Ridgewood, New Jersey Police Chief Forest Ross Lyons said an officer stopped Dianna Russini on January 19, 2026 and, after following department protocol and reviewing her driving history, issued a verbal warning instead of a ticket. The chief also addressed wh
A traffic stop that spiraled into a public dispute took another turn after a bodycam emerged — and this time, Ridgewood Police Department leadership stepped in to explain why an officer didn’t ticket Dianna Russini.
In a statement issued on Monday night, Chief Forest Ross Lyons said the stop happened on January 19, 2026, at 9:40 am, on Godwin Avenue. Lyons said a Ridgewood police officer conducted a motor vehicle stop “involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the use of a handheld cell phone while driving.”
Lyons said that during the stop, the officer followed department protocol and reviewed Russini’s driving history. From there, the chief said the officer exercised “professional discretion” and issued “a verbal warning” rather than a citation.
“The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or a citation is consistent with Ridgewood Police Department policy and longstanding practice. ” Lyons said. He added that police officers are encouraged to use judgment and. “when appropriate. provide motorists with warnings as part of the Department’s commitment to fair. impartial and community-oriented policing.”.
The bodycam, according to the chief’s statement, also conflicts with a version of events Russini later told publicly. Lyons said the footage shows Russini “didn’t FaceTime an NFL head coach for help in avoiding a ticket.” Instead. the chief said she name-dropped former Giants coach Brian Daboll and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell as she explained why she was on her phone while driving.
With Lyons’ explanation now on the record, the central question shifts from whether Russini was stopped to why the officer chose to warn rather than cite — and what the bodycam actually captures when the conversation turns to who she said she was contacting.
Dianna Russini Ridgewood Police Department Forest Ross Lyons bodycam traffic stop handheld cell phone Godwin Avenue Brian Daboll Kevin O’Connell