WEST MILFORD Township Police Sergeant Keith Ricciardi lost an appeal last week on a 20-day disciplinary suspension he served in Nov./Dec. of 2005. The suspension stemmed from an incident in May 2004 in which Riccardi was accused of conduct unbecoming, neglect of duty and use of excessive force. According to the judgment issued by Administrative Law Judge J. Howard Solomon, Riccardi answered a 911 call at the home of a teenaged boy whose mother had found him dead of an apparent suicide. The mother was, by all reports, hysterical and was eventually removed from the scene where EMTs were administering CPR. She was placed in an ambulance to be brought to a hospital for evaluation. As she was flailing about, she hit Riccardi in the face. Testimony about what happened next varies, but Solomon said in his judgment he found the testimony of the EMTs to be credible. In that testimony, it was alleged that Riccardi lost his temper and told the boy’s mother “your son is dead because of you.” The EMTs’ testimony also claimed Riccardi called the mother a f****** c*** and then punched her in the side of the head with a closed fist. Riccardi testified that he pushed her back on the cot and that it wouldn’t have happened if the EMTs had properly restrained the woman. In the end, the judge dismissed the appeal with prejudice and wrote in his conclusion: “Since [Riccardi] has been a member of the police department for nearly 14 years without any prior disciplines, I am constrained to suspend him for only 20 days ....” Solomon suggested Riccardi participate in anger management. “Here was a woman who suffered the tragic loss of her son and whose consequent physical and emotional demeanor was understandably unbridled. Compassion and self control should have been exercised.” Police Chief Paul Costello declined to make comment on the case, referring to it as a matter of personnel. He also mentioned that the incident predated his becoming chief of police.