City Council wants SWAT leak inquiry

May 30, 2008  Jersey Journal
 
HOBOKEN - Councilmembers are demanding an investigation into the leak of a scathing report by the city's labor attorney into the Hoboken SWAT team/Hooters scandal to the media.

"We've asked for a copy of the Corrigan report," said City Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer at Wednesday's council meeting, referring to the report by city labor attorney David Corrigan. "Fox News got a copy and The Jersey Journal got a copy and we've been asking for it and we haven't seen it."

Corporation Counsel Steve Kleinman said that release of the report was a violation of state Attorney General guidelines, but said he would contact the state to see if the report could be released to the council.

The Hoboken SWAT team made two scandal-riddled trips to Louisiana in 2005 and 2006. More than a year after the trips, racy photos surfaced with Hooters waitresses handling their guns, and even one photo showing Police Chief Carmen LaBruno posing with a woman exposing her breasts.

Lt. Angelo Andriani, former commander of the now-disbanded SWAT team, figures prominently in the photos and has been accused in a lawsuit brought by five Latino officers of being an "unabashed white supremacist" and having officers work on his house.

Mason said that because of all the people that Corrigan's investigation touches, she doubts the Attorney General guidelines on Internal Affairs investigations apply.

The Corrigan report slams police officials for sloppy oversight of the SWAT team and its funds, and refers to "several acts of misconduct engaged in principally by Andriani."

Following the release of the report, LaBruno agreed to retire and nine cops, including Andriani, were suspended.