Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin thinks that Vincent Markowski, the director of public safety at Ramapo College, is qualified to be sheriff.  But he can’t let him participate in his party’s convention this month because, it turns out, Markowski is a registered Democrat.

“He has a very substantial law enforcement background. He would make an outstanding sheriff. But this is partisan politics,” said Yudin.  “As a registered Democrat I cannot allow him into the convention.”

Markowski, a Carlstadt resident, served 29 years as a police officer and detective in Passaic and with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.  He submitted a letter of intent to run last month, apparently unaware of his own party affiliation.  Yudin called him last night to break the news in a conversation he described as “pleasant.” 

“He claimed he couldn’t recall he became a registered Democrat.  We suspect what happened is he voted in some Democratic primaries and just left it that way,” said Yudin, who invited Markowski to call him back if he discovered that the party registration information was incorrect. 

The Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) will assign the “party line” to the winner of its convention – the privilege to bracket with its chosen freeholder and county clerk candidates.  Two other sheriff candidates, both of whom are registered Republicans, submitted letters of intent to the party: former ATF agent Dominick Polifrone and Emerson Police Chief Michael Saudino. 

Markowski could not immediately be reached for comment.