BRADLEY BEACH, N.J. – The police chief in Bradley Beach, New Jersey who was shoved backwards onto the hood of a car during a confrontation with one of his sergeants will retire Friday — six months earlier than planned, officials announced, according to the New York Post.
Chief Leonard Guida of the Bradley Beach Police Department appeared at the scene of a DUI-related crash that was under investigation by his officers on Nov. 9. The chief demonstrated symptoms of intoxication as he interacted with personnel.
Specifically, Guida had issue with a uniform jacket worn by Sgt. William Major. Despite the sergeant removing the jacket, the chief continued to probe the issue, much to the annoyance of Major.
Guida called for Major to return. When the sergeant ignored him, Guida followed and went to grab his arm.
“Don’t you touch me!” Major yelled as he grabbed the swaying chief by his lapels and forced him backwards up against the hood of a police unit. “Don’t you f–king touch me! You have a problem? You grabbed me! Now get out of here, before you get a problem.”
Next, Major pulled Guida off the car and shoved him away, muttering that his boss was “drunk again,” according to the footage.
Guida instructed other officers to “take him in,” to which Major responded by again trying to get rid of the berating chief.
“Chief, get out of here, or you’re gonna’ get locked up,” Major said. “Chief, you’re gonna’ get locked up. You’re grabbing me, I asked you three times to leave me alone. You’re obstructing my DWI … You grabbed me. You were out of line. It’s on video. I’m not going to argue.”
Guida suspended Major on the spot, The Post reported, but he has since returned to work.
Meanwhile, the chief faced mounting criticism and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into his actions, which led the borough to suspend him.
WATCH VIDEO
Once the video was released to the public, local citizens in the seaside community called for Guida’s dismissal.
“We believe that his continued presence in this position is detrimental to our police force, our community’s well-being and our trust in law enforcement,” resident Beth Keppler wrote in an online petition.
Now it appears Guida’s misconduct that night will bring his career to a premature conclusion, according to The Post.
“[The prosecutor’s] report is complete, and actions have been taken based upon the recommendations from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office,” Mayor Larry Fox said in a Monday statement.
“I’d like to thank Chief Guida for his 40+ years of service to our borough,” Fox continued. “Under his leadership, our community has become a much safer place to live.”
