Body Camera Footage Released In Ex-Secaucus Police Dog Clash

SECAUCUS, NJ — This week, Secaucus Police released the body camera footage of police officers responding after the April 19 dog clash in Secaucus, where a retired Secaucus police dog, a German Shepherd name Strobe, got loose from his yard and got into a scuffle with two smaller dogs on Paterson Plank Road.

Patch filed an OPRA request for this, which police complied with. The video does not show the actual dog fight itself; it shows police officers responding afterwards to the home of Strobe's owner, and speaking with the owners of the other dogs.

Watch the video here or below.

The fate of Strobe, or if his owners will face any charges, is still unknown. As of Wednesday afternoon, this incident is still under investigation by Police Capt. Scott Coar, the town's certified Municipal Humane Law Enforcement Officer. He is legally required to investigate all dog attacks that occur in Secaucus.

In the worst-case scenario, when a dog bites or mauls another dog, or bites a human, it is killed.

"Listen, I don't want the dog put down, by no means," the man whose dogs were involved told police several times in the video. "I don't want the dog put down. By all means. I am not that kind of person. But I want this person to understand that this could have been far worse."

"I will issue a statement when the investigation is complete," Police Chief Dennis Miller said Tuesday night when Patch asked about the status of Coar's investigation.

The day of the incident

At about 1:30 p.m. April 19, the Saturday before Easter, a man and his two dogs, both Lab mixes and both leashed, were walking down Paterson Plank Road near Franklin Street. The man's wife said they were suddenly attacked by a black German Shepherd that was running loose.

One dog suffered the most severe bite, which police later said may have been from Strobe's paw. That dog suffered a large gash in his side, and would require seven stitches. The dog fight lasted "well over" 15-20 minutes and was only broken up by neighbors who rushed to help, the man's wife said in a public Facebook post.

Also, Strobe may have been injured in the dog clash: A neighbor who got there just seconds after it happened (she did not want to give her name) said Strobe was bleeding from his front paws. Police officers made a similar comment in the video that Strobe appeared to be bleeding.

Strobe was purchased in 2021 by the Secaucus Police department for use as a police dog. He has since been retired, but is still privately owned by Police Sgt. Vincent DeFazio, who lives in Secaucus. He is considered a privately owned dog.

DeFazio was out of town the day of the incident. He was in another state, and his wife kept Strobe in their backyard. The dog got out.

In the video, the police officers returned Strobe to his home. The woman appeared to have no idea he had gotten out, and told officers "she just got home."

"He never runs," she said in the video. "It was just ... it was an accident; it's not like he was off leash ... I just can't believe ... he's never gotten out. I just got home and I let him out in the backyard ... He's never, ever gotten out. I don't know if someone went in our yard and left the gate open. I have no idea. The gate is always closed."

The officers then speculate if Strobe jumped over the gate, which she disagreed with, saying she thought Strobe would get hurt.

"He's never done that before. He's not like that," she repeated. "He lays by the back door. He can't even get out. The gate was just open."

The officers then went to the home of the other man. The following is not an exact and entire summary of their exchange:

They spoke with the man and his wife; the injured dog was with them at their home at the time. The man told police he wanted to press charges against Strobe's owner.

"I was trying to get away ... and it just kept following us and attacking my two," he said. "I don't know how they (referring to Strobe's owners) didn't even hear the commotion out there with 50 other neighbors out there checking out what's going on."

Police officers told the couple they could request a copy of the police report of the incident, which would not be available "for a couple days." The couple also asked for the name of the dog's owners, which officers refused to give. They said the name would be available in the police report.

"What about them getting a summons for having an unleashed dog?" said the woman. "There's no repercussions for them, and now we have a dog that's been attacked."

"That we're gonna have to figure out," responded a police officer, likely referring to the fact that an investigation by the Municipal Humane Law Enforcement Officer would have to take place, which would determine if criminality or negligence occurred on the part of Strobe's owners.

"It got loose. Dogs do get loose," said the officer.

The woman asks police to issue a summons to Strobe's owners.

"Shouldn't that come from you guys?" she asked. "You're the police."

The officers responded the couple could file a civil lawsuit against Strobe's owners, and file their own town ordinance violation.

The couple also asked for a police escort to an animal hospital, which police declined to give them. The police told them they could take the dog to an emergency vet hospital on Rt. 3.

The woman then asked who is going to pay her dog's vet bills. The police tell her it will "go through" Strobe's owner.

It is unknown if DeFazio did indeed offer to pay for the injured dog's vet bills. In her Facebook post, the woman, who goes by Facebook username Ashley Marie, said at 10 o'clock that same night, DeFazio "called my husband to say he was sorry to hear about the incident and didn’t want to ruin the holiday ... He also told me and my husband that he wasn’t in town and that his wife felt terrible but couldn’t do anything because she was home with her kids."

Patch asked the woman if DeFazio offered to pay her vet bills, but she did not reply. Patch has asked her numerous questions since this attack, but she never responds.

Chief Miller released this statement on April 21, two days after the incident:

"After a review of body-worn camera footage, the responding officers showed empathy and compassion to the individuals involved. The officers offered medical attention to the dog owner who declined ... The responding police officers did in fact offer an apology to the owners ... Additionally, the responding officers informed the couple that the attacking dog owner’s information would be contained in the police report, since the Secaucus Police Department does not provide the public with non-public information. While the Secaucus Police Department empathizes with the dog owners, summonses are not routinely issued to any animal owner without conducting a follow-up investigation by a certified Municipal Humane Law Enforcement Officer (MHLEO). The couple was informed at the time of the incident that the incident would be investigated by a Superior Officer of the Secaucus Police Department who is also a certified MHLEO (Coar). I already spoke with him this morning regarding the matter. Additionally, the couple was informed of their own right to sign a Town Ordinance violation or the right to pursue the matter civilly during the police response. While I understand that emotions are high and I offer my personal sympathy to the individuals involved, I ask everyone to remain calm while the investigation is completed, because the Secaucus Police Department is notorious for handling things properly."

Initial report on this incident: Former Secaucus Police Dog Involved In Clash With Other Dogs (April 21)

Strobe when he was first hired by SPD: Meet Strobe, Secaucus Police Dept.'s First Police Canine (May 2021)

About a month into the job, Strobe cornered an accused burglary suspect who broke into a woman's home and threw her against a wall: Secaucus Woman Injured In Home Invasion, Police Dog Nabs Suspect (June 2021)

Get great local news. Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com