Paramus Cop Wounded During Traffic Stop is Back at Work

A northern New Jersey police officer who was shot and critically wounded during a traffic stop last year is back on the job.

Rachel Morgan returned to the Paramus police force on Monday, nearly a year after she was shot on Route 17. She is now a detective, a rank she was formally promoted to last month.

Morgan was struck twice in the abdomen and once in the leg Feb. 6 when a driver she had stopped for speeding suddenly opened fire on her. Officials say her protective vest deflected two other bullets.

Fellow Paramus officer Ryan Hayo soon arrived as backup and the two officers exchanged several shots with the assailant, 23-year-old Michael Carmody of Westwood.

Carmody shot himself in the head and died three days later.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)