Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

AROUND THE COUNTRY
CLIFTON, NJ.
New Jersey Sheriff Richard Berdnik apparently committed suicide inside a
restaurant restroom in New Jersey.
CLIFTON, N.J. – Passaic County
Sheriff Richard Berdnik died by
suicide inside a restroom at a
New Jersey restaurant Tuesday
afternoon, according to sources,
the New York Post reported.
The sheriff reportedly walked
into the restroom at Turkish
restaurant Toros in Clifton about
3:30 p.m. on Tuesday when
other patrons heard a gunshot,
and confirmed that he died by
a self-inflicted gunshot wound,
sources told The Post.
His bio on the Passaic County
Sheriff’s website provides the
following details:
“Prior to becoming Sheriff,
Richard Berdnik had a distinctive
twenty-eight year career with
the Clifton Police Department.
Upon retirement, Sheriff Berdnik
was the Commander of the
Juvenile Division and the SWAT
Team; previously, he had served
in virtually every position in the
agency. During his Clifton career,
Sheriff Berdnik received numerous
citations for exceptional service
and received many certifications
in various law enforcement
functions.”
Running as a Democrat, he became
sheriff and was first sworn
into office Jan. 1, 2011. On January
1, 2014, he began his second
term.
Continuing, his bio says:
Sheriff Berdnik is a graduate of
Clifton High School, New Jersey
State Police Academy, FBI National
Academy and FBI National
Executive Institute. … For nearly
thirty years, Richard Berdnik has
been married to his wife, Monica
Berdnik, who is a pediatric
nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in
Paterson; they have four adult
children.
Former Clifton Mayor James
Anzaldi said the shooting was
heartbreaking, northjersey.com
reported.
“I can’t imagine,” Anzaldi said.
“Richie was the salt of the earth,
my kind of person. My heart
breaks for his family.”
The sheriff’s death comes
during department turmoil,
which includes plans to lay
off 29 personnel as a result of
the forthcoming closure of the
county jail, according to northjersey.com.
Moreover, two sheriff sergeants
and a correctional officer
were arrested and charged last
week for allegedly violating a
prisoner’s civil rights during an
alleged 2021 assault and cover-up,
the US Attorney’s Office
for the District of New Jersey
said.
The inmate reportedly
splashed a mixture containing
urine on an officer the day before
the alleged unlawful use of
force occurred, the feds said.
32 The Blues - February ‘24