The State Police are investigating accusations that some of their troopers, including a top-ranking officer, routinely abused their positions to get special breaks on tickets and other perks for events at the PNC Bank Arts Center.
Since last year, internal affairs detectives have been probing allegations that Maj. Daniel Cosgrove, the former head of the Parkway patrol division, and troopers assigned to the Garden State Parkway, hounded Arts Center staff to give them free tickets to concerts, or extra tickets, better seating and waivers on surcharges.
The authorities are also investigating claims that Cosgrove got free use of Arts Center facilities and staff for a birthday party he threw for himself at the Holmdel venue.
"The State Police view themselves -- and not just one State Police officer, everyone -- as above the general public and they can walk in and get tickets and we would give them the better tickets and we wouldn't charge them a fee," said Michele Pittenger, a former senior manager at the Arts Center who was interviewed by investigators late last year.
Capt. Al Della Fave, a State Police spokesman, confirmed that a number of troopers are being investigated. ¶
"We will fully vet those allegations and, if it turns out there is a basis to those allegations, we will take the appropriate action," Della Fave said.
The Arts Center probe began more than a year ago, after staffers at the Arts Center complained anonymously to State Police officials about the behavior of State Police officers at a Toby Keith concert on Aug. 13, 2006.
Pittenger said some troopers wanted free tickets, others wanted better seats. She said the threats were imprecise but the troopers made it clear they could make her life difficult.
"The troopers were out of hand, absolutely out of hand," she said.
Read the full story today in the Sunday Star-Ledger.
