Body Camera Catches Newark Cop Letting Wanted Suspects Go Free: Police

NEWARK, NJ — The Newark Police Department suspended a local officer after body camera footage revealed that he let several wanted suspects escape traffic stops without arrest, authorities say.

The 27-year-old officer – whose name is not being released “because of administrative reasons” – has been on the force for two years, according to a statement from the Newark Department of Public Safety.

“After a routine audit conducted by a division integrity control officer earlier this year, the officer was observed stopping a motorist to issue a traffic ticket,” Newark police stated. “During the stop, the officer failed to arrest the driver after the police car’s computer alerted the officer that the driver had a warrant for their arrest.”

The integrity control officer immediately initiated an investigation, which revealed that the officer stopped “several other motorists” who had arrest warrants, letting them go with only traffic tickets, authorities said.

A police spokesman told NJ.com that the warrants were issued for “traffic violations and criminal matters.”

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Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose suspended the accused officer for six months after holding a departmental hearing. When the officer returns to duty in January of 2018, he will undergo additional training.

“I will not tolerate officers taking shortcuts or failing to do their job,” Ambrose said. “The majority of our officers work extremely hard and risk their lives daily doing so. This young officer needs to accept his discipline and return to work with a compliant and positive work ethic. If he doesn’t, there is no room for him in the Newark Police Division.”

Evidence of the encounters turned up during a review of officers’ body camera footage, according to authorities.

The NPD initiated a pilot program in April after Panasonic donated 80 body-worn cameras and 15 dashboard cameras to equip officers and cars in the city’s 5th precinct.

• See related article: Newark Police Among NJ Cities To Get Body Camera Funding From Feds
• See related article: Essex County Cops Strap On Body Cameras

The NPD re-instituted the use of integrity control officers earlier this year.

“The officers are assigned to monitor the activities of police personnel using a proactive approach,” according to the Newark Department of Public Safety. “They conduct audits and monitor police personnel activities and behaviors with the goal of identifying and correcting issues prior to them becoming problems.”

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