Vernon mayor removes Knipe from economic advisory committee after arrest

Vernon Township Mayor Anthony Rossi has removed Peter Knipe as chairman of the Vernon Township Economic Development Advisory Committee following Knipe’s arrest on sexual assault charges.

Rossi announced the decision on Monday after the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office reported that Knipe, 73, of Vernon, was charged with aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault in connection with allegations involving a juvenile dating to 1990 and 1991.

”The recent arrest of Peter Knipe on serious criminal charges has deeply concerned myself and our community,” Rossi said in a statement posted on Facebook. “While every individual is entitled to due process under our system of justice, those who serve in positions of public trust must also be held to the highest standards of integrity and public confidence.”

Rossi said Knipe’s removal from the Economic Development Advisory Committee was effective immediately. The committee is a mayoral advisory body, and members serve at the mayor’s appointment.

Rossi emphasized that the decision was not a determination of guilt, which will be decided through the court process.

”Rather, it is a necessary action to preserve the integrity and credibility of the committee while the legal process proceeds,” Rossi said.

The mayor said he plans to appoint new leadership to the committee so it can continue its work supporting economic growth and the local business community. Knipe’s term was scheduled to end on Jan. 14, 2027.

According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, the arrest followed an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Fair Lawn Police Dept.

Authorities said the investigation began after the Fair Lawn Police Dept. contacted the prosecutor’s office on May 26 regarding an alleged past sexual assault involving a juvenile.

Investigators alleged that Knipe sexually assaulted a juvenile in Fair Lawn on multiple occasions between Dec. 2, 1990, and Dec. 31, 1991, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Knipe was arrested July 16 in Fair Lawn and charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault and three counts of second-degree sexual assault. He was released after a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack on July 17.

Knipe is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 13 for a pre-indictment conference at 9 a.m. He was represented in his first appearance by Clifton attorney Anthony N. Barbieri, according to Bergen County court records.

Messages left for Barbieri were not answered.

The charges are accusations and that Knipe is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.