Newark Cops Use New Training To ‘Safely’ Arrest Armed Men

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police officers have been undergoing new training that teaches them to safely – but effectively – apprehend a "combative" suspect. And it showed during three arrests of armed men that recently took place in the city, authorities say.

Newark Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said that since the end of June, about half of the Newark police patrol force has undergone Arrest and Control Tactics training. The techniques are used when dealing with non-compliant suspects to limit any potential injury to police officers, suspects or civilians.

And soon, every sworn member of the force will be given the training, O’Hara said.

Authorities said that a pair of recent incidents in the city show the training is working. According to the Newark Department of Public Safety:

“On September 7, police arrested Kaseem Callender, 25, and Keon Orr, 22, both of Newark, in connection with an armed robbery. Just after 8 a.m., a victim approached 6th Precinct Police Officer R. Owusu-Antwi, who was inside a patrol car at the North Munn Avenue entrance of the Bradley Court apartment complex. The victim reported that he and a second victim were robbed at gunpoint while inside a vehicle. Officer Owusu-Antwi canvassed the area and located one of the suspects, Callender, who resisted arrest before tossing a loaded handgun on the ground on Chelsea Avenue.”

Police continued:

“The second suspect, Orr, arrived at the scene and verbally threatened the life of one of the victims before fleeing. Additional officers responded and located Orr. Both suspects were safely taken into custody. Callender faces charges of robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and conspiracy. Orr is charged with robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, conspiracy and terroristic threats.”

Another incident that tested the officers’ new training took place in August, authorities said:

“On August 28, police officers arrested Tavares Thompson, 40, of Newark, following an aggravated assault of a woman he knows by strangling the victim and striking her with a gun after threatening her and a juvenile with the weapon while inside a West Ward residence. At approximately 9 p.m., Officers S. Reid and L. Mendoza of the 4th Precinct responded and observed Thompson with a gun while he was leaving the residence. Thompson resisted arrest, but was safely taken into custody. He was found in possession of a Sig Sauer M17 Airsoft pistol, a black .45 caliber Airsoft pistol and five counterfeit $100 bills. Thompson faces two counts of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, terroristic threats, along with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, obstruction of justice and criminal mischief.”

“I’m grateful that in each of these incidents, our officers exercised the appropriate restraint by taking the decisive actions to safely apprehend three armed suspects,” O’Hara said.

“I commend each officer for successfully employing de-escalation and Arrest and Control Tactics training,” he added.

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