Passaic County Sheriff dies by suicide in Clifton restaurant

we begin with a stunning tragedy out of pic  County where longtime Sheriff Richard Berdnik fatally shot himself Tuesday afternoon inside  the bathroom of a Clifton restaurant according   to County officials berdnick had just come from  a ceremony in Patterson honoring the restaurant   owner with a key to the city friends family  and colleagues say they're heartbroken and   searching for answers to his death which  is under investigation by the Passaic County prosecutor's office prior to becoming sheriff  in 2011 berdnick led a distinguished career the   lifelong Clifton Resident was a 28-year veteran  of the city's Police Department a graduate of the   FBI National Academy a husband and father of  four as Melissa Rose Cooper reports bernick's   death is sending shock waves throughout the state  obviously our county is devastated and shocked   this is something that no one in our area would  have expected Passaic Mayor Hector Lora still   can't believe he won't have the chance again to  speak with his longtime friend and colleague pic   County Sheriff Richard berdnick berdnick died  by suicide yesterday after law enforcement say   he shot himself inside the bathroom of Toro's  restaurant in his hometown of Clifton his death   now leaving those who knew and loved him with more  questions than answers apparently took a picture   right before going in it's on social media with  the owner of the establisher one of the owners   this was very much like the sheriff if you came  up and asked him for a picture he would take one   with you the sheriff was an amazingly loving  father a proud grandfather a person of deep   faith and conviction this is someone that by all  accounts and appearances was uh in love with his   position his family his life his faith he let his  faith drive him to serve others today friends and   colleagues are remembering burden commitment to  serving the community prior to becoming Sheriff   he served in the Clifton police force for 28  years Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh calling him an   exemplary law enforcement leader and a cherished  friend attorney general Matt Platkin saying Bernick   dedicated his life to serving the residents  of Passaic County and its municipalities after   retiring from the Clifton Police Department he  continued his his service as Passaic County Sheriff. This is   an unfathomable loss for New Jersey and Senator  Cory Booker saying he leaves behind a legacy of   sacrifice and service his passing is a terrible  loss to the county and states he served for so   many years my thought so with his loved ones in  this time of grief this is an individual that   began his career in Passaic, New Jersey right here in  this city as an auxiliary police officer volunteer   and he also was a volunteer Park police officer  then he went to be a Clifton police officer he   was a volunteer here in 1978 in the 80s and Beyond  he was a Clifton police officer for about 28 years   and he graduated from the FBI Academy after that  he became a Passaic County sheriff and the coordinator   for the office of emergency management he had a  meeting scheduled today with our OEM coordinator   and the coordinators from around the county so  every indication shows that this is an individual   that was still committed to his position his uh  his commitment to serve uh the community I feel   for his family and his children his family  in uniform as well his family of friends all   those who knew him knew him as a as a real  gentleman and neighbors who live near this   restaurant say they still can't believe something  like this happened so close to home what say man   nobody lost a life is not good in any capacity  you mean it's not regardless of what you feel   or how you feel about that person or what his job  was. Bernick's passing comes days after announcing   plans to lay off nearly 30 Corrections Officers  after the county jail shut down and after the US   Department of Justice charged three officers with  beating an inmate authorities have yet to confirm   any details of the investigation but Laura is  asking people to hold off judgment and keep   bernick's family in their thoughts berdnick  served as Passaic County Sheriff since 2011   his friends and colleagues say he'll be truly  missed for NJ Spotlight news I'm Melissa Rose Cooper

Channel: NJ Spotlight News

Views: 247,204

Keywords: Clifton, Clifton restaurant, Passaic, Passaic County, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County Sheriff, Paterson, Richard Berdnik, nj sheriff

Id: K2FfTOggDIA

Length: 4min 33sec (273 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 24 2024