Paterson Cop From Mahwah Spencer Finch Fired Post-Assault Charges

PATERSON, NJ — Spencer Finch, the Paterson police officer facing criminal charges after body camera footage showed him hitting a man detained by police, is no longer employed by the department.

Finch's firing, first reported by NorthJersey.com, has been a topic of discussion since the summer of 2021. The move serves as a break from general practice from the city, which usually puts officers on paid leave until the criminal process plays out, NorthJersey.com reports.

Finch, 44, of Mahwah, is charged with official misconduct, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and tampering with public records or information. Those charges date back to a May incident in which Finch is accused of striking a victim multiple times in the face, and submitting a police report with false statements.

Finch was arrested in June, and spent a few days in jail before he was granted pre-trial release. However, video of the altercation was released by the office of Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, which prompted calls from community organizers and others for the immediate firing of Finch.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office alleged that Finch "committed aggravated assault by striking the victim in the face with his hand, hitting the victim multiple times with a flashlight, and kneeing the victim in the face." Finch was on-duty and in uniform at the time he committed the assault, the prosecutor added.

Finch then went on to prepare, sign and submit a police report which contained "several false statements" that described the incident, the prosecutor said.

The body camera footage shows an upset father arguing with someone about his children. The footage shows another police officer interacting with the man. After roughly two minutes, Finch can be seen walking into frame, when he immediately engages in an altercation with the man.

The footage is posted below, and is posted on the Paterson Times YouTube channel.

Paterson's police union tried to block the firing, filing a complaint with the state's unemployment commission. However, a hearing officer sided with the city, NorthJersey reports.

The city's Black Lives Matter chapter responded positively to the move after being one of the leading voices urging officials to fire Finch.

"Change is slow but change is happening. End the practice of paid leave for cops charged," the organization said.

Zellie Thomas, the chapter's president, spoke to Pix11, where he said he

agreed with the decision.

"I think the city’s decision is the right decision," Thomas told the station. "It’s something that we were advocating for. And if there is backlash from the police unions or any of the court systems, then that is something the city should be able to battle. Because justice is something that is worth fighting for."

Watch the report below:

Related: Organizations Call For Firing Of Paterson Cop After Video Release