Bloomfield Police Department (New Jersey)
 |
| Bloomfield Police Department | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | BPD |
| Agency overview | |
| Employees | 122 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Bloomfield, New Jersey, USA |
| Size | 5.328 square miles (13.80 km2) |
| Population | 47,575 |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Bloomfield, New Jersey |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | |
| www.bloomfieldpdnj.com | |
The Bloomfield Police Department (BPD) is the primary law enforcement agency in Bloomfield, New Jersey. It consists of 122 police officers.[1]
Location[edit]
The department is headquartered in its own building at 1 Municipal Plaza.
Organization[edit]
The department is administered through a number of divisions, bureaux and units.
- Chief's Office
- Communications Division
- Community Policing Unit
- Criminal Investigation Division
- Patrol Division
- Traffic Bureau
- Youth Aid Bureau
- Record Bureau
The officers of the department are represented in labor negotiations by Local 32 of the Police Benevolent Association.[2]
History[edit]
In July 2010, Officer Bruce Calkin required hospitalization after being injured in a fight in the department's parking lot with a fellow officer.[3]
In December 2013, a number of police officers sued the department. They claimed they had been suspended because they were in the military reserves. The department in turn claimed the officers were falsely excusing their absences from work as being required by military service.[4]
On 10 February 2014, Acting Police Chief James Behre publicly claimed a city councilman asked him to advance the careers of two particular policemen in exchange for support in becoming the permanent police chief. Two days later Behre was put on paid administrative leave pending a "fitness for duty" review.[5][6]
Marcus Jeter[edit]
In 2012, Marcus Jeter was arrested for eluding police and resisting arrest and assault. In 2014, Jeter was cleared of all charges after his attorney filed a public records request and obtained a police dashcam video which the prosecution insisted was unobtainable.[7] Bloomfield officers Orlando Trinidad and Sean Courter were charged with official misconduct, tampering with public records, and false documents and false swearing, while a third officer (Albert Sutterlin) was allowed to retire after pleading guilty to tampering with evidence. Trinidad and Courter were suspended without pay.[8] In 2012, when the incident happened, the internal affairs department exonerated both officers. Trinidad maintained he was in the right, even though the footage shows otherwise.[9] The mayor vowed to purge the police department of bad police officers after this incident [10]
On January 13, 2015, Superior Court Judge Michael Ravin denied a motion to dismiss the charges against the officers. Under a plea deal offered by the prosecution, Trinidad and Courter would have to spend five years in state prison.[11] In June 2015, the trial was postponed to resume October 5.[12]
On November 5, 2015, the jury found Orlando Trinidad and Sean Courter guilty of official misconduct, conspiracy to commit official misconduct, tampering with public records, falsifying or tampering with records and false swearing. Orlando Trinidad was also found guilty of a lesser charge of simple assault. Both were sentenced to five years in state prison.[13] Marcus Jeter received a $1.6 million settlement from the city for his false arrest and wrongful prosecution.[14]
References[edit]
- ^ Official BPD website retrieved 14 February 2014
- ^ PBA Local 32 website accessed 14 February 2014
- ^ Brawl pits two BPD officers against each other by Jeff Frankel, 19 July 2010, Bloomfield Life
- ^ Police Suspension for Military Service Unfair, Bloomfield Officers Say;Patrol officers Michael McCracken and Hector Cartagena have been suspended without pay since Dec. 4, by Adam Bulger (Editor), 22 December 22, 2013, Bloomfield Patch
- ^ Bloomfield acting police chief placed on paid leave after speaking out at council meeting, by Eunice Lee, 12 February 2014, The Star-Ledger
- ^ Allegations By Bloomfield's Police Chief Are Troubling, by Bob Holt, 13 February 2014, newjerseynewsroom.com
- ^ "The Investigators: Dashcam video clears NJ man; Cops now indicted | ABC7 New York | abc7ny.com". ABC7 New York.
- ^ "Cops that tried to frame black man go down in NJ". February 26, 2014.
- ^ "The Investigators: Indicted officer speaks out about dashcam video | ABC7 New York | abc7ny.com". ABC7 New York.
- ^ NJ.com, Seth Augenstein | NJ Advance Media for (February 25, 2014). "Bloomfield mayor alleges police 'cover up,' vows to 'purge' police department of 'bad officers'". nj.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ NJ.com, Bill Wichert | NJ Advance Media for (January 13, 2015). "Bloomfield cops caught on dash cam lose bid to dismiss misconduct charges". nj.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ NJ.com, Bill Wichert | NJ Advance Media for (July 13, 2015). "Trial delayed for N.J. cops accused of official misconduct in dash-cam case". nj.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ NJ.com, Bill Wichert | NJ Advance Media for (November 6, 2015). "Cops found guilty of official misconduct for false police reports". nj.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Jongsma, Joshua. "Bloomfield settles for $1.6 million with man beaten by officers during 2012 arrest". North Jersey Media Group.