Outcome Of Bridgewater Police's Handling Of Mall Fight Remains Incomplete

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The fate of the two Bridgewater Police Officers, who handled a viral Bridgewater Commons mall fight between a light-skinned teen and a Black teen in February 2022, remains unresolved.

The Township confirmed to Patch that administrative proceedings have not been completed 9 months since the Attorney General completed its investigation and sent a comprehensive Internal Affairs Report and Findings to Bridgewater on Sept. 28, 2022.

"While the testimony portion has been completed, the parties are awaiting documents that were subpoenaed from third-parties prior to submitting their closing briefs to the hearing officer," said Bridgewater Deputy Township Administrator Wells Winegar to Patch.

Attorney General And Township At Odds

Previously in February 2023 — a year after the mall incident — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin criticized the township for the time it has taken to complete its own proceedings. Read More: Attorney General, Bridgewater Mayor At Odds Over Mall Investigation

"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 in February.

Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench previously issued a statement in response to AG claiming the township was "stonewalled" by the Attorney General’s office when they tried to get engage with them.

"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," said Moench in February.

The Mall Incident

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 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

It is unclear if Crump is still representing the family.

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.

This past February, Bridgewater announced the launch of the BridgewaterSHIELD program, which has been designed to build and strengthen the ties between the police department and the community. Read More: Bridgewater Launches New Police Program To Improve Ties With Community

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