Scarsdale Police Officer Charged with Assault

The Westchester County District’s Attorneys Office has confirmed that Scarsdale Police Officer Dante Barrera, a resident of Elmsford, was charged with assault in the second degree, a class D felony, in Elmsford Village Court on December 2, 2022.

Barerra is charged with committing assault in Elmsford on the night October 14, 2022.

According to the complaint, “The defendant at the above date, time and place did strike the victim in the leg with a metal hammer causing extreme pain, swelling and bruising. The victim stated after being struck with the hammer by the defendant, she did lose consciousness due to the extreme pain. Victim later came to consciousness and discovered bruising on the left side of her face which was not there prior to her being struck with a hammer.”

A person is guilty of assault in the second degree when:
With the intent to cause physical injury to another person, he causes such injury to such person or to a third person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.

The defendant was arraigned in Elmsford Village Court before Judge Alphonse Naclerio on December 2, 2022. The attorney for the Westchester County Special Prosecutions Division asked for bail – “$20K cash, $40K bond, $50K partially secured bond at 10% - but the defendant was instead released on his own recognizance.” The court issued orders of protection for the victim and her family. The relationship between Barerra and the victim is unknown.

Barerra is suspended from the Scarsdale Police Department, however no specifics were provided about when his suspension began. According to a press release from the Scarsdale Police dated December 16, 2022, “On December 2, 2022, an off-duty Scarsdale Police Officer was arrested and charged with Assault 2nd Degree by the Village of Elmsford Police Department. The officer remains suspended pending the outcome of the criminal case. Inquiries relative to the arrest are to be directed to the Elmsford Police Department.”

We asked Scarsdale Village Manager Rob Cole for the Village’s policy on advising the public in a case involving a Village employee and he said, “Because of the privileged and confidential natures of active personnel matters and ongoing criminal investigations, public communication strategies are informed by the advice of counsel and the status of the matter being processed.”

We also asked Cole if the Village Police Commissioner, Trustee Jonathan Lewis, was advised about the suspension, and this is Cole’s response: “As Trustee Lewis explained, the chief reports directly to the village manager from a management and operational perspective, while the role of the chair of the public safety pillar, and police commissioner, is focused on strategic planning issues. As such, a report would not have been provided to him individually in his role as Police Commissioner.  More generally, however, and in consultation with our labor counsel, the entire Village Board is provided privileged and confidential information about personnel matters when circumstances warrant."

Barrera is represented by attorney John D. Pappalardo who said, "Officer Barrera denies the allegations against him and we are confident that the criminal charges will be dismissed."

Barrera was inducted into the Scarsdale Police force in October 2020, and previously worked for Mt. Vernon Police for two years.