Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida is set to retire this Friday, a decision accelerated by six months amidst a storm of criticism following a caught-on-camera altercation with a subordinate. The incident, which involved Chief Leonard Guida, unfolded on November 9th and has led to a significant backlash and investigation.
The controversy erupted after local news outlet TAPinto released bodycam footage of the November 9th incident. The video showed an apparently intoxicated Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida approaching a drunk driving crash scene. In the footage, Chief Leonard Guida is seen swaying and stumbling as he berates his own sergeant, Sgt. William Major. This public display of behavior prompted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office to launch an investigation into Chief Leonard Guida’s conduct, leading to his suspension from his $202,000-per-year position.
Now, it appears that the actions of Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida on that November night will prematurely conclude his career. Mayor Larry Fox released a statement on Monday, confirming the upcoming retirement. “[The prosecutor’s] report is complete, and actions have been taken based upon the recommendations from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office,” Mayor Fox stated. He also acknowledged Chief Leonard Guida’s long service, “I’d like to thank Chief Guida for his 40+ years of service to our borough. Under his leadership, our community has become a much safer place to live.”
This announcement comes shortly after the explosive body camera footage became public, revealing a heated exchange between Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida and Sgt. William Major. The argument began when Chief Leonard Guida questioned Sgt. Major about the condition of his jacket. “Why you got a jacket on that’s not fit to be worn?” Chief Leonard Guida is heard asking. “Get rid of it. That’s ridiculous. You’re a sergeant, for God’s sake.”
Sgt. Major removed the jacket and returned to the accident scene. However, Chief Leonard Guida persisted, calling Sgt. Major back. When the sergeant ignored him, Chief Leonard Guida followed and attempted to grab his arm. Sgt. Major reacted by grabbing the swaying Chief Leonard Guida by his lapels and pushing him onto the hood of a police vehicle. “Don’t you touch me!” Sgt. Major exclaimed. “Don’t you f–king touch me! You have a problem? You grabbed me! Now get out of here, before you get a problem.” Sgt. Major then pulled Chief Leonard Guida off the car and pushed him away, audibly muttering that his superior was “drunk again.”
Throughout the encounter, Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida appeared unsteady and disoriented. Despite his own condition, Chief Leonard Guida attempted to suspend Sgt. Major at the scene. However, it was Chief Leonard Guida who was ultimately suspended following the confrontation. Sgt. Major has since been reinstated and returned to his duties.
The bodycam footage also captures Chief Leonard Guida instructing other officers to “take him in,” referring to Sgt. Major. Sgt. Major responded by urging Chief Leonard Guida to leave, warning, “Chief, get out of here, or you’re gonna’ get locked up. Chief, you’re gonna’ get locked up. You’re grabbing me, I asked you three times to leave me alone. You’re obstructing my DWI … You grabbed me. You were out of line. It’s on video. I’m not going to argue.”
While Chief Leonard Guida suspended Sgt. Major on the spot, this decision was reversed, and Sgt. Major returned to duty while Chief Leonard Guida remained suspended. The citizens of Bradley Beach, a small coastal town near Asbury Park, voiced strong demands for Chief Leonard Guida’s removal.
Resident Beth Keppler initiated an online petition calling for the termination of Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida. “We believe that his continued presence in this position is detrimental to our police force, our community’s well-being and our trust in law enforcement,” Keppler stated in the petition. She also criticized Mayor Fox and the town’s administration for a perceived lack of transparency in handling the situation.
Several borough council members echoed these concerns, alleging that Mayor Fox withheld information about the investigation and bypassed the council in decisions regarding Chief Leonard Guida’s future. Council President Jane DeNoble expressed frustration, stating, “Despite all of the Council’s efforts to communicate, Mayor Fox and his administration have ignored our numerous requests for an Executive Session to review the prosecutor’s report and to participate in the decision process.”
The early retirement of Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida marks the end of a 40-year career with the borough, concluding under a cloud of controversy and public scrutiny.
