Hoboken SWAT Team: We Were Forced To Go To Hooters
Disgraced Officers Say Embarrassing Photos Are Superior's Fault
Jay Dow

HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBS) ― The racy photos of cops cavorting with Hooters waitresses rocked the Hoboken Police Department. Now, officers face disciplinary charges after a scathing report on their conduct was released.

The photos embarrassed and brought unwanted attention to the Hoboken police.

Officers of the disbanded SWAT team and their chief are seen in the photos having a ball during Mardi Gras, and with Hooters waitresses during the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Retiring Hoboken patrolman John Camile told CBS 2 HD he's moving on with a bit of a heavy heart.

"You feel that weight that people are taking everything and putting down the police department," retiring Hoboken cop John Camile told CBS 2 HD.

But for several of his colleagues, who now face disciplinary charges after a specially commissioned report recommended the department take action, this ordeal is far from over.

"All are being held to account for their actions," Hoboken Mayor David Roberts said.

That could be bad news for five officers who are suing the department and SWAT leader, Lt. Angelo Andriani.

The officers claim Andriani intimidated them into attending the outings documented in the photos.

Andriani firmly denies the allegations.

But lawyers for both sides are accusing the city of conducting a flawed internal investigation.

"They have taken this action to shield Hoboken from any civil liability," attorney Louis Zayas said.

Andriani's attorney told CBS 2 HD the officers are being punished due to the mayor's embarrassment and the internal investigation is more of a sham.

"It's like Alice in Wonderland," Charles Sciarra said. "This is all political and not a legitimate investigation. The city is trying to undo the damage that was done when the mayor watched all this happen."

Hoboken Police Chief Carmen Labruno has been noticeably absent during the news conferences regarding this story. And Mayor Roberts won't say if it's because the chief is just shy of news cameras or if he's a focus of this investigation.

Hoboken officials say they'll release names next week.

Mayor Roberts says a state judicial official will oversee the upcoming hearings on the case.

Lt. Angelo Andriani of the Hoboken Police Department, who is currently on a two-year paid suspension from the force following the 2007 SWAT team scandal in Hoboken, caused a disturbance at Tampa International Airport in Florida on Jan. 18, police reported.

According to a Tampa police log, two TIA police officers responded to a disturbance call at 9:15 a.m. when Andriani, 56, who was in line for a flight to New Jersey, became irate when airline flight crew members were permitted to pass him in line at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. He took pictures of TSA agents' badges, police said.

Ann Davis, TSA spokeswoman, said the passenger yelled at TSA officers, complained about the screening process, displayed a badge and said he was a police officer.

Airport police ran a wanted check on him before allowing him to continue to his flight, the police log said.

Hoboken Police Chief Anthony Falco said that, since this relates to an internal investigation within the police department, he is required by attorney general guidelines not to comment. Falco said he does not know Andriani's current residence.

It has been previously reported that Andriani is paid $11,000 a month while on suspension. Andriani’s suspension is the longest in the history of the Hoboken Police Department.

Hoboken Mayor Zimmer announces Lt. Andriani's suspension without pay
By Mark Maurer/The Jersey Journal
February 01, 2010, 11:42AM

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer announced today that Lt. Angelo Andriani, who has been on a two-year paid suspension from the Hoboken Police Department since his role as commander in the 2007 SWAT team scandal, will no longer be receiving a salary. Zimmer said this decision arises from news of the Jan. 18 incident at the Tampa International Airport in which Andriani caused a disturbance with Transportation Security Administration officers.

Zimmer had released a statement last Wednesday calling for Andriani's salary - $11,000 a month - while on suspension to be withheld and for the investigation to conclude.