Trenton, NJ police department faces federal investigation for alleged abuses

Federal officials say they’ll investigate whether Trenton, New Jersey police are committing “systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law” in an inquiry announced on Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, we have reviewed numerous reports that Trenton police officers may have used force inappropriately and conducted stops, searches and arrests with no good reason in violation of individuals’ constitutional rights.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said in a statement.

According to the U.S. attorney’s office, investigators will conduct a comprehensive review of policies, training and supervision of the Trenton Police Department. The probe will also focus on how civilian complaints are received and investigated, and how the department makes disciplinary decisions.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora pledged the city’s full cooperation while simultaneously praising the department.

“The community’s trust in our police force is critical," he said in a statement. “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.”

Trenton Benevolent Association Local 11 President Michael Cipriano wrote in a statement, "We understand and respect the purpose of the Department of Justice's investigation. However we hope that this inquiry will also shed light on the pressing need for additional resources and support for our officers."

Police reform advocates say Trenton is only one of many departments in the state that must be investigated.

“I think Trenton warrants an investigation, but I think other cities in New Jersey warrant an investigation, too,” said Lawrence Hamm, chair of the People's Organization for Progress, an advocacy group that focuses on issues including police reform and civil rights. “But they can't investigate them all at one time. They probably don't have the staff.”

He pointed to incidents in Newton, Paterson, Englewood and Jersey City — as well as Newark, where the police remain under a federal consent decree.

Hamm recounted multiple incidents involving Trenton police: One police shooting of an unarmed Black man in a car left the man paralyzed, but a grand jury later determined the shooting was justified. Another man died three weeks after a Trenton officer hit and pepper-sprayed him, and the officer has since been indicted for alleged official misconduct. One officer charged by federal authorities with beating a man at a traffic stop was later acquitted, though the case for the other officer ended with a hung jury. And earlier this year, Trenton officials agreed to pay $1.9 million to the estate of a man who died in police custody, after officers held their knees on his back while he remained face-down, saying he couldn’t breathe, though a grand jury separately declined to indict any officers in the case.

“The deeper problem here is the police do not feel accountable to anyone,” Hamm said.

Sellinger didn’t cite specific cases, but at a press conference on Tuesday, he said there had been reports of "significant force" being used on people for minor traffic offenses while following officers’ instructions, police retaliating against people who questioned or videoed them, and police using force against people in mental health crises.

"In addition, there are numerous reports that Trenton Police Department officers routinely conduct stops and searches without any justifiable reason,” he said in remarks provided by his office. “No warrant or probable cause — just a stop and search. Oftentimes of minority residents. At times, these problematic stops escalated into problematic arrests, in some instances because the person being stopped simply wanted to know why."

Sellinger’s announcement said the justice department and U.S. attorney’s office would conduct outreach to community groups and the public to learn about their experiences with Trenton police.

This story has been updated to include further comments from U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and comment from Trenton Benevolent Association Local 11 President Michael Cipriano.