Bergen County Executive James Tedesco says Ralph Rivera's actions merit a 90 day suspension without pay. Watch video
HACKENSACK - Bergen County Public Safety Director Ralph Rivera will forfeit a third of his $103,000 salary for interrupting the drunken-driving arrest of a friend last spring, but will keep his job.
County Executive James Tedesco said Tuesday that he has determined Rivera's actions "warrant a suspension of 90 work days without pay."
In addition to his county salary, Rivera collects a pension of $86,104 for nearly 30 years with the State Police.
"I have determined that the actions of Public Safety Director Ralph Rivera on March 19, 2016 warrant a suspension of 90 work days without pay," Tedesco said. "Mr. Rivera will meet the terms of his suspension by reimbursing Bergen County for his salary for 90 work days, forfeiting available vacation days and reimbursing the county for the equivalent dollar amount of remaining suspension days."
Rivera will remain in his job, Tedesco said.
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The director, who once served as Trenton's police director, was suspended with pay after he showed up in a county vehicle at a March 19 traffic stop in Hackensack and distracted a police officer conducting a drunken driving investigation.
The officer had pulled over a Francisco Almonte, 53, at 3:30 a.m. as he drove a Jeep through Hackensack with his wife, Luz Almonte, in the passenger seat.
On dashcam video, Rivera can be heard telling the officer of his affiliations with law enforcement.
"I'm a retired state trooper and the public safety director," Rivera says. "I used to be undersheriff and that's a friend of mine."
In an incident report, Sheriff's Officer Andrew Kara wrote that Rivera "interrupted and distracted me" four times during the traffic stop.
In May, Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal determined that Rivera's actions did not rise to the level of criminality.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.