"Black gang members from Teaneck commit burglaries in Wyckoff," Chief Benamin Fox said in an email. "That's why we check out suspicious black people in white neighborhoods."
WYCKOFF -- The former police chief of Wyckoff who condoned racial profiling in an email to officers said he would give up any legal claims against the town as part of an agreement to retire.
Benjamin Fox agreed to leave the police department effective November 15 and apply for retirement, to go into effect December 1, according to the agreement signed mid-November and obtained through a public records request.
Benjamin Fox Fox was suspended on August 5 for 180 days without pay after temporarily agreeing to be removed from the position when the email was unearthed.
"Profiling, racial or otherwise, has its place in law enforcement when used correctly and applied fairly," stated the email, which was released by the ACLU-NJ.
"Black gang members from Teaneck commit burglaries in Wyckoff," the email further stated. "That's why we check out suspicious black people in white neighborhoods."
Township officials unanimously voted in light of the email to suspend Fox and recommended demoting him. He fought the demotion and vowed to appeal. He was suspended the same week.
Fox's suspension was shortened so that it was completed on November 15 and the township agreed to pay up to 60 days he had earned in vacation or sick days.
"The parties will mutually cooperate with each other to more specifically agree upon such amount," according to the agreement.
Fox annually earned about $151,000, according to state pension records.
Fox also agreed to release "any and all claims and rights" he had about his employer, including those about age discrimination, gender discrimination, age discrimination and retaliation.
The agreement and its terms were not an "admission of liability" or a "violation of any duty, statue, law or regulation," according to the document.
The state's Attorney General had investigated Fox over the email for violating the office's policy on banning racial profiling by police. Neither Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney nor Fox immediately returned requests for comment.
Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.