The borough has cleared Capt. Joseph Cook of allegations that he destroyed evidence pertaining to a lawsuit filed against him by a police lieutenant, his attorney Patrick Toscano confirmed Thursday.

The attorney for Lt. Bob Kneer, whose suit alleges that Cook and Police Chief Erik Rose created a hostile work environment in an attempt to compel him to retire, sent a letter to the borough's municipal excess liability attorney last November alleging that Cook and an administrative assistant within the police department were shredding documents related to the lawsuit, NorthJersey.com reported in March.

The borough denied a Patch records request for a copy of the letter, citing pending litigation, but NorthJersey.com reported in March that the Nov. 23 letter claims Cook and administrative assistant Maureen Sayers had been "shredding, removing, and/or otherwise destroying documents from the records department," on several occasions over the prior three weeks.

The letters goes on to ask that Cook and Sayers "cease removing and destroying relevant documents" and asks that the borough preserve all videotapes and recordings of the records department from November 2011, according to NorthJersey.com

Cook, whom the borough recently charged administratively for an undisclosed breach of conduct, will appeal those charges -- which are unrelated to the evidence shredding claims -- at a hearing before the Office of Administrative Law in Newark, his attorney said.

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