By Matt Gray
nj.com
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, N.J. — A Gloucester County borough councilman seen on video berating a police officer during a January traffic stop has not filed to run for a new term in office, an official confirmed.
Paulsboro Councilman Theodore D. Holloway II was stopped for allegedly running a stop sign on Jan. 4 in the borough, and police body camera video of the incident showed him yelling at the officer, swearing and calling the officer’s chief.
“I’m the one that hired you!” Holloway yelled at the police officer after asking why he was stopped.
“You actually pulled over an elected official,” Holloway said before calling the borough police chief from his car.
“You’re not pulling over a random,” the councilman told the officer. “You’re pulling over your boss. I am literally your boss.”
When a supervising officer arrived at the scene to assist, Holloway said, “You know who I am, right?”
He was eventually issued a citation for driving an unregistered vehicle.
Holloway has not responded to requests for comment about the incident and did not immediately respond to calls this week asking about his future plans for public office.
Paulsboro Mayor John Giovannitti confirmed that Holloway, a veteran borough councilman, did not file a petition for the June primary election.
Holloway was elected last year to fill an unexpired term. He first served on council starting in 2014, according to his LinkedIn page.
“I think he just wants to move on without causing too much fanfare, if I were to guess,” the mayor said. “He’s not going to be a councilman after December.”
A listing of candidates for the primary posted on the Gloucester County clerk’s election division page includes three people running for two open seats on the council and Holloway is not among them.
As for any investigation into the incident between Holloway and the police officer, officials with the state Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability came to Paulsboro a few weeks after the confrontation and interviewed members of the borough police department, Giovannitti said.
The mayor said he’s heard nothing about the matter since then.
In response to a request for comment, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office said the agency would neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation into the incident.
The traffic stop video prompted the head of the New Jersey PBA to call for Holloway’s resignation.
PBA President Peter Andreyev said in his January announcement that Holloway’s behavior should raise serious questions.
“If he can so casually threaten an officer for simply doing his job, then it is a fair question to wonder where else he is flaunting his power and position,” Andreyev stated. “This incident underscores why we must expect and demand better from our elected officials.
Body camera footage shows Holloway was frustrated when the officer first approached his minivan after pulling him over near his home.
“You can’t be serious. What exactly are you getting behind me for?” Holloway asked.
The officer told him he ran a stop sign, a claim Holloway denied. The officer asked for his license, which Holloway provided.
“Don’t think I ain’t going to talk to Gary about this,” Holloway said, referring to borough Police Chief Gary Kille .
Holloway angrily told the officer that, as a councilman, he was responsible for the cop having a job.
“You know me. You act like I’m running around here mother——— gun toting, weed-smoking. I’m the one that hired you,” Holloway shouted.
“You’re wasting your time, you’re wasting the taxpayer money that I pay you guys to do, for what?” Holloway told the officers.
The councilman was issued a citation for “driving or parking unregistered motor vehicle.” He was not issued a ticket over the claim that he ran the stop sign.
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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
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