Watch Port Authority Commissioner Telling Cops to 'Shut the F*** Up' in Video Which Forced Her Resignation

Updated |

Police in New Jersey have released video showing former Port Authority commissioner Caren Turner allegedly flashing her badge and repeatedly berating two police officers who had pulled over a vehicle which her daughter had been riding in.

Turner was forced to resign on Monday (April 23) after authorities became aware of the footage in which she appears to attempt to influence the officers by boasting of her credentials and connections to the local police force and mayor.

During the clip, which lasts for several minutes, Turner also demands the officers refer to her as commissioner and belittles the officers as "pathetic" and "unable to put a sentence together" before telling one officer to "shut the fuck up."

Tenafly Police released the footage of the incident on March 31 in order to explain Turner's resignation.

In a statement, the Port Authority described the 60-year-old's conduct as "indefensible."

"The board takes its recently adopted Code of Ethics for commissioners extremely seriously and was preparing to form a special committee to review the findings of the Inspector General investigation and take action at this Thursday's board meeting," said spokesman Benjamin Branham, reports NJ.com. "Commissioner Turner's resignation was appropriate given her outrageous conduct."

Turner
Former Port Authority commissioner Caren Turner seen arguing with Tenafly Police officers following a traffic stop on March 31. Tenafly Police /Storyful

Police had pulled over the Toyota Corolla on Easter weekend because its front side windows were tinted and it had an "unclear" rear license plate, according to a police report obtained by Politico.

Officers then found the driver of the car did not have a current insurance card and the vehicle's Nevada registration was out of date.

Turner arrived after being called by her daughter. The video shows Turner becoming increasingly frustrated that the officers are not explaining to her why the car was pulled over and why it will need to be impounded.

One officer tells Turner that she does not have any legal right to know what's going on, explaining all four people inside the vehicle are adults and her daughter was merely a "backseat passenger."

"Your daughter is not being summoned. She was not the driver, this is not her vehicle, it's not your vehicle. How are you involved?" the officer says.

Turner warns the officers that if they continue to have a "problem" with her that she "will be in with the commissioner of the police" to discuss the incident.

As the argument escalates, Turner tells the officers she "hopes they have a really good holiday weekend, as you've just ruined it for a lot of people. I'm very disappointed in the way you two are acting."

When the police tell Turner she may take her daughter and friends away, she responds: "You may not tell me when to take my child, you may shut the fuck up."

She then informs the officers that her daughter and her friends are PHD students from MIT and Yale.

Officials did not disclose the reason for her resignation at the time. The agency said they were investigating "profoundly disturbing conduct" of Turner.

In a statement responding to the video, Turner told Newsweek: "Last month, my daughter and three of her friends were in a car that was pulled over by a Tenafly police officer for non-moving violations, including having tinted windows.

"The officers subsequently decided to impound the vehicle, leaving the four young adults on the side of a busy highway. Concerned, I hurried to the scene to assist them. As a parent, I was upset and uncomfortable with the unfolding events. I let my emotions get the better of me and regret my tone toward the police officers and use of off-color language. For this, I apologize.

"However, at no point did I violate the Port Authority's Code of Ethics or ask for special treatment for anyone involved, nor did I suggest, in any way, that I would use my position at the Port Authority to affect the outcome of the violations issued to the driver. My resignation from the Port Authority is a recognition that this unfortunate incident could and should have been avoided.

"As a long-time Tenafly resident, I have always taken an active role in the community, including working with law enforcement officials, and I encourage the Tenafly Police Department to review best practices with respect to tone and de-escalation, so that incidents like this do not recur."

This article has been updated to include Turner's statement.

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About the writer


Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more

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