NJ police sergeant charged with lying about assault, officials say

🚨 Internal Affairs investigation results in charge

🚨 Officials say police sergeant made up story

🚨 He has been suspended

UNION CITY — A New Jersey police sergeant has been charged with falsifying a police report.

On Tuesday, Union City police Sgt. Ruben Rodriguez, 49, was arrested by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Internal Affairs Unit, officials said.

The cop, who makes over $178,000 a year, has been suspended. New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office to clarify whether he has been suspended with or without pay.

Rodriguez is charged with one fourth-degree count of false reporting to a law enforcement authority. He has a court date scheduled for Jan. 21, the HCPO said.

ALSO SEE: NJ police sergeant charged with killing traffic officer

Fake assault report

According to prosecutors, Rodriguez lied in a report about being assaulted by a member of the public.

The individual was charged with aggravated assault after an Aug. 8, 2024 encounter at the Union City Police Department, officials said.

ALSO SEE: NJ off-duty police sgt. accused of DWI wrong-way crash death

However, an internal affairs investigation found the assault never happened.

New Jersey 101.5 sent an inquiry to ask whether the aggravated assault charge against the unnamed individual has been dropped.

It's not the first time the sergeant has said he was a victim.

In 2007, Rodriguez said that his leg was injured in a hit-and-run while he was off-duty, the Jersey Journal reported. The driver of the vehicle was charged with aggravated assault.

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