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Law enforcement agencies in two counties are investigating after a woman filed a complaint accusing an off-duty deputy with the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office of entering her parked car outside a restaurant, ransacking the vehicle while intoxicated and leaving his mobile phone behind.
The woman also posted the allegations in a series of TikTok videos that included recordings of the sheriff’s deputy having his phone returned to him the following morning outside Franklin Steakhouse and Tavern on Passaic Avenue in Fairfield. She accused police of treating the man differently because he works in law enforcement.
Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna said Wednesday the incident is under investigation and denied his officers showed favoritism to another member of law enforcement.
“The victim filed a police report and this matter is under investigation,” Manna said. “In no way, shape or form would Fairfield police officers show favoritism to another officer.”
The chief said even though the man was at the scene when police arrived, no crime was witnessed by a police officer and there was not enough evidence to immediately make an arrest without an investigation.