A New Jersey town suspended its chief of police after he was arrested in connection to a domestic violence charge in Boston.
Mayor John Coiro of Totowa announced Sunday that Police Chief Carmen Veneziano was suspended over felony charges tied to an incident that occurred in Massachusetts in September. Coiro called the charges against the officer “serious in nature.”
Veneziano was transferred to the Bergen County Jail following a Friday extradition hearing and appeared in a Massachusetts court Monday where he pleaded not guilty, according to NJ.com.
Prosecutors said the 47-year-old suspect assaulted and restrained a woman he was dating in a Boston hotel room after they’d attended a Sept. 14 Yankees game against the Red Sox. He’s accused of headbutting the victim, dragging her by her legs and stopping her from leaving the room.
Hotel security called Boston police, but no arrest was made at the time. The accuser reportedly called Beantown cops days after the incident to discuss what had transpired. That led to an indictment last week.
An attorney for Veneziano told NJ.com his his client’s accuser is “an ex-girlfriend who was extremely intoxicated” when she got into a verbal dispute with the New Jersey top cop. He also called the allegations meritless.
Coiro said Veneziano’s suspension is without pay. The officer reportedly earns $260,780 annually.
The mayor acknowledged Veneziano is seen by some as “a pillar in that community” and said supporters made the trip to Boston to support Totowa’s police chief.
