Scarsdale officer charged with assault after alleged attack, police say

Asher Stockler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·1 min read

Dante Barrera, an officer with the Scarsdale Police Department, was arrested earlier this month after police say he attacked a woman in Elmsford, causing her to lose consciousness, court filings show.

Barrera struck the woman "in the leg with a metal hammer causing extreme pain, swelling and bruising," according to a felony complaint filed by Det. Sgt. Paul Rescigno of the Elmsford Police Department.

Afterward, the woman lost consciousness "due to the extreme pain," Rescigno said, only to awaken to the discovery of a new bruise on the side of her face.

Barrera was charged with one count of assault in the second degree, a class D felony, and arraigned at Elmsford Village Court.

The exterior of the Scarsdale Department of Public Safety at 50 Tompkins Road in Scarsdale, New York photographed Dec. 15, 2022.
The exterior of the Scarsdale Department of Public Safety at 50 Tompkins Road in Scarsdale, New York photographed Dec. 15, 2022.

The woman could not be reached for comment.

John Pappalardo, an attorney for Barrera, said in a statement that his client "denies the allegations against him," adding, "we are confident that the criminal charges will be dismissed."

A spokesperson for the Westchester County District Attorney's Office said prosecutors requested bail, but that Justice Alphonse Naclerio instead released Barrera on his own recognizance. Most violent felonies remain bail-eligible under New York's controversial bail reform law, first implemented in January 2020.

An order of protection was provided for the woman and her family members, court documents show.

Scarsdale Police Department Chief Andrew Matturro confirmed that Barrera remains suspended with pay pending the outcome of the criminal case, though he would not comment on any related disciplinary investigation that may be underway.

Asher Stockler is a reporter for The Journal News and the USA Today Network New York. You can find him on Twitter at @quasiasher or send him an email at astockler@lohud.com. Reach him securely: asher.stockler@protonmail.com.

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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Scarsdale Police Department officer charged with assault