Major discipline · 2024[1]
Suspended 6 days- Rank as reported
- SGT
- Sustained charge(s)
- Other Departmental Rule Violation
- Other sanction
- Loss of time
- Separated while IA pending
- No
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
Sergeant Antimo Costagliola was suspended for 6 days by the Harrington Park Police Department in 2024. The investigation found that on several occasions Costagliola used the internal affairs process and his position as a supervisor to harass and intimidate another officer, identified in the record as XXXX. He filed an internal affairs complaint based on his personal beliefs and conducted an unauthorized internal affairs investigation in January 2024. Charges for conduct unbecoming, conduct toward officers, and harassment were sustained. Costagliola also received a loss of time.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On Wednesday, April 03, 2024, Sgt. Costagliola was notified of IA-24-04. Sgt. Costagliola has been accused of repeated acts of harassment, gender discrimination, slander and retaliation against XXXX, in violation on NJLAD, CEPA, Departmental Rules and Regulations, and Borough Employment Policies and Practices. Based upon the interviews conducted the record reflects that Sgt. Costagliola on several separate occasions, by his actions and/or words has acted in a manner to intended to harass XXXX specially by utilizing the internal affairs process and his position as a supervisor to intimidate her because of his personal beliefs. Sgt. Costagliola filed an internal affairs complaint in regard to the Use of Force policy based on his personal beliefs/biases rather than the facts and circumstances of the events in reference to the use of a conductive energy device. Furthermore, he conducted an unauthorized internal affairs investigation in January 2024 with the purpose of seeking violations and inaccuracies of XXXX’swritten reports and body wore camera footage while dismissing other officers' actions. These such actions undermine the ability for XXXX to effectively and efficiently carry out her duties as police officer with the Harrington Park Police Department. Being that the Harrington Park Police Department is a small department and therefore it requires harmony and cooperation of its members. There is support in the record to sustain charges against Sgt. Costagliola for the violation of the Harrington Park Police Department’s Rules and Regulations (2) 3.2.6 , (4) 3.3.10 Conduct towards superior and subordinate officers, (3) 3.3.27 harassment based upon his recent and ongoing harassment of XXXX. However, it cannot be definitively determined at this time, and is beyond on the scope of this investigation, to conclude whether such conduct is gender based. Sgt. Costagliola was suspended for six days.