The Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department just announced the arrest of one of its officers for cocaine possession and prescription drug charges. According to Police Chief Michael Coppola, the arrest occurred two months ago, but this information was not disclosed due to an ongoing internal affairs investigation.

In a statement published through the department’s website on Wednesday, September 17^th, officials notified the public of the arrest of Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Officer Lee Frazzano, who served the department for three years prior to the recent charges. Frazzano was reportedly arrested on July 16^th, at which time he was suspended without pay.

According to Chief Coppola, the investigation of Frazzano was compelled by a tip provided to the internal affairs unit. Frazzano was subsequently subject to a Reasonable Suspicion Drug Test and supplementary investigation revealed that he was in possession of both cocaine and oxycodone. Authorities have not revealed the particulars of the case, as they have yet to conclude the criminal and internal affairs investigations.

Ultimately, Frazzano will appear in court on September 24^th to face these charges, and he could be facing a variety of negative consequences if he is ultimately found guilty. In addition to losing his job, Frazzano could be sentenced to a term of incarceration and ordered to pay hefty fines. In addition, he will be left with a charge on his criminal record.

There are multiple potential outcomes in Frazzano’s case. For example, he could be found guilty, the charges could be dismissed, he could accept a plea agreement and plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a reduced sentence, or he could be enrolled in a diversionary program like PTI (if he has been charged with indictable offenses) or Conditional Discharge (if he has been charged with disorderly persons offenses). Depending on the resolution, Frazzano may be eligible to expunge any record of his arrest and the underlying charges against him, following a waiting period mandated by New Jersey Law.

If the charges are ultimately dismissed, Frazzano will be immediately eligible for an expungement, which, if approved, will eliminate any evidence related to this case. However, it is important to note that an expungement will not prevent law enforcement agencies from accessing his criminal record if he attempts to apply for a job in law enforcement in the future, as the two exceptions associated with expungements apply to those seeking employment in law enforcement or the judicial branch of government.

For more information, view the following article: PIP police officer arrested for cocaine, oxycodone possession, chief says