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The Department of Justice (DOJ) found that TPD officers routinely stopped and searched individuals without reasonable suspicion, made arrests without probable cause, and escalated encounters with excessive force.
These practices, compounded by poor training, inadequate oversight, and a lack of accountability, have eroded community trust and cost the city over $7 million in misconduct settlements since 2021.
SHOCKING INCIDENTS
The report detailed numerous incidents of excessive and unnecessary force. In 2023, a TPD officer stomped on a restrained man’s hand, kneeled on his head, and kicked him in the shoulder after initially subduing him. In another case, officers chased a 16-year-old boy who was unarmed, slammed him onto a car hood, and dismissed a teacher’s explanation that the teen ran because he was scared of police. The incident left the boy traumatized and forced his family to relocate him to a different school.
In yet another incident, an officer struck an unarmed woman over a dozen times in the head with a police radio at a soup kitchen. Witnesses intervened to stop the beating, which left the woman with severe injuries, yet TPD deemed the officer’s actions “appropriate.”
MISUSE OF PEPPER SPRAY
The investigation also found that TPD officers frequently misuse pepper spray (OC spray), deploying it against individuals who posed no threat or who challenged them verbally. In one case, an officer sprayed a woman sitting in her car—her 7-year-old child nearby—over an expired registration, later dragging her from the vehicle and exposing her buttocks for over three minutes.
Officers also used pepper spray in response to verbal insults, with one officer spraying a man five times after he made hand gestures, shouting, “You want to make a threat at me? I’m locking you the [expletive] up.” In many cases, victims were left in unnecessary pain for extended periods because officers delayed or failed to provide decontamination aid.
THE PATH FORWARD
The DOJ launched its investigation in October 2023, reviewing police reports, bodycam footage, and conducting interviews with officers and community members. While Trenton city officials and police cooperated with the investigation, the report underscores a long road ahead to restore accountability and rebuild trust.
The city has agreed to work with federal officials on implementing reforms. The DOJ is also seeking input from the Trenton community on proposed changes. Residents can email recommendations to USANJ.Community.Trenton@usdoj.gov or call 973-645-2801.
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