Attorney General, Bridgewater Mayor At Odds Over Mall Investigation

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin released an update on Friday on the investigation into the Bridgewater Police's handling of a viral Bridgewater Commons mall fight between a light-skinned teen and a Black teen in February 2022.

The AG's update was released after Patch was first to report on the completion of the investigation this past Wednesday. Read More: Mall Video Investigation Ends Without Charges For Bridgewater Cops

Platkin said the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) with the Attorney General completed its investigation in September 2022 and sent a comprehensive Internal Affairs Report and Findings to the Acting Chief John Mitzak of the Bridgewater Township Police Department. Mitzak is now currently the Chief of Police in Bridgewater.

"Since that time, the matter has been proceeding in the local administrative process over which this Office has no control," said Plaktin.

According to the AG's Internal Affairs Policies and Procedures the office normally waits to release these reports to the public "to provide a reasonable opportunity for the local administrative process to run its course."

'Inordinate Length Of Time'

"However, that process has taken an inordinate length of time and further delay only frustrates and frays the fragile trust between the public and the law enforcement community. If the local administrative process is not concluded promptly, the Attorney General will reassess whether the Report and Findings should be released prior to the conclusion of the administrative proceedings that have been ongoing for more than four months," said Platkin.

Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench issued a statement in response to AG:

"When we attempted repeatedly to engage with the Attorney General’s office throughout the spring, summer, and fall of last year, we were essentially stonewalled. If, as the Attorney General claims, there has been a delay that ‘frustrates and frays the fragile trust between the public and the law enforcement community’ then the responsibility of that delay rests squarely in Trenton, not here in Bridgewater.
In fact, the Attorney General’s office did not supply Bridgewater with its internal affairs investigative report and related discovery until September 28, 2022. Since that time, we have fully apprised the Attorney General’s office of the status of the administrative process. We can only speculate as to why this matter was delayed unnecessarily for months within the Office of the Attorney General, but consistent with the confidentiality requirements for internal affairs investigations, we will also refrain from further comment on this matter.
As the process continues, however, the Township will reassess whether our own correspondence related to the Attorney General’s authority and undue delays in this matter should be released prior to the conclusion of the administrative proceedings."

"I am committed to strengthening the trust the public has in the brave officers who serve in law enforcement. To do so we must have increased transparency and accountability in policing, and we are making great strides in that effort," said Platkin. “My office is committed to supporting the dedicated women and men who serve the people of our state with honor and distinction – and that means we must honestly confront and correct instances when conduct occurs that betrays the high standards we set for this noble profession."

The incident went viral nationally when it was recorded by body-worn cameras and mall patrons outside Bloomingdale’s at the mall just after 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2022. Read More: Cops Criticized After Stopping Teen Fight At Bridgewater Mall

During the incident, Bridgewater Township police officers forced one juvenile, a 14-year-old Black boy, to the ground and handcuffed him, while a physically larger 15-year-old, who is of Colombian and Pakistani heritage and who was perceived to be white, was placed on a chair and not handcuffed, according to the Attorney General.

See the video below by NJ Spotlight News:

The video was posted to social media and as a result, more than 1,000 complaints were received by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the Bridgewater Police Department, alleging discriminatory conduct based on race by the officers, according to the AG.

Both juveniles were later released to their parents, and no charges were filed against either child.

Matthew Reilly with the New Jersey Department of Justice's Office told Patch no charges in the District of New Jersey were filed against either Bridgewater Officers Adam Giurlando and Brittany MacDonald.

Following the release of the video, Murphy also previously said he was "deeply disturbed" by the video and the New Jersey chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organization, had called for the Bridgewater officers involved to be immediately removed from the police force pending an investigation.

Several marches by activists were also held calling for justice for the black teen Z'Kye Husain.

Nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has handled cases involving George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, and Breonna Taylor, was also retained by the family of the Black 8th grader handcuffed by Bridgewater Township Police following a mall fight. Read More: George Floyd Family Attorney Hired By Black Teen In NJ Mall Fight

Crump and Husain's family held a press conference at the township on March 2, 2022. Crump said his group is contemplating filing a federal civil rights lawsuit based on "his fourth amendment rights being infringed upon based on unreasonable search and seizure. And obviously equal protection." Read More: Black Activists Halt Rally For Teen Cuffed At Bridgewater Mall

Patch reached out to Crump's office for comment on the update and to see if he was still representing the family but did not receive a response.

On March 3, 2022, Bridgewater held a Community Conversation with community officials and leaders to hear from the public about the incident. Read More: Bridgewater To Turn Viral Mall Video Into Racial Justice Lesson

On April 4, 2022, Bridgewater hired former Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson to help the township deal with the outcome of an investigation. Read More: Bridgewater Hires Former Prosecutor To Help With Police Mall Incident

The council unanimously voted to award a contract to Robertson during the April 4 meeting for a period of one year with a cost likely exceeding $17,500 and no more than $25,000.

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