N.J. sheriff dies in apparent suicide one week after department layoffs and jail beating charges

The sheriff of Passaic County, New Jersey, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Tuesday, according to law enforcement sources, one week after the department was embroiled in turmoil including layoffs and charges against officers accused of beating an inmate.

Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik died inside the Turkish restaurant Toros in Clifton, New Jersey, around 3:30 p.m., three law enforcement sources familiar with the matter told NBC New York.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh confirmed his death in a post on Facebook writing: “I affectionately referred to Richard H. Berdnik as 'America’s Sheriff.' He was an exemplary law enforcement leader and a cherished friend. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Mayor Sayegh had been at the Toros restaurant earlier on Tuesday to present a key to the city to the business' owner for donating 10,000 meals to those in need and free meals to doctors and nurses during the pandemic. The sheriff did not attend the event.

“I look back at all our text messages between the two of us. I’ve known him for 14 years,” Sayegh told NBC New York. “He was an exemplary law enforcement leader and he was a cherished friend.”

Berdnik was a stalwart figure in New Jersey law enforcement, having served as the sheriff for five terms. He was first sworn into the role in January 2011 and most recently won re-election for his fifth term in 2022.

He is survived by his wife and four adult children.

The news of Berdnik’s death comes at a turbulent time for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office.

Last week, the Bergen Record reported that the sheriff had sent a memo to his department describing a challenging time at the agency and the need to lay off 29 jail corrections officers.

Also last week, a Passaic County correctional officer and two sergeants were charged with deprivation of rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice in the alleged beating of a pretrial detainee.

Prosecutors said in a statement that the detainee was held at Passaic County Jail and splashed a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day, sergeants Jose Gonzalez, 45, and Donald Vinales, 38, and officer Lorenzo Bowden, 39, transported the detainee through an area of the jail that lacks a surveillance camera. Gonzalez and Vinales allegedly assaulted the detainee as he was handcuffed, and Bowden did not intervene. They did not submit documentation regarding the use of force.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement he was "deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik" and praised his more than four-decade career.

"Every single day, Sheriff Berdnik earned the trust of his constituents in Passaic County, and worked exhaustively to combat criminal activity, modernize the operations of the Sheriff’s Office, and meet the high standard of service we expect from members of law enforcement," he said.

“Tammy and I were blessed to have counted Sheriff Berdnik as a close friend. We will miss him — and his leadership — dearly," he added.

An investigation into his death is active and ongoing.

Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes remembered Berdnik as a “true law enforcement professional, partner, and colleague.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to the Berdnik family, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office and all members of law enforcement touched by this tragedy. We thank you for your prayers and support as we work through the gravity of this loss,” she added.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.