Cop Charged with Pointing Loaded Gun in Farmingdale Bar

A Farmingdale cop surrendered to authorities this morning for at a local bartender's head last month, authorities said.

Richard Hefferon, 46, was off-duty when the incident occurred at  Friday's arrest follows an investigation by both the Police Department's Internal Affairs Unit and the District Attorney’s Office. 

Hefferon faces up to a year in jail if convicted. He is charged with one count of reckless endangerment in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said that at approximately 5:50 a.m. on April 26, Hefferon had several drinks at the South Main Street Pub in Farmingdale when he aimed a loaded police-issued weapon at bartender Charlie Ball's head. The incident was captured on security cameras in the bar.

“I turn my back and I turned back around and the the next thing I know, he’s got this gun out and pointed right at me,” Ball said. “It could have gone a different way."

Hefferon is a 17-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department and was most recently assigned to the Police Oriented Patrolling Unit in the Sixth Precinct. He was immediately placed on restricted duty after the incident and his weapons were confiscated.

Hefferon was arraigned Friday morning, and was released on his own recognizance He is due back in court on July 18.

Assistant District Attorney Peter J. Mancuso, under the supervision of Chief Stephen Antignani of the Public Corruption Bureau, is prosecuting the case for the DA’s Office. 

“Police officers are expected to uphold high standards of professionalism both on and off duty, and most do,” Rice said. “Instead of protecting and serving, however, this defendant chose to place lives at risk, and he will now face the consequences of that choice.”