Two undersheriffs leave Bergen County Sheriff's Office, signaling leadership shakeup
Two undersheriffs have left the Bergen County Sheriff's Office in the last six months, signaling a shakeup in the top ranks of the county's largest law enforcement agency.
Both men — David Borzotta, a retired captain in the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, and Vincent Quatrone, the retired Lodi police chief — left the office on good terms, Sheriff Anthony Cureton said Monday.
"They were two skilled individuals who brought a lot to the table," Cureton said.
Borzotta left in August 2021, and Quatrone departed Dec. 31. Cureton said he has since divided their responsibilities between two other undersheriffs, Jin Sung Kim and former Chief Warrant Officer Cora Taylor.
Cureton's other remaining undersheriff, Orestes Alvarez, primarily oversees the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack.
An often-overlooked cog in the machinery of county law enforcement, New Jersey undersheriffs are political appointees, chosen by an elected sheriff, who handle administrative duties and oversee different portions of their local office, such as court security, patrol or the jail.
Candidates don't need law enforcement experience, though it is usually preferred. In Bergen County, retired police officers who take the job get to collect $115,000 per year on top of their police pensions, making it an alluring post-retirement position.
Undersheriffs normally stay on as long as the sheriff who appointed them stays in power. They tend to resign as a group if the sheriff loses an election, resigns or otherwise abdicates for some reason.
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Borzotta, who handled community outreach, did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did Quatrone, who as executive undersheriff effectively served as Cureton's second in command.
In their resignation letters, both men thanked Cureton for the opportunity to serve as part of his command staff.
"I will forever be proud of the collaboration and accomplishments that we have achieved together," Borzotta wrote in the Aug. 12 letter.
He has since taken a job as the associate vice president of safety and security at Bergen Community College.
Quatrone said in his letter that it was "an honor to work alongside all of the professional men and women of this office."
Cureton, who narrowly won reelection in November, said he's still contemplating who might replace them.
"Of course, I'm not going to just arbitrarily pick anyone," Cureton said. "We want to pick someone who's consistent with the goals of the administration."
Steve Janoski covers law enforcement for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news about those who safeguard your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: janoski@northjersey.com
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This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Two Bergen County NJ undersheriffs leave Sheriff's Office in shakeup
