Mayor W. Reed Gusciora releases statement following an announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of an investigation into the Trenton Police Department

Trenton, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division announced today that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the City of Trenton and the Trenton Police Department (TPD).

The investigation will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law by TPD. The investigation will focus on TPD’s use of force and its stops, searches and arrests. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of TPD policies, training and supervision, in addition to complaint intake, internal investigation protocols, complaint reviews, complaint adjudications and disciplinary decisions.

Mayor W. Reed Gusciora issued the following statement regarding the announcement, “I was informed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office this morning that his office will be conducting a civil pattern and practice investigation of the Trenton Police Department. I’ve instructed all levels of City government to fully cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its investigation. My administration knows all-too-well the difficulty and danger police officers face on a daily basis. We thank and support the overwhelming majority of officers at the city, county, and state level who do the right things every day to keep Trentonians safe. These officers have been instrumental in taking guns off the streets and preventing senseless acts of violence. In the past few months, over 214 firearms, 2,868 grams of crack-cocaine, and 26,066 decks of heroin, and $133,722 dollars were seized from drug and firearm traffickers. But we also recognize that the community’s trust in our police force is critical. If any members of law enforcement violate the public trust or act in contravention of our state and federal laws, they should and must be held accountable.”

Before the announcement, officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division notified Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Director Steve Wilson of TPD and Director Wes Bridges of the Trenton Law Department, who have all pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office will conduct outreach to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with TPD.