Off-Duty Wayne Officer Commended For Assisting In Bloomfield PD Arrest

WAYNE, NJ — An off-duty Wayne cop helped Bloomfield Police catch a suspect who injured an officer while trying to escape, police officials said.

Wayne Police recognized officer Robert Thompson III for his commitment to protecting and serving the public, even when not in uniform.

Thompson was traveling through Bloomfield in his personal vehicle on Tuesday night, and saw two officers struggling with a passenger in a vehicle, said Detective Captain Dan Daly. The driver of the vehicle drove off, dragging one of the officers before crashing into a pole and causing "significant injuries" to that officer, Daly said.

The driver then ran from the crash and tried to carjack an Uber driver, police said. Thompson got out of his vehicle and ran to help, Daly said. With his assistance, Bloomfield Police caught the fleeing suspect.

Both suspects were arrested, and officers seized two handguns loaded with hollow-point bullets, burglary tools, and "a large amount of drugs," Daly added.

Bloomfield Police have not yet released any information about the incident.