salary information on Bergen County Police Department employees, specifically those in administrative positions and anyone earning more than $150,000 annually.
Sunshine Review reviewed salary data for years 2008-2011. There were seven employees earning over $150,000 in 2008, 16 employees in 2009, 22 employees 2010 and 36 in 2011. The total cost of the top 100 salaries in 2011 was $13,824,593.[2]
The following table outlines the salaries of some high paying positions in Bergen County:[2]
| Name | Title | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Abrahamsen, Robert | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | $138,671 | $143,502 |
| Alberto, Victoria | Police Sergeant | $129,923 | $132,173 | $132,173 | $136,899 |
| Alvarez, Luis | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $152,226 | |||
| Amaro, Angel | Police Officer | $124,949 | $127,199 | $127,199 | $131,845 |
| Amendola, Linda | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $152,226 | |||
| Antinori, Daniel | Police Officer | $63,474 | |||
| Anzilotti, Robert | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $152,226 | |||
| Babiak, Steven | Police Captain | $159,609 | $161,859 | ||
| Baker, John | Police Officer | $61,886 | $81,788 | $104,863 | |
| Baksh, Saheed | Police Officer | $99,888 | $121,790 | $121,801 | |
| Baum, Erik | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $152,226 | |||
| Bendit, Gary | Police Officer | $60,386 | $80,288 | $104,863 | |
| Boujitas, Manny | Police Officer | $60,386 | $80,288 | $104,863 | |
| Brundage, Alan | Police Lieutenant | $141,438 | $149,849 | $150,295 | $155,741 |
| Carney, Robert | Police Sergeant | $129,923 | $132,173 | $132,173 | $136,899 |
| Carrafiello, Frank | Police Officer | $119,763 | $122,013 | $122,013 | $142,867 |
| Casamento, Jason | Police Sergeant | $118,051 | $120,501 | $120,501 | $124,482 |
| Chan, Christopher | $60,386 | $84,168 | |||
| Clayton, Maryann | Medical Examiner | $193,123 | $200,892 | $207,117 | $214,586 |
| Cleri, Richard | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | $138,671 | |
| Condon, Timothy | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $152,226 | |||
| Cruz, Dennis | Police Officer | $123,237 | $125,487 | $125,487 | $128,935 |
| Cucciniello, Steven | $163,999 | $163,999 | |||
| Cuttitta, Victor | Police Captain | $159,609 | $161,859 | $161,859 | $168,023 |
| Czerepak, Carl | Police Officer | $125,372 | $126,322 | $126,333 | $130,580 |
| Czulada, Thomas | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $156,222 | |||
| De Rienzo, Vincent | Police Lieutenant | $148,233 | $148,983 | $148,983 | $155,952 |
| Dembowski, Stephen | Capt of Co. Investigators | $154,526 | $159,934 | ||
| Devine, Michael | Police Lieutenant | $141,438 | $143,688 | $143,688 | $155,318 |
| Dispoto, Alfred | Treasurer | $151,598 | $157,111 | $161,366 | $166,714 |
| Dombrowski, Thomas | Lt. of Co. Investigators | $152,226 | |||
| Donohue, Richard | Police Officer | $60,386 | $80,288 | $103,563 | |
| Donow, David | Police Sergeant | $131,076 | $133,326 | $133,326 | $143,502 |
| Duboue, Robert | Police Officer | $119,551 | $121,801 | $121,801 | $125,970 |
| Escobar, Gabriel | Police Officer | $119,763 | $122,013 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Espinoso, Robert | Police Sergeant | $129,923 | $132,173 | $132,173 | $136,910 |
| Foy, Gary | Police Officer | $124,083 | $126,333 | $126,333 | $130,580 |
| Francois, Christine | Police Lieutenant | $148,233 | $150,483 | $150,483 | $155,952 |
| Gagliostro, Anthony | Police Officer | $119,763 | $121,801 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Galda, William | First Asst. Prosecutor | $156,500 | |||
| Giblin, James | Police Lieutenant | $148,233 | $150,483 | $150,483 | $155,952 |
| Gmiterek, Stanislaw | Police Officer | $119,763 | $122,013 | $127,199 | $131,446 |
| Ham, Christopher | Police Officer | $99,888 | $121,790 | $121,801 | $125,770 |
| Harnett, Kevin | Police Captain | $259,609 | $161,859 | ||
| Hassinger, Micah | Sr Data Processing Sys Prog | $80,809 | |||
| Higgins, Brian | Police Lieutenant | $148,022 | $148,972 | $148,983 | $168,023 |
| Hornyak, Joseph | Capt of Co. Investigators | $154,526 | $159,934 | ||
| Keenan, Kenneth | Police Officer | $119,763 | $122,013 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Koretsky, William | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $137,171 | ||
| Kornfeld, Ralph | Personnel Director | $154,588 | |||
| La Duca, John | Police Sergeant | $129,923 | $132,173 | $132,173 | $136,899 |
| Laux, Robert | County Admin | $154,638 | |||
| Layton, Robert | Tax Admin | $151,652 | $157,440 | ||
| Lekowski, Charles | Police Officer | $125,583 | $127,833 | $127,833 | $132,080 |
| Lepinski, Mark | Police Lieutenant | $148,022 | $148,972 | $148,983 | $169,523 |
| Leventhal, Barry | Police Sergeant | $136,210 | $138,460 | $138,460 | $134,490 |
| Lo Cascio, Salvatore | Police Officer | $60,386 | $82,668 | ||
| Lorenc, Leszek | Police Officer | $119,551 | $122,001 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Macellaro, Joseph | Chief of Co. Investigations | $157,067 | |||
| Malakas, Uwe | Police Captain | $259,609 | $161,859 | $161,859 | $175,800 |
| Malone, Stephen | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | ||
| Martini, Margaret | Admin Clerk Typing | $68,415 | $71,078 | $73,886 | |
| Martino, Carmen | Capt of Co. Investigators | $154,526 | $159,934 | ||
| Mayo, Vincent | Police Officer | $79,149 | $101,900 | $121,801 | $136,899 |
| McGuinness, Niamh | Police Officer | $80,438 | $100,188 | $120,301 | $124,270 |
| Mello, Wayne | Asst. Prosecutor | $150,432 | |||
| Miller, Thomas | Police Officer | $119,763 | $122,013 | $122,436 | $131,869 |
| Mills, Denise | Police Officer | $99,888 | $121,790 | $121,801 | $125,770 |
| Molinelli, John | County Prosecutor | $153,200 | $165,200 | $165,400 | |
| Mongelli, John | Police Officer | $80,438 | $101,688 | $121,801 | $125,770 |
| Montel, Deborah | Spvr. Of Records | $50,417 | |||
| Morgan, Ralph | Police Officer | $119,551 | $121,801 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Mucci, Thomas | Police Officer | $119,551 | $121,801 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Mullin, James | Police Lieutenant | $141,438 | $143,688 | $144,111 | $155,740 |
| Paletto, John | Police Officer | $119,763 | $122,013 | $122,436 | $126,405 |
| Palotta, John | Capt of Co. Investigators | $151,300 | $155,583 | ||
| Pazos, Mariela | Veterinarian | $154,712 | $160,567 | ||
| Peiffer, Sharyn | Asst. Prosecutor | $150,683 | |||
| Peppard, William | Police Officer | $119,551 | $120,501 | $120,513 | $131,446 |
| Perry, Michael | Police Officer | $119,551 | $122,001 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Pertry, Gidget | Police Officer | $99,888 | $121,790 | $121,801 | $125,770 |
| Porfido, Lisa | Police Officer | $78,938 | $101,688 | $121,801 | $125,770 |
| Puccio, Frank | Asst. Prosecutor | $151,857 | |||
| Razzetti, Dwane | Police Lieutenant | $150,483 | $150,483 | $155,952 | |
| Reed, Bruce | Police Officer | $80,438 | $101,688 | $121,801 | $136,699 |
| Rinehart, Cynthia | Police Officer | $125,583 | $127,833 | $127,833 | $132,080 |
| Rivera, Fred | Police Officer | $78,938 | $101,688 | $121,801 | $125,770 |
| Roberts, Jeffrey | Police Officer | $125,583 | $127,833 | $127,833 | $132,080 |
| Rock, Brian | Police Officer | $61,886 | $81,788 | $105,063 | |
| Rogers, Gerard | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | ||
| Rutch, Joseph | County Division Head | $154,032 | |||
| Ryaby, Denise | Police Officer | $80,438 | $101,688 | $121,801 | $136,699 |
| Sabo, Joseph | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | $138,671 | $143,502 |
| Saldana, David | Police Officer | $119,551 | $121,801 | $122,013 | $125,982 |
| Salzano, Ronald | Police Officer | $61,886 | $81,788 | $104,863 | |
| Sansevere, Daniel | Police Officer | $123,872 | $126,122 | $126,122 | $130,569 |
| Schwanwede, Fred | Asst. Prosecutor | $150,683 | |||
| Schmidig, John | Police Chief | $179,470 | $179,570 | ||
| Sileo, Vincent | Police Officer | $120,186 | $122,436 | $122,436 | $131,868 |
| Sizow, Michael | Police Officer | $60,386 | $80,288 | $104,863 | |
| Smith, James | Police Sergeant | $130,134 | $132,384 | $132,384 | $143,267 |
| Solimando, Mark | Police Officer | $125,583 | $127,883 | $127,833 | $132,080 |
| Sorace, Edward | Police Lieutenant | $148,233 | $150,483 | $150,483 | $155,952 |
| Swartz, Jennifer | Asst. Med. Examiner | $155,813 | $160,691 | $166,755 | |
| Syracuse, Christopher | Police Officer | $124,737 | $126,987 | $142,856 | |
| Tapia, Alejandro | Police Officer | $61,886 | $81,788 | $105,063 | |
| Tiedemann, Matthew | Police Officer | $60,986 | $81,788 | $101,688 | $136,687 |
| Toro, Sara | Police Officer | $60,386 | $80,288 | $104,863 | |
| Tovbin, Stanislav | Police Officer | $61,886 | $81,788 | $103,363 | |
| Trawinski, Edward | County Admin | $180,000 | |||
| Upchurch, Samuel | Police Officer | $125,583 | |||
| Vander Clute, Richard | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | ||
| Vargas, David | Police Officer | $60,386 | $84,168 | ||
| Vargas, Dario | Police Officer | $60,386 | $82,668 | ||
| Vecchione, Jeffrey | Police Officer | $125,371 | $127,622 | $127,622 | $132,069 |
| Venezia, Michael | Police Officer | $78,938 | $100,188 | $120,301 | $124,270 |
| Wartelsky, David | Police Sergeant | $136,421 | $138,671 | ||
| Weber, William | Police Officer | $125,583 | $127,833 | ||
| Weston, Christopher | Police Officer | $61,886 | $81,788 | $104,863 | |
| White, James | Management Specialist | $66,444 | $69,061 | $72,415 | $75,715 |
| Williams, Ka Sabre | Police Officer | $78,938 | $100,188 | $120,301 | $125,770 |
| Williams, Scott | Police Officer | $124,949 | $127,199 | $127,622 | $131,869 |
| Yoon, John | Police Officer | $119,551 | $122,001 | $122,013 | $124,482 |
| Zema, Andrea | Police Officer | $78,938 | $100,188 | $120,301 | $124,270 |
| Zovistoski, Christopher | Police Lieutenant | $148,233 | $150,483 | $150,483 | $155,952 |
| Total | $10,087,481 | $11,596,121 | $12,115,536 | $14,263,703 |
Benefits
Below is benefit information for Bergen County employees for years 2008-2010.[3] The information was gathered from a letter sent by the county after Sunshine Review filed a public records request.
| % to gross pay 2008 |
PERS members 2009 |
PERS members 2010 |
Sheriff officers 2010 |
Police 2010 (hired before 03-31-83) |
Police 2010 (hired after 03-31-83) | |
| Medicare | 1.45% | 1.45% | 1.45% | 1.45% | 1.45% | |
| Social Security | 6.20% | 6.20% | 6.20% | 6.20% | ||
| Medicare reimbursement | 0.61% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 65.00% |
| Dental | 1.11% | 1.19% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% | 99.00% |
| Prescription | 9.23% | 8.98% | 8.27% | 8.27% | 8.27% | 8.27% |
| Eye glasses | 0.16% | 0.17% | 0.14% | 0.14% | 14.00% | 14.00% |
| Workers compensation | 1.73% | 2.67% | 2.28% | 2.28% | 2.28% | 2.28% |
| Unemployment Trust Account | 0.25% | 0.26% | 0.44% | 0.44% | 44.00% | 44.00% |
| Hospitalization | 27.06% | 26.63% | 27.46% | 27.46% | 27.46% | 27.46% |
| Pension - PERS | 5.93% | 8.71% | 8.57% | |||
| Pension - PFRS | 19.37% | 19.37% | 19.37% | |||
| Longevity - previous years | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05% |
| TOTAL - TEMPORARY | 48.84% | 49.25% | 48.91% | 48.91% | 41.26% | 42.71% |
| TOTAL - PERMANENT | 54.77% | 57.96% | 57.48% | 68.28% | 60.63% | 62.08% |
Salary records project
In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.
The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.
A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions.[4] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.
The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701.[4] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[4]
Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.
See also
External links
- N.J. police and firefighter salary cap proposed in Trenton, New Jersey Newsroom, November 23, 2010
- State Budget Solutions -- New Jersey
Footnotes
- ↑ NJ.com, "N.J. police salaries rank highest in nation with median pay of $90,672," September 19, 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bergen County FOIA Salaries
- ↑ Bergen County FOIA Benefits
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 '’Philadelphia’s Quiet Crisis: The Rising Cost of Employee Benefits, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, January 23, 2008
