On November 10, 2012, while off duty, Sergeant Michael Verrocchi engaged in a high-speed chase on Route 28 in Salem, reaching 62 MPH in a 30 MPH zone. He failed to stop when signaled by Officer Sean York, ran a red light, and evaded spike strips placed by Officer Kevin Swanson. Upon stopping, Verrocchi laughed off the incident as a joke. The Salem Police Department suspended him for one day without pay for ‘Conduct Unbecoming an Employee.’ In 2020, he faced criminal charges for this incident, which were later dropped. Verrocchi returned to his position at the department.