Memer of AFIO out of McLean, VA? I am...: )
Northjersey.com : News
Attorney: Bloomfield officers may lose job over military leave allegations
Friday December 20, 2013, 4:18 PM
BY JEFF FRANKEL
Two Bloomfield police officers are suspended without pay for serving their country, according to an attorney representing the men.
. Cartagena and McCracken are fighting for their jobs, according to Elston.
Michael McCracken and Hector Cartagena, who are airmen in the Air Force Reserve, may be fired from the Bloomfield force on administrative charges for allegedly misusing military leave time, said their attorney Catherine Elston at a press conference Friday in Newark. Elston said both are upstanding officers who followed all procedures when they reported for military duty.
State Sen. Ron Rice, also speaking at the press conference at the Fraternal Order of Police’s union hall, called for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to investigate the Bloomfield Police Department’s actions against the officers.
The days in question - 15 for McCracken and 29 for Cartagena - go back to 2007 and 2008. McCracken used the days for traveling to a military base, while Cartagena used his days for medical treatments of combat injuries, Elston said.
Elston said the police department makes it sound like the two were lounging on the beach.
“These men are highly decorated Iraq War veterans, who have served our country overseas, have been overseas at least twice each, and have served our country with honor and distinction, as well as the Bloomfield Township Police Department,” she said. “The township is saying that now, four or five years after these occurrences, that they should not have been paid for the traveling to comply for the military order or for being treated on base.”
Bloomfield police spokesman Sgt. Anthony Servedio confirmed to Bloomfield Life the officers are suspended and facing disciplinary actions in an ongoing investigation. He said Police Chief Christopher Goul and the department will not comment on the case.
Christmas is right around the corner, and both officers told reporters they are worried about providing for their families. Cartagena, who has served for 19 years in the military and eight years on the police force, said he “can’t believe this went as far as it did.”
“This is not a normal Christmas for us, but I’m doing the best I can,” he said. “I’m all in shock this is all happening at once, right before the holidays. But the main thing is, at least I have my family for support.”
McCracken said he’s “disgusted” by the whole matter.