Veteran cop charged with indecent exposure

Edison police officer’s son also arrested in Ocean City, Md., incident

BY COLLEEN LUTOLF

& JAY BODAS

Staff Writers

An eight-year veteran of the Edison police force has been suspended with pay after he was arrested and charged with indecent exposure in Ocean City, Md., police said.

Witnesses reported seeing the officer flexing naked in a third-floor hotel room window.

Police officer David Salardino, 32, of Edison, and another Edison resident, Brian Rossmeyer, 28, were arrested at 2:30 a.m. Aug. 3 at the Comfort Inn on 112th Street in Ocean City, said Officer Barry Neeb of the Ocean City Police Department.

“Officer Salardino has been suspended with pay, and we have commenced an internal investigation,” Edison Police Chief Edward Costello said. “We have to determine the disposition of the case as it stands in Maryland.”

Rossmeyer is not a member of the Edison police force, although his father, Otto Rossmeyer, is an Edison police lieutenant, according to Chief Costello.

Two young men from Pennsylvania were walking by the hotel when they heard a banging sound above them, Neeb said.

“They looked up and saw a naked white male standing in front of the hotel room window,” Neeb said.

The two men alerted the hotel’s night auditor, who accompanied the witnesses outside to find the naked man in “full frontal nudity, fully exposed, showing off and flexing his muscles to attract attention,” Neeb said.

Diners who had been eating in the Denny’s restaurant across the street also witnessed Salardino’s alleged indiscretion as they exited the restaurant, police said.

“They were leaving Denny’s and said they heard a loud banging,” Neeb said.

They looked up to see Salardino exposing his penis and genitals, Neeb said.

Witnesses reported Rossmeyer joined Salardino naked at the window but did not flex, police said.

Once a crowd began to gather below, police said the two Edison men quickly closed the hotel room’s blinds.

When police knocked on room 310’s door, Salardino answered it shirtless and in a pair of shorts, Neeb said.

Rossmeyer appeared to be sleeping on the bed, police said.

Salardino denied intentionally exposing himself. He identified himself as a police officer and said he took full responsibility for what happened, Neeb said.

“Although he apologized, he never admitted to exposing himself,” Neeb said.

Salardino suggested someone below may have seen him naked as he walked across the window’s threshold as he went to bed, police said.

“He said he was playing and being silly with his friend and perhaps it was possible someone may have seen him during their interaction,” Neeb said.

“I think it’s unfortunate,” Chief Costello said. “Salardino is an eight-year veteran and up to this point no disciplinary action has ever been taken against him, there has been no situation like this,” he said.

Steven D. Cahn, Salardino’s attorney, could not be reached for comment on Monday.

The two men were released of their own recognizance. A court date has been set for Oct. 28 in Ocean City, Neeb said.