Are Newark Cops Providing Protection to the Drug Dealers?

[5Reasons]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1096004803320891.xml

Apparently, some are.

How bad do you think this problem is in Newark? I know some blocks that have been "No-Go zones" for cops for at least a decade.

Does anyone else suspect that there's a secret relationship between cops and dealers?

[jazzyken]

is not only what the cops are doing but how long it took to surface. I know people that claims cops "shakedown" all the time. It is nothing new on the streets of Newark. Now, since it has surfaced what will happen next???

[ProSouth]

As I have made it clear in the past, I am not a great fan of the NPD. Some good guys, more typical cops. One of the biggest problems I have with the NPD is the minority police officers following the example of the rogue, brutalizing white cops of the 30's, 40's, 50, 60, & 70's. Newark cops are the worst when it comes to illegality against citizens and getting away with it. Newark Internal Affairs is a joke. They are soooooo reactive it is a shame. This corruption case was referred to the AG's office only after the same cops recieved repeated complaints. That is not good enough. When a citizen makes a complaint to the NPD Internal Affairs Division they are treated as though they are fabricating their complaint or lying on the officer. This needs to change. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is a criminal element within the Newark Police Department that shakes down drug dealers and prostitutes as well as night club businesses like bars, taverns, stip clubs, nite-clubs, social clubs, and other legitimate businesses and they operate with the blessing of the powers of the NPD. If you don't think so as the guys at Sights. And if you don't play they target you, and set you up for destruction.

The NY Times article is better..It names the names of the other cops involved.


Former Officer in Newark Pleads Guilty to Corruption
By RONALD SMOTHERS and JASON GEORGE
Published: September 24, 2004

TRENTON, Sept. 23 - A former Newark police officer pleaded guilty in a Mercer County courtroom on Thursday to being part of a group of rogue officers who terrorized drug dealers and other criminal suspects over a two-year period, stealing their money, roughing them up and then covering up their crimes by filing false reports.

The former officer, Tyrone M. Dudley, 32, had served in the department for seven years, until last June. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy as part of a plea agreement with the New Jersey attorney general's office, which is investigating corruption in the city's police department.

The inquiry is the latest into a department that has struggled with corruption in recent years. Eight years ago, the city's top police official went to prison after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $30,000 in city funds.

Appearing before a Mercer County Superior Court judge, Linda Feinberg, Mr. Dudley described how he and about a half-dozen other officers had identified people they intended to steal from, between December 2002 and last March. He said the officers had lied in their applications to obtain search warrants at the targets' homes, and then falsified the reports they filed with the department to cover up their thefts.

Mr. Dudley sat in a mostly empty third-floor courtroom and answered questions from his lawyer, George F. Yuska. He mentioned the last names of six other officers who, he said, were involved in the illegal actions. All seven were patrol officers assigned to the city's West Precinct.

Attorney General Peter Harvey would not discuss the ongoing investigation and grand jury proceeding, but called Thursday's plea and Mr. Dudley's cooperation "a significant point in an ongoing investigation into public corruption among certain police officers."

Asked if others would be charged, he said, "Yes."

Mr. Harvey would not say how widespread the problem in the department might be. He said that his office began investigating the officers after citizens complained about them to Newark police officials and the complaints were forwarded to his staff. Some officers came forward to assist investigators, he said; Mr. Dudley was not one of them.

"There were more than one who came forward to detail conduct engaged in by particular officers that were not only violations of the law, but violations of the civil rights of Newark residents," Mr. Harvey said.

One official familiar with the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity described Mr. Dudley and the officers he named as his confederates as "thugs with badges and guns" who preyed on suspected criminals. They often beat them brutally, he said, as they robbed them of money. In some instances, they carried out arrests after planting evidence on suspects, the official said.

In a written statement, Anthony F. Ambrose III, the Newark police director, declined to comment on the specifics of the case. He said, "While the vast majority of our officers are upstanding dedicated professionals, like any large police department there are typically those that elect to operate outside the set guidelines and parameters."

He added: "I can assure the public that we will not tolerate officers who feel they can operate above the law. We will diligently pursue and prosecute those who betray their oath to this department and the citizenry of Newark."

In 1996, Newark's then-police director, William R. Celester, pleaded guilty to federal charges of stealing $30,000 from the department and using the money for vacations and gifts for his wife and girlfriends. He served two and half years in prison.

A year before that, a former officer, Bobie Cottle, was caught up in a federal investigation of dealings between a towing operation and a member of the City Council. The officer agreed to plead guilty in exchange for testifying against the two men who were convicted in the case.

In recent months, the department has come under fire from community groups who say that street patrols and antigang activities by the force have diminished, resulting in a rash of crimes and brazen behavior by the gangs.

Jack McEntee, president of the Fraternal Order of Police chapter that represents Newark police, said, in reaction to Mr. Dudley's guilty plea, that he would not give much credence to his statements.

"I would give as much credence to what he said as I would give to those drug dealers," he said, referring to some of the people who said they had been victimized by the police. "As far as the other officers are concerned, they are claiming that they have done nothing wrong and at this point we are standing behind them."

Word of the investigation by Mr. Harvey's office had leaked out in Newark in the summer as a number of officers received letters from the grand jury, informing them that they were targets of the inquiry or were possible witnesses who could be called to testify, according to a police official familiar with the case.

The officers named by Mr. Dudley in court were Darious Smith, Onofre Cabezas,Lawrence Furlow, Lawe Colbert, Angel Villa and Mario DaSilva. Attempts to reach the officers by telephone were not successful; some could not be located and some did not respond to telephone messages. Mark G. Eliades, the deputy attorney general directing the investigation and prosecution, said that the plea agreement reached with Mr. Dudley called for him to cooperate with future prosecutions. In exchange, he was allowed to plead guilty to a single charge, which carries a penalty of five years in prison and a $15,000 fine. He said prosecutors had also agreed, based on the extent of his cooperation, to recommend probation and no jail at the time of sentencing.

Neither Mr. Eliades nor Mr. Harvey would comment on whether Mr. Dudley, whose cooperation extended back to late last spring, had secretly recorded conversations about the activities of the officers. Privately, some involved with the investigation said that Mr. Harvey had kept the investigation to a small unit in his office for fear that word of it would inadvertently leak out if other Essex County law enforcement agencies were involved.

"You never know who is involved and who other people may talk to, who may be involved," he said.

[sportyjoe]

I thought Joey Santiago got rid of the corruption in NPD? Maybe he learned how to hide it and the new leaders aren't as adept at it.

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

Read the article.....

"Mr. Harvey would not say how widespread the problem in the department might be. He said that his office began investigating the officers after citizens complained about them to Newark police officials and the complaints were forwarded to his staff. Some officers came forward to assist investigators, he said; Mr. Dudley was not one of them. "

Citizens complained to Newark police officials and those officials forwarded those complaints to the Attorney General AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. No coverup whatsoever! :D

[5Reasons]

It's sad that the few bad cops can have an impact on the whole department. Sadly, I suspect that while few were involved, most probably suspected or knew about the antics. Cops are inside organization and I doubt that there's any scheme that can be carried on for any length of time that wouldn't go unnoticed.

I wonder if the standard kickback of 10% also applies to police officers? ;)

[rice2006]

I have advocated for a civillian complaint review board for many years to deaf ears. It is not the magic wand to the problems with NPD and the community, but it is a step in the right direction.

I have even stated that it could be phased in slowly by having a joint police/civillian review board initally and slowly, member by member, remove a police officer for a community member every year until it was completely civillian.

The city could also require that the members undergo that community relations training that the NPD offers annually. Likewise, the board should also be consulted during budget time when the police budget is being debated so that stories about protected drug dealers could be vetted.

[Doofus1]

Ron, please, no more civilian boards appointed by the mayor or the counsel. It will become just another payoff for some political crony that needs a plasma tv. How about firing those who failed to do their job at IA?

[MrTim1955]

Every few months I watch the NPD raid Pennington Court to catch the drug dealers. Every few months, I see them leaving the premises empty handed but quite happy (laughing and joking). Corruption is the only conclusion I can come to that they never seem to catch anyone.

On a daily basis the police stop the users from out of the area and shake them down but for some reason cannot find the dealers.

As far as complaining about the NPD, that is a joke. I complained about the officers who allowed trucks to drive the wrong way and was promised that something would be done. It took embarrassing the mayor to get something accomplished on that score.

[5Reasons]

Civilian Review is no panacea but it COULD be a good measure to provide checks and balances from an organization that NEVER wants citizens to be involved with policy development and ESPECIALLY monitoring police behavior. While I don't have that negative of an opinion of the NPS as others do, I think that we should always be looking for way to interject more democratic mechanism into our bureaucracies.

Doofus, I have a good from at the gym that works in internal affairs and you would be surprised at some of the stories he tells. You would be surprised (or perhaps you wouldn't be) at how many ethically challenged police officers there are on the force; of course, I always wonder, if these are the stories he's telling me, I can ONLY IMAGINE what he's not telling.

Civilian review boards aren't inherently bad, in fact, they would probably exonerate police behavior in most cases. However, if this protecting drug dealers scandal blows up, then it would be difficult to stop that kind of proposal.

[ProSouth]

Let's keep this real and honest. The Internal Affairs Division of the NPD does nothing but assist police officers beat the system and create legal defenses for crooking police.

Where do I start. First off, if IA did their job there would be no reason to contact the AG's office or the U.S. Attorney's Office. The IA Division is suppose to weed out the bad apples and self investigate police officers withing the Department. When people have no faith in IA doing this they go to other agencies.
Yes, IA prosecutes a token number of police officers every year but these officers are NEVER "connected" officers. Connected officers are protected regardless of what they do unless there are issues that are a part of the equation that are out of IA's control....namely video or audio taped evidence. I can name dozens of well known cases of connected police officers getting over and nobody police officers getting investigated, suspended or fired for the same thing or less. Why is Hector Corchado still a cop after that racial incident years ago??? Why is Irving Bradley still on the force??? Why was Santiago allowed to keep his job after being convicted of assault??

IA is a joke.

[ProSouth]

If it is an appointed board and not elected it will be a waste of time, just like the appointed Planning Board, Zoning Board, etc.

[Klap Bak]

Through those we choose to elect.

["The Rock"]

Okay so there is corruption on the NPD, no doubt about it. However, let's not get it twisted about who the major players are. You see, what regular folks are getting fed are the minions, not the top dawgs. The term the old timers used to employ was "haircuts". A euphemism for the act of stealing from the drug dealers. The problem is and was this; Internal Affairs being "guardian angels" for certain police officers involved. There are people getting paid in all of this and it will continue to be that way until IAD is actually manned with honest police. That is your answer as to why IAD doesn't do anything about it. Did you know that the Deputy Chief of the proffessional standards unit, (the "elite" IAD), was an addict? He may still be but who's going to check him out? The same holds true for a few of the boyz. Some have domestic problems, at least one is a flagrant bigot, and another is directly linked to the article in question. Internal affairs also controls candidate investigations which has turned away actual Newarkers for citizenship while pushing through out of towners related to the top brass. They decide who comes on the job, who gets charged and who gets away with murder. You can't go to the prosecutor's office because that place is full of retired NPD. In one instance when a tip on a certain Robbery superior was called in to the prosecutor's office, they alerted Afro, (ambrose), who in turn gave him the heads up to go to rehab before the call for the piss test came. IAD is not the answer, a federal probe of the department MUST take place. Then again how do you explain a police director with a G.E.D., uh how about PAYOFF !

[Klap Bak]

You should have called yourself “TheReallyHeavyRock” Give um pressure,,,,, I love it.

Maybe you can help explain something to me. I live very close to a few schools (which make my area a prime location for drug sales). On any given day at any given time you can see herds of drug dealers on the corners unless there is a raid. I have seen a few raids and each time there was no one on the corner within 15-20 minutes of the raid. I mean no one at all. I think if the corner could move itself it would.

Why is that? How do they know the police plan of execution so well???????

[CaptainJim59]

distressing to hear the negative comments about the NPD, I served for 26 years, never had a citizen complaint filed against me and served proudly. I am at a loss to try and defend the image of the NPD.

[Klap Bak]

distressing to hear the negative comments about the NPD, I served for 26 years, never had a citizen complaint filed against me and served proudly. I am at a loss to try and defend the image of the NPD.


Please understand, Klap does not place the blame for wrongdoing squarely on the shoulders of the individual officers. A great part of the blame falls on the shoulders of those who get paid more to keep these guys in check. Large portions of our Police Officers are genuinely good hard working people who want to give us all that we deserve. They are hampered by the wrong doings of the select few around them who are corrupt and the heads of their Departments who got to their positions by way of special favors and do not know what the hell they are doing.

You ended as a Captain but it is obvious that you have some smarts, and based of previous posts you have a better education than Ambrose, how come you did not attain the position he now holds. Chances are you did not stick your head up the James a$$ which made you inconspicuous……

There in lies your answer. Santiago,,,,,,,, how did he get the spot when there were others in line for it ahead of him. Was that decision made in PR and why?????? His promotion came immediately after the PR trip. Do you know how that happened????

Don’t answer Cappin…. that was a rhetorical question. We all know why.

[CaptainJim59]

Ambrose has? My pockets aren't deep enough and I wouldn't pay for it anyway!

[NPD-855]

#1 A CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD WOULD BE A JOKE. ONLY PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET PRESS TIME OR FORWARD THEIR OWN AGENDAS OR POLITICAL AMBITIONS WOULD BE ON IT. WHAT OTHER PROFESSIONS HAVE CIVILIANS OVERSEE THEM DOCTORS? LAWYERS? ACCOUNTANTS ? I DON'T THINK SO !

#2 THE REASON MANY OF YOU DO NOT SEE MANY P/O'S CHALLENGE YOUR LOCAL UNLICENSED PHARMACISTS IS BECAUSE NARCOTICS = HEADACHES. MOST COPS DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH HAVING THE COMPLAINTS WHICH OCCUR FROM NARCOTICS ARRESTS. THAT'S PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

#3 THE LITTLE CORRUPTION THAT DOES EXIST HAS A ROOT IN THE FACT THE NPD CAN ONLY HIRE CITY RESIDENTS. THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH CANDIDATES IN THIS CITY. BY THE TIME THE GENERAL POPULATION OF THIS CITY IS DWINDLED DOWN TO THE PARAMETERS FOR HIRING I.E. AGE, CRIMINAL HISTORY, PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED ETC. THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH CANDIDATES, SO THE CANDIDATE INVEST FOLKS HAVE TO GO WAY DOWN ON THE LIST TO FINALLY COME UP WITH A CLASS TO PUT IN. EVEN THE NYPD DID AWAY WITH HIRING JUST IN NYC. AND HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE ? NOW THEY TAKE CANDIDATES FROM NYC, ORANGE, ROCKLAND, SUFFOLK AND NASSAU COUNTIES BECAUSE THEY ONLY WANT THE TOP CANDIDATES.

P.S. ONE LAST NOTE ON HIRING. AS OPPOSED TO THE OLD DAYS WHEN PEOPLE TOOK THE TEST BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE COPS, NOW PEOPLE TAKE THE TEST BECAUSE IT IS A J O B. AND MANY KNOW THE ANGLE WHERE IF YOU PUT IN 5 YEARS YOU CAN GET A PENSION FOR LIFE OF BETWEEN 40 AND 66 PERCENT OF YOUR SALARY FOR A REAL OR IMAGINED INJURY.

[Doofus1]

WHAT OTHER PROFESSIONS HAVE CIVILIANS OVERSEE THEM DOCTORS? LAWYERS? ACCOUNTANTS ? I DON'T THINK SO !

Nonsense. These professions are overseen by civilian review boards. In the case of lawyers in NJ, they make all the recommendations for punishment for ethics violations. Those determinations can be challenged before the courts, but usually are rubber stamped.

[ProSouth]

#1 A CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD WOULD BE A JOKE. ONLY PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET PRESS TIME OR FORWARD THEIR OWN AGENDAS OR POLITICAL AMBITIONS WOULD BE ON IT. WHAT OTHER PROFESSIONS HAVE CIVILIANS OVERSEE THEM DOCTORS? LAWYERS? ACCOUNTANTS ? I DON'T THINK SO !NPD-855 is just being a typical cop who wants the police to be monitored by the police and have free range to do whatever they want. In addition, who is he trying to fool, the police are one of the largest organization in the world that pushes it's own agenda and use individuals with nothing but political aspirations to further their lawlessness and autonomy.

If the citizens are the bosses and the police are the servants who is he to say that his bosses shouldn't regulate and pass judgement upon them.

[NPD-855]

DOOFUS YOU REALLY ARE, YOU'RE TELLING ME NON LAWYERS MAKE JUDGEMENTS ON WHAT LAWYERS DO. I THINK NOT! AND I'M SURE SOME GUY WHO WORKS IN HOME DEPOT CAN EVALUATE WHETHER A DOCTOR PERFORMED AN OPERATION CORRECTLY OR AN ENGINEER BUILT A BRIDGE PROPERLY.


AS FOR YOU PROSOUTH:

"In addition, who is he trying to fool, the police are one of the largest organization in the world that pushes it's own agenda and use individuals with nothing but political aspirations to further their lawlessness and autonomy. "

IN THE WORLD ? I DON'T SEE MANY POLICE OUTSIDE THE US FORMING UNIONS, BUT I'LL CHECK WITH BANGLADESH AND CHECHNYA.
DOESN'T THE NAACP AND AARP ET AL DO THIS ALSO ?

LASTLY IF WHAT YOU SAY WERE TRUE HOW COME SHARPE JAMES WAS NEVER A COP ?

[LastCubanStanding]

DOOFUS YOU REALLY ARE, YOU'RE TELLING ME NON LAWYERS MAKE JUDGEMENTS ON WHAT LAWYERS DO. I THINK NOT! AND I'M SURE SOME GUY WHO WORKS IN HOME DEPOT CAN EVALUATE WHETHER A DOCTOR PERFORMED AN OPERATION CORRECTLY OR AN ENGINEER BUILT A BRIDGE PROPERLY.


AS FOR YOU PROSOUTH:

"In addition, who is he trying to fool, the police are one of the largest organization in the world that pushes it's own agenda and use individuals with nothing but political aspirations to further their lawlessness and autonomy. "

IN THE WORLD ? I DON'T SEE MANY POLICE OUTSIDE THE US FORMING UNIONS, BUT I'LL CHECK WITH BANGLADESH AND CHECHNYA.
DOESN'T THE NAACP AND AARP ET AL DO THIS ALSO ?

LASTLY IF WHAT YOU SAY WERE TRUE HOW COME SHARPE JAMES WAS NEVER A COP ?

One of my colleagues, an engineer, sits on the attorney ethics board. I think they meet next Friday. Perhaps you might want to attend.

["The Rock"]

Let's concentarate on the enemy here not each other. Seems that, with the exception of a few of us, we all have this city's interest in mind. Unless you missed my other posts you'll know that IAD is the Director's Club. You'd all be fools to believe that they are in place to serve the interests of people of Newark. Most law abiding citizens have few encounters with police which means that their complaints against police are in the minority. It's the criminals now a days filing the bulk of complaints in attempts to have their charges dropped- something that hardly ever happens. I would agree to having some civilians attend these police trials so that they could see the BS that goes on. I would also suggest some sort of lottery for their selection with a weekly or monthly rotation likened to jury duty. Then they would see a room almost 95% full of minority officers being charged for things like not checking the oil in their radio car whereas the other 5% are non affiliates to the regime paying for not taking the side of the administration. In one of my instances at police trials there were only 4 caucasion "non-affiliate" males being heard. Funny thing was all of them were married to minorities. Things that make you go hmmmm... Another thing, I would also like to see members of IAD stand trial for any investigations that seem to be of a questionable or retributory nature against officers. Here is where citizens within the review board, free of any reprisal from the department could voice their opinion and help to clean up the force. Try this for an example: An officer has his check stolen by another, female, police officer. When the investigation hits IAD they never charge the female because she is having an affair with the Chief of Staff. He loses his money and nothing is done. Internally, the complaint went nowhere, if an outside member of the board was privy to this, then that female would be held accountable along with the investigators and the Deputy Chief. As a Newark Cop, I vote for the civilian.

[NPD-855]

HEY ROCK-I'LL GO FOR HAVING A CIVILIAN MONITOR POLICE TRIALS AND DETERMINE IF THE ACTIONS WERE FAIR (I THINK THEY CALL THAT O.A.L.). BUT A CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD IN NEWARK IS SCARY. HOW'D YA LIKE TO HAVE YOUR CAREER REST ON PEOPLE APPOINTED BY THE ADMIN. SAY BARAKA, HAMM, KIBURI TUCKER. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR VERDICTS WOULD BE ???????

P.S. DIDN'T UMDNJ HAVE A CIVILIAN OVERSEE BOARD (THE BOARD OF CONCERNED CITIZENS) HOW'D THEY DO ?

JUST ASKING

["The Rock"]

LOL, you are freaking scared of having one person on the board that may be influenced by politics? This is police trials, not the Grand Jury. The worst that can happen is suspension then you go to the OAL. People need to be made aware of what goes on behind closed doors. Why did Osorio get suspended for 6 months but Bradley who was charged criminally,( eluding, assault on P.O.), get 30 days? Hell, I don't even think he served them.

[NPD-855]

MAYBE YOU READ IT WRONG (I DON'T BLAME YOU IT'S HARD TO DO THAT AND ANSWER THE QUEUE AT THE SAME TIME)- JUST KIDDING.

I AGREE THERE SHOULD BE SOMEONE NEUTRAL AND DETACHED THERE TO MONITOR POLICE TRIALS. HOWEVER THE FEEL I GET HERE ON THE THREAD IS THEY WANT TO DO AWAY WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND HAVE US JUDGED BY CIVILIANS APPOINTED BY WHOMEVER. IF THAT HAPPENS THEN IT'S REALLY ABOUT POLITICS AND WHO KNOWS WHO.

ALSO DON'T JUST WRITE OFF GETTING SUSPENDED AND HAVING IT CORRECTED IN OAL. THAT'S A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS ESPECIALLY FOR LENGTHY SUSPENSIONS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.