By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those cops were fast as lightning
In fact it got a little bit frightening
Officer Rojas fought with expert timing
They were fightin' policemen from funky Bloomfield
They were bobbing up and they were weaving down
There was funky Officer Bruce Calkin and little Fabian Rojas
They went to blows and started swinging with fists
The sudden motion made one skip and now they're into a brand knew trip
Here comes the big boss, and now it's really on...
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is debating whether to conduct an investigation into a knock-down-drag-out that occurred between two Bloomfield police officers Saturday afternoon, spokeswoman Katherine Carter said.
A Union official told The Star-Ledger that officers Officer Bruce Calkin, a 14 year veteran of the department and Officer Fabian Rojas, a 12-year veteran came to fisticuffs because Calkin hit Rojas' police cruiser while he was emptying a garbage can in the parking lot.
The two officers began scraping and in the end, Calkin had to be transported to Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge. Rojas, an amateur mixed martial arts fighter, reportedly sustained no significant injuries as a result of the fight.
The rumble came on the heels of the departments police chief being demoted to captain. His demerit allegedly raised tensions within the department between supporters of the chief and those who did not. However, there is no indication that the fight had anything to do with Captain Leonard's demotion,which is also being investigated by the internal affairs unit.
Councilwoman-at-large Patricia Spychala told The Star-Ledger she received an e-mail from the administrator concerning the altercation between Rojas and Calkin, but said she was told to keep it confidential until the prosecutor's office got involved.
Then, she said, she saw news of the fight had been leaked to a local newspaper. “There goes confidentiality out the window,” said Spychala.
Mayor Raymond McCarthy denounced the incident, saying public employees must hold themselves to a higher standard.
"It cannot and will not be tolerated," said McCarthy. "Plain and simple. We all in public office need to be above reproach, and I don't appreciate (their conduct)."
Detective John Sierchio, state delegate for the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local #32, who is known for his open, vocal criticism of the department, said there is no leadership within the department.
“Right now, there’s such a lack of discipline,” said Sierchio. "It’s a total free-for-all in Bloomfield. No one’s afraid of the consequences of something like this happening.”
Calkin is a member of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local #32. Rojas is a member of a recently formed chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #214.
Captain Leonard was notified by Frederick Carr, Bloomfield’s township administrator on June 18 that he must cease using the title of chief. The state Civil Service Commission does not recognize Leonard as chief, Carr wrote in a memo, because the council’s resolution to appoint him to the position in 2009 was procedurally incorrect and vetoed by the mayor.
Sierchio and Capt. Christopher Goul filed suit against the township last fall alleging that Goul should’ve been promoted to chief instead of Leonard because he earned higher marks on the Civil Service Commission test.
FOP Lodge 214 President Anthony Argento tempered his remarks, pending a review of all the facts surrounding the incident between Rojas and Calkin.
Those cops were fast as lightning
In fact it got a little bit frightening
Officer Rojas fought with expert timing
They were fightin' policemen from funky Bloomfield
They were bobbing up and they were weaving down
There was funky Officer Bruce Calkin and little Fabian Rojas
They went to blows and started swinging with fists
The sudden motion made one skip and now they're into a brand knew trip
Here comes the big boss, and now it's really on...
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is debating whether to conduct an investigation into a knock-down-drag-out that occurred between two Bloomfield police officers Saturday afternoon, spokeswoman Katherine Carter said.
A Union official told The Star-Ledger that officers Officer Bruce Calkin, a 14 year veteran of the department and Officer Fabian Rojas, a 12-year veteran came to fisticuffs because Calkin hit Rojas' police cruiser while he was emptying a garbage can in the parking lot.
The two officers began scraping and in the end, Calkin had to be transported to Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge. Rojas, an amateur mixed martial arts fighter, reportedly sustained no significant injuries as a result of the fight.
The rumble came on the heels of the departments police chief being demoted to captain. His demerit allegedly raised tensions within the department between supporters of the chief and those who did not. However, there is no indication that the fight had anything to do with Captain Leonard's demotion,which is also being investigated by the internal affairs unit.
Councilwoman-at-large Patricia Spychala told The Star-Ledger she received an e-mail from the administrator concerning the altercation between Rojas and Calkin, but said she was told to keep it confidential until the prosecutor's office got involved.
Then, she said, she saw news of the fight had been leaked to a local newspaper. “There goes confidentiality out the window,” said Spychala.
Mayor Raymond McCarthy denounced the incident, saying public employees must hold themselves to a higher standard.
"It cannot and will not be tolerated," said McCarthy. "Plain and simple. We all in public office need to be above reproach, and I don't appreciate (their conduct)."
Detective John Sierchio, state delegate for the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local #32, who is known for his open, vocal criticism of the department, said there is no leadership within the department.
“Right now, there’s such a lack of discipline,” said Sierchio. "It’s a total free-for-all in Bloomfield. No one’s afraid of the consequences of something like this happening.”
Calkin is a member of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local #32. Rojas is a member of a recently formed chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #214.
Captain Leonard was notified by Frederick Carr, Bloomfield’s township administrator on June 18 that he must cease using the title of chief. The state Civil Service Commission does not recognize Leonard as chief, Carr wrote in a memo, because the council’s resolution to appoint him to the position in 2009 was procedurally incorrect and vetoed by the mayor.
Sierchio and Capt. Christopher Goul filed suit against the township last fall alleging that Goul should’ve been promoted to chief instead of Leonard because he earned higher marks on the Civil Service Commission test.
FOP Lodge 214 President Anthony Argento tempered his remarks, pending a review of all the facts surrounding the incident between Rojas and Calkin.
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