The Hoboken Police Department suspended two officers in 2024, one for showing up to a mandatory training session drunk and the other for failing to patrol their post and for not turning on their body camera when questioned about it, public records show.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Officer [Damien] Bates was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol during a training class,” the Hoboken PD’s annual major discipline report says.
“As a result of a breath test, he was determined to be under the influence of alcohol while on duty, in violation of departmental rules and regulations.”
The internal affairs investigation sustained charges of intoxication while on duty, odor of alcohol on breath, conduct subversive of good order and discipline of the department, and neglect of duty. The incident result in a 25-day suspension for Bates.
Police Officer Christopher Soto received a 10-day suspension last year for neglect of duty after he was accused of being asleep in a patrol car while on the clock.
“A citizen complainant alleged that Officer Soto was asleep inside of his assigned radio car while on-duty. The investigation revealed that while it was not sustained that he was asleep while on-duty, he was determined not to be actively patrolling his assigned post or zone,” the incident description says.
“Further, when confronted by the citizen he neglected to activate his body worn camera as required and in violation of departmental rules and regulations.”
The charges sustained are neglect of duty, failure to patrol post, failure to comply with chief’s orders, incompetency, inefficiency, or failure to perform duties as it relates to turning on his body camera, as well as insubordination and other sufficient cause.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has mandated that all law enforcement agencies post their annual major discipline reports online by January 31st of each year, which has been in effect for about four-and-a-half years.
Many still just submit to the AG’s office through an online portal and the state’s annual database has also not been updated with each department’s major discipline report yet.
The West New York Police Department uploaded their report today, while the North Bergen and Weehawken Police Departments have not uploaded their reports yet.
HCV previously highlighted what was revealed in the 2024 major discipline reports for the Guttenberg, Bayonne, and Kearny Police Departments.
