Photo: Bradley Beach Police Department
A New Jersey police chief has been suspended after he showed up drunk at the scene of a drunk driving accident and startedĀ berating one of his officers.
Sgt.Ā William MajorĀ and several other officers responded to a car accident on Main Street in Bradley Beach on November 9, 2023. While the officers were investigating the scene, ChiefĀ Leonard GuidaĀ approached Major and criticized him over his jacket.
Body cameraĀ footage from the incidentĀ was obtained byĀ TAPinto.
"Why you got a jacket on that's not fit to be worn?" Guida asked Major. "Get rid of it. That's ridiculous. You're a sergeant, for God's sake."
Major took off the jacket and then went back to work. Guida continued to harass Major, yelling at him to come back and talk to him.
Major ignored his boss and continued to handle the crash scene. Guida then walked up to Major and grabbed his arm.
"Don't you touch me!" Major screamed.
He then grabbed Guida and threw him up against the hood of a police cruiser.
"Don't you f****** touch me! You have a problem? You grabbed me! Now get out of here before you get a problem," Major said.
Major then released Guida and can be heard saying his boss was "drunk again" as he walked back to the crashed vehicle.
Guida continued yelling at Major, who threatened to lock him up.
"Chief, get out of here, or you're gonna' get locked up," Major told Guida. "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 ā¦ You grabbed me. You were out of line. It's on video. I'm not going to argue."
Guida then suspended Major and told him to go back to the police station.
That's an order," he told Major.
Major then left the scene.
About a month after the incident, Guida was placed on administrative leave and remains suspended from the force. Major has since gone back to work.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office toldĀ The New York PostĀ theyĀ reviewed the case and "subsequently forwarded our findings to the Borough of Bradley BeachĀ for its review."
"We fully expect that the actions we have taken, and the additional actions pending in Bradley Beach, will collectively remedy this issue," the statement said.