18 Criminal Cases Dismissed Because Cop Filed False Reports: Prosecutor

A total of 18 criminal cases must be dismissed after a Camden County Metro Police officer was charged with filing false police reports in two matters and one count of simple assault, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office announced on Friday.

Douglas Dickinson, an officer with the department since 2014,  was charged after the Camden County Police Department Metro Division notified the Prosecutor’s Office of the alleged misconduct.

As a result of the charges against Dickinson, the Prosecutor’s Office conducted a review of other criminal cases in which he was an investigating or arresting officer.

That review revealed there were multiple cases where Dickinson was the only officer who would be called upon to testify.

Since a prosecution may only proceed on the basis of sufficient admissible evidence to support a conviction, Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo determined that her office cannot legally prosecute cases with the knowledge Dickinson is charged with crimes of falsifying police reports.

“Our office has a legal obligation to dismiss cases tainted by the possibility of police misconduct,” Colalillo said.  

These cases include both pending matters as well as cases which have already resulted in plea agreements.  The majority of the cases that will be dismissed involved drug distribution. The remaining cases that will be dismissed are for resisting arrest, two weapons charges and one theft.

The investigation is ongoing.