[NJ] Paterson Police Lt. Papagni in the money during gun domestic violence allegations

Papagni was charged with fourth degree aggravated assault with a weapon under a statute that covers cases in which the accused "knowingly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life points a firearm…at in the direction of another whether or not the actor believes it to be loaded." City council members expressed concern that several days passed before they received word of Papagni’s arrest. Four members had no knowledge of the case until informed about it by PatersonPress.com... While assigned to desk duty because of criminal charges filed against him, Paterson Police Lt. Patrick Papagni has collected $6,173.38 in overtime... ...[Paterson Police Lieutenant Patrick] Papagni’s former wife, Maura, is an investigator in the prosecutor’s office and his former brother-in-law, J. Patrick McCabe, is an assistant prosecutor... 

No big deal?

N.J. COP ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GETS THOUSANDS IN OVERTIME PAY
AOL
By David Schepp
Posted Feb 2nd 2011
[Excerpts] A New Jersey police officer facing domestic-violence charges and placed on desk duty has been paid $6,200 in overtime during the three months after his arrest. Patrick Papagni, a lieutenant with the Paterson Police Department, was placed on desk duty in October after being charged with aggravated assault with a weapon for allegedly pointing his gun at his girlfriend and dragging her out of her house... It isn't clear why Papagni was permitted to keep working and remain on the payroll despite the charges facing him. The report notes that other officers within the department who have faced criminal charges were suspended... [Full article here]

ACCUSED CITY COP GETS $6,173 IN OT WHILE ON DESK DUTY
The Patterson Press
Joe Malinconico
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
[Excerpts] While assigned to desk duty because of criminal charges filed against him, Paterson Police Lt. Patrick Papagni has collected $6,173.38 in overtime, according to city payroll records. During the three months after the charges were filed against him, Papagni also received $1,619.22 in extra pay for being assigned to a night shift, the payroll records show. Papagni was placed on desk duty and required to surrender his police department weapon on October 12 after being charged with aggravated assault with a weapon for allegedly pointing his gun at his girlfriend and dragging her out of her house. The case remains under investigation by the Passaic County prosecutor's office, according to Gina Pfund, the head of that agency's domestic violence unit. The charges have not yet gone to a grand jury. Police Chief James Wittig decided in October to put Papagni, who previously had served as Wittig's chief of staff, on restricted duty instead of suspending him. At the time, city police officials would not say exactly why Papagni was kept on the payroll while other Paterson officers facing criminal offenses, including one accused of possession of child pornography and another charged with official misconduct, were suspended... Between October 15 and January 15, Papagni was paid $26,525.82 in straight time salary for 480 hours, according to payroll records provided to PatersonPress.com through an Open Public Records Act request.. The records show he also received $461.53 in detective pay, $5,397.48 in longevity pay, $7,478.22 in benefits to go along with the night differential and 61 hours in overtime pay. Papagni's total compensation during the three months was $40,177.42... [Full article here]

FROM EARLIER NEWS:

PATERSON POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES
The Patterson Press
Joe Malinconico
Monday, October 10, 2011
[Excerpts] Paterson Police Lt. Patrick Papagni was arrested over the weekend on domestic violence charges, four city officials confirmed. Authorities have not yet released details of the arrest. Neither the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office nor representatives of Paterson police administration were available for comment on Monday. City officials said the arrest took place in Paterson. They said Papagni is not being held in custody... Papagni works in the police department’s traffic division. He previously had served as chief of staff for Police Chief James Wittig... [Full article here]

NO SUSPENSION FOR ACCUSED COP; PAPAGNI PUT ON DESK DUTY WHILE PROSECUTOR REVIEWS AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGES
The Patterson Press
Joe Malinconico
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
[Excerpts] Police Chief James Wittig has decided not to suspend the city police lieutenant arrested on Saturday on charges he pointed his gun at his girlfriend, officials said. Lt. Patrick Papagni, Wittig’s former chief of staff, will be placed on desk duty, said Deputy Chief Danny Nichols. Papagni also had to turn in his gun, which is standard procedure when officers are charged in domestic violence cases, Nichols said. In the past when city police officers were charged with domestic violence, they had been suspended without pay about half the time and put on paid desk duty the other half, depending on the facts of the particular case... When asked what facts provided the basis for not suspending Papagni, Nichols said he was not involved in making that determination. "The chief made the decision," said Nichols. Wittig was on vacation yesterday and not available for comment. Papagni was charged with fourth degree aggravated assault with a weapon under a statute that covers cases in which the accused "knowingly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life points a firearm…at in the direction of another whether or not the actor believes it to be loaded." City council members expressed concern that several days passed before they received word of Papagni’s arrest. Four members had no knowledge of the case until informed about it by PatersonPress.com... The victim’s name was not released, but authorities said she had a "dating relationship” with Papagni... Papagni’s salary is more than $130,000. The case is being reviewed by the city police department’s Internal Affairs Division. Nichols also said the case has been referred to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office... Papagni’s former wife, Maura, is an investigator in the prosecutor’s office and his former brother-in-law, J. Patrick McCabe, is an assistant prosecutor... [First Assistant Passaic County Prosecutor Robert] Holmsen declined to comment on whether a fourth degree aggravated assault charged seemed appropriate in the Papagni case, saying he had not yet reviewed the investigation reports... [Full article here]
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