A judge has ruled that a New Jersey police chief and one of his officers, who were recorded using racial slurs, can be fired.
Clark Police Chief Pedro Matos, Sgt. Joseph Teston and Capt. Vincent Concina was recorded in 2020 using racial epithets, including the N-word, to refer to Black people, and even calling a Black suspect an “animal” with a big “monkey head.”
Clark Township Mayor Sal Bonaccorso was also caught on audio recording calling Black people “n_ggers” and “spooks.” He also called female law enforcement officers “f—— disasters.” Bonaccorso was re-elected in 2024 but ultimately stepped down from his position and pleaded guilty to unrelated corruption charges. He remains on probation.
Lt. Antonio Manata, who secretly recorded their conversations, was paid $400,000 in hush money by Clark Township officials in exchange for his guarantee not to release the recordings. Despite that, NJ Advance Media was able to make the scandal public in March 2022 after obtaining the tapes and details of the payout.
Union County prosecutors took charge of the police department in July 2020 to investigate the misconduct. Although all three cops were suspended from their jobs that same month, they’ve still been raking in their six-figure salaries plus bonuses for the past five years, costing taxpayers roughly $2.6 million.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin called for Matos and Teston to be fired in November 2023, and Concina to be demoted, but the township officials maintained their suspensions.
The cops also filed lawsuits in 2024 to block any disciplinary action, accusing the township of violating a state law that dictates that internal affairs charges be filed within 45 days of launching an investigation. The suit asserts that the years-long investigation has significantly exceeded that 45-day mark.
Their attorneys called the investigative delays “ungodly” and “absurdly long,” arguing that their clients shouldn’t face any discipline.
“Three-plus years doing a quote/unquote investigation,” Matos’ attorney, Charles Sciarra, said. “Another two years dragging his feet, proving ever-so-slightly that an investigation was ongoing. AG Platkin’s history of delay and incompetence in police investigations is a matter of historical fact, period.”
However, prosecutors contended that the nature of the allegations warrants a full and thorough investigation to determine criminal charges tied to the cover-up or accusations of biased policing.
Criminal charges have yet to be filed in the case, but Superior Court Judge Lisa Miralles Walsh recently ruled that the cops could be terminated from their jobs, marking a blow to their lawsuits. The judge’s reasoning for her ruling was kept sealed in court filings.
Attorneys for all three cops have not said whether they plan to appeal the ruling.
