South Orange Police Department Investigates Police Officer's Excessive Force During Robbery

From the Village of South Orange:

January 28, 2020

The South Orange Police Department Internal Affairs Unit and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Bureau Announce Use of Force Investigation.

The South Orange Police Department Internal Affairs Unit and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Bureau are actively investigating an officer’s use of force during a robbery call that took place on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, at approximately 12:05 a.m. on Sloan Street.The Department reviews all use of force incidents immediately following these situations. The department took immediate action and the officer in question was placed on leave pending a complete investigation.The South Orange Police Department takes all use of force incidents seriously and has a zero tolerance toward any violation. The Police Department reviews every use of force incident for compliance, in addition to mandated semi-annual training and policy review to ensure its officers are best equipped to handle these situations appropriately. The Village will continue to share information as it becomes available and appropriate as the investigation proceeds, though at this time the Village cannot comment as this is still an active and ongoing investigation.

This press release was produced by the Village of South Orange. The views expressed here are the author’s own.