Public Records Request – BWC of illegal arrest made on January 1, 2026
Dear North Bergen Township,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested:
1. The full body camera footage of the police officers of North Bergen who responded to an altercation between tenant and Landlord on January 1st, 2026 on 37th and Liberty Avenue where a female was thrown downstairs by an officer. After being thrown downstairs police officer named PO J. Garcia-Riancho illegaly arrested her. This female was beaten by landlord(man), landlord's wife, and landlord's son yet ONLY the tenant(female) was arrested after being thrown downstairs. Be aware that 2 other officers named PO G. Rich and PO Awadallah witness the tenant being beaten by 3 people yet none of the 3 people where arrested. Did the officers know that there was NO EVICTION document sign by any judge???
2. Any INTERNAL AFFAIRS action taken to reprimand these officers on their wrong doings?!!!
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
Yours faithfully,
Eagle Eye for DUMB officers
Good Morning,
The Township of North Bergen (the “Township”) received your request dated 01/17/2026 under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
Records requested:
1. The full body camera footage of the police officers of North Bergen who responded to an altercation between tenant and Landlord on January 1st, 2026 on 37th and Liberty Avenue where a female was thrown downstairs by an officer. After being thrown downstairs police officer named PO J. Garcia-Riancho illegaly (sic) arrested her. This female was beaten by landlord(man), landlord's wife, and landlord's son yet ONLY the tenant(female) was arrested after being thrown downstairs. Be aware that 2 other officers named PO G. Rich and PO Awadallah witness the tenant being beaten by 3 people yet none of the 3 people where arrested. Did the officers know that there was NO EVICTION document sign by any judge???
2. Any INTERNAL AFFAIRS action taken to reprimand these officers on their wrong doings?!!!
The Township responds:
The Township maintains no records responsive to “…an altercation…where a female was thrown downstairs (sic) by an officer.” The remainder of your request is denied as improper. OPRA provides access to government records. OPRA does not require public agencies to answer questions, conduct research, or provide explanations or interpretations of records. The majority of your “request” consists of questions, your source-less characterization of the facts, and/or requests for information, rather than appropriately seeking identifiable government records. As such, it does not constitute a valid OPRA request, and is denied. See MAG Entertainment, LLC v. Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534 (App. Div. 2005); Bent v. Stafford Police Dept., 381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005).
As with any OPRA request, you have the right to challenge the decision by the Township. At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the Government Records Council (“GRC”) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form. You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at PO Box 819, Trenton, NJ 08625, or at its web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The Council can also answer other questions about the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in Hudson County.
Thank you.
Erin Barillas, RMC
Township Clerk
Township of North Bergen
4233 Kennedy Blvd
North Bergen, NJ 07047
e: [North Bergen Township request email]
o: 201-392-2024
f: 201-330-7694
www.northbergen.org