N.J. Police Chief Accused of Spiking Coworkers' Coffee, Pooping on Floors and Sticking Hypodermic Needle into Fellow Officer

• Several officers have filed notices against Robert Farley, the police chief of the North Bergen Police Department, alleging harassment and inappropriate behavior
• “Farley has fostered a workplace environment characterized by inappropriate behavior and so-called ‘practical jokes’ that are demeaning … ” one coworker claimed
• The Township of North Bergen, which oversees the police department, denied the allegations and said the case has been referred to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office

A New Jersey police chief has been accused by several officers of harassment and inappropriate behavior.

Robert Farley, chief of the North Bergen Police Department, is the focus of several notices to sue that were submitted by officers to the Township of North Bergen — which the first step in filing a complaint against an employer in the state — according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.

“Farley has fostered a workplace environment characterized by inappropriate behavior and so-called ‘practical jokes’ that are demeaning, demoralizing, and targeted,” Lt. Alex Guzman wrote in one notice obtained by PEOPLE.

“These actions not only fail to meet the standards of professional conduct but also appear intended to humiliate me and other victims,” he added.

A town spokesperson told NBC News in a statement, “The Township of North Bergen has full confidence in Chief Robert Farley’s leadership of the North Bergen Police Department and we strongly deny these false and outrageous allegations made by disgruntled officers who are resorting to attacking the reputation of a dedicated public servant to further their own selfish goals.”

“In order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest and because we are fully confident that these claims will be proven false, we have proactively referred them to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for review,” North Bergen officials added. 

The Township of North Bergen, which oversees the police department, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Thursday, March 27, while the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office told PEOPLE in a statement that it “cannot comment on any proposed or requested supersession of a law enforcement agency … “

The notices accuse Farley, who was sworn in as police chief in February 2024, of interfering with “health and safety standards” at the office by adding in prescription medication, including Adderall and Viagra, in the office coffee, which caused staff to “inadvertently experience side effects of these substances without their consent.”

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Officers were subjected to harassment and “intimidation,” the notices claim. He would also allegedly defecate “on the floor in front of his entire office staff” and leave feces on the bathroom floor “with the intent of having someone unknowingly step on it.”

Farley was also accused of ordering officers to complete his daughter’s homework — which was described as “humiliating.” He also allegedly once jabbed another officer in his genitals with a hypodermic needle.

The notices claim he would also damage the items in his office — including a TV and picture frames — in fits of “rage,” as well as other officers’ personal property by “breaking pens and smearing ink on uniforms, vehicle door handles and office equipment.”

The harassment also extended to their families, officers claimed, saying that Farley would deliver “inappropriate items” to the officers’ homes including “gay pride flags, dildos and masturbation cream,” which were seen by the officers’ loved ones.

Farley earns more than $228,000 a year according to pension records obtained by NJ Advance Media, which first reported the news. He heads a department with more than 120 officers, per the outlet.