Five Bergen Sheriffs Earn Combined $1 Million

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino and his top four aides earn a combined $1 million in salaries and pensions, a report on the website New Jersey Watchdog concludes.

Saudino and undersheriffs Steven Librie, Robert Colaneri, Harry Shortway Jr. and Brian Smith were among 44 high-ranking sheriff's officers identified statewide as earning six-figure salaries while collecting often six-figure pensions.

Saudino, 59, earns $138,000 salary plus a $130,000 pension, the report found.

Saudino partly by convincing voters that fiscal responsibility and reduced spending were priorities.

Saudino, who was police chief in Emerson for nine years, promised to eliminate what he called "unnecessary and costly duplication of services," including clearly delineating between county and local responsibilities. He was also critical of what he called years of waste and out-of-control spending in the Sheriff's Department.

Shortway, 72, spent . He was appointed by Saudino to lead the foreclosures and writs divisions of the department.

Shortway earns $186,000, which includes a $76,000 yearly pension. Shortway unsuccessfully ran twice for sheriff, in 1998 and 2007, and served as undersheriff from 2002 to 2005 under Sheriff Joel Trella.

Steven Librie, who retired as deputy chief after 26 years with the Teaneck police department, serves as Saudino's executive undersheriff. Librie retired in August 2010. He earns $219,000, which is comprised of a $115,000 salary and a $104,000 pension.

Former Paramus police Capt. Brian Smith earns $218,000 as an undersheriff, including a $110,000 salary and $108,000 pension. Smith was head of security at before accepting the job.

Rounding out the five is former Carlstadt Police Chief Michael Colaneri, who earns $110,000 as undersheriff and collects a $76,000 pension.