Hundreds of police officers were suspended from the job last year. Dozens more from across the state were fired and others demoted. The officer’s misconduct — 404 instances in all — is detailed in the state attorney general’s latest “major discipline” report. It’s part of a directive from 2021 aimed at promoting public trust and transparency, by requiring every law enforcement department in New Jersey to submit to the state an annual report outlining major discipline taken by that agency on its officers.
The state Department of Corrections by far reported the most disciplinary actions taken, with 173. The Camden County Department of Corrections was second. Among municipalities, Newark issued the highest number of major disciplines. Overall offenses ranged from drunk driving to tampering with evidence and falsifying records and murder, criminal mistreatment of inmates and racial social media posts.
