The East Orange Police Department is dedicated
to providing the finest police service possible. In order to continue
to provide quality service to the community, we need your assistance.
This is your Police Department and we welcome your comments. We
encourage you to let us know about the quality of service you receive
from our employees.
The East Orange Police Department's
I.A.D. (PSU) division will investigate all complaints initiated by the
general public. Any citizen or non-citizen can either respond to
Police Headquarters at 61 North Munn Avenue, E-Mail *
or call Internal
Affairs (PSU) or the Police Department by following the directions
below. The Internal Affairs Division is responsible for ensuring that
members of the East Orange Police Department meet the highest
standards of professional conduct and are responsive to the public
they serve. The Office of I.A.D. Professional Standards is also
responsible for the thorough investigation of all complaints of
misconduct against non-sworn members (civilians) of the East Orange
Police Department.
As a
citizen, you are encouraged to contact the
Police Department if you have a complaint about the actions of a
police officer or non-sworn employee if you believe their conduct was
inappropriate or that they have violated the law. The staff of the
Internal Affairs Bureau can answer questions about actions of
officers, initiate a complaint against an officer, and conduct
investigations of police conduct. Although we encourage citizens to
report police misconduct, complaints must be made in good faith. False
or highly exaggerated complaints serve no good purpose for either the
citizens or the officer and only tend to thwart our complaint-taking
process. Anyone who willfully makes any false accusation for the
purpose of discrediting a police officer may be prosecuted under the
full extent of the law.
Internal Affairs Mission Statement
The Mission of the Internal Affairs Bureau is to protect the public,
the employee and the Department through fair, thorough and proactive
investigations of alleged misconduct. This mission is intended to
accomplish the below three objectives. These main objectives are
explained below.
1. Protection of the Public
2. Protection of the Department
3. Protection of the Employee
The mission of Internal Affairs is to review officer involved critical
incidents and investigate complaints received on sworn and non-sworn
employees of the East Orange Police Department. Critical incidents
include officer involved shootings, pursuits resulting in serious
injury, or any incident resulting in serious injury or death of a
person, regardless of any allegations of misconduct. In addition, all
complaints of misconduct, whether received from residents or
Department employees, are thoroughly investigated by Internal Affairs
to ensure the integrity of the East Orange Police Department.
Protection of the Public
The residents of East Orange have the right to receive fair, efficient
and impartial law enforcement. Any misconduct by department employees
must first be detected, then thoroughly investigated, and finally,
properly adjudicated to assure the highest standards of conduct.
Protection of the Department
The East Orange Police Department is often judged by the conduct of
its individual employees. It is imperative that the whole organization
not be criticized because of the misconduct of a few. An informed
public must have confidence that its police department honestly and
fairly investigates and adjudicates all allegations of misconduct
against its employees.
Protection of the Employee
Employees must be protected against false and misinformed allegations
of misconduct. This can only be accomplished through a consistently
thorough investigative process.
Who May Make a Complaint?
Citizens and non-citizens alike may make complaints of inappropriate
behavior or misconduct by members of the East Orange Police
Department.
How do I Make a Complaint?
Complaints against employees of the East Orange Police Department may
be made by phone, E-Mail your complaint to any staff personnel, by
letter, or in person.* You may first contact the employee's supervisor,
or take the complaint directly to the Police Headquarters Front Desk,
or the Internal Affairs Division. The address, E-Mail and
telephone numbers for making complaints are listed below:*
East Orange Police Department
61 North Munn Avenue
East Orange, New Jersey, 07017
Once a complaint has been filed with Internal Affairs, it is reviewed
and assigned a classification based on the nature of the allegation.
The most serious allegations, such as those involving criminal
misconduct, excessive force resulting in injury requiring professional
medical attention, and serious violations of policy, rules and
regulations, are categorized. All other complaints that are generally
less serious in nature, are categorized according to the violations of
the Department's policy, rules and regulations. These may include
improper language, inadequate service, excessive force without injury
requiring treatment, and negligent damage or loss of property. Other
complaints are classified as Administrative Complaints. Depending on
the outcome of the investigation, the allegation may be forwarded to
the Essex County Prosecutor's Office for final disposition or
adjudicated internally by the Internal Affairs Division.
Investigations Can Have the Following Outcomes:
Unfounded: The investigation indicates the acts complained of
did not occur or did not involve East Orange Police Personnel.
Exonerated: The investigation indicates the alleged act's did
occur but were within the policies, procedures and guidelines as set
forth by the Department.
Not Sustained: The investigation failed to disclose sufficient
evidence to clearly prove or disprove the allegations made.
Sustained: The investigation discloses sufficient evidence to
clearly prove the allegation made in the complaint.
When a complaint against an officer is sustained, the report is sent
to the Commander of the involved officer for appropriate action.
Discipline for infractions can occur in the following manner:
• Training and/or counseling
• Reprimand - oral/written
• Suspension from duty without pay
• Termination from the Department
How Do I Commend an
Officer?
The East Orange Police Department is committed to rewarding officers
and employees for commendable actions and service. Officers make every
effort to perform their duties in a competent, courteous and
professional manner. Frequently, many officers exceed the expectations
of the public by providing exceptional service that surpasses the
norm. If you observe an officer performing their duties in a manner
that you think is exceptional and reflects favorably upon the officer
and the Department, then we encourage you to take a moment and tell us
about it.
Officers take great pride in being recognized by members of the public
when they have performed their duties in an exceptional manner.
Perhaps more importantly, officers who receive such accolades and
encouragement from the citizenry recognize how their efforts are
appreciated. Such an encouraging atmosphere improves officer morale
and encourages all officers to work harder to improve their individual
performance and the quality of the services they provide to the
public.
Anyone who feels
that an employee has performed his or her duties in a particularly
courteous, helpful or competent manner may commend the employee by:
*
Writing a
letter directed to the employee, the employee's supervisor, or the
Chief of Police at:
East Orange Police Department 61 North Munn Avenue East Orange, N.J. 07017
* Phone the
commendation to: 973-266-5050
*
E-mail the
commendation:
* Be sure to obtain the employee's
name, employee badge number, the area of command he or she is assigned
to, date and location of occurrence, nature of complaint or type of
commendable action or service. Commendations and complaints become a part of the
employee's personnel file.
What to Do If You Are
Stopped by a Police Officer
Frequently in the course of carrying
out their duties in law enforcement, it becomes necessary for police
officers to stop a person and make an inquiry such as:
What is your name?
What is your address?
Do you have any identification?
But sometimes a very routine encounter
may cause a person to feel intimidated or to respond in a manner
which gives rise to conflict or suspicion.
The East Orange Police Department
strives to provide service to everyone in the community fairly and
equally. We hope that the information on this page will be helpful in
explaining why an officer may have to stop and question a citizen and
reduce elements of conflict when confronted by an officer. It will
explain what to expect if a police officer stops you for questioning
and also provide some guidelines on how to respond to the questioning
process. You are cautioned, however, that this is not a legal
advisory.
Why Question?
When law enforcement representatives
question a person, there are underlying reasons. They may be checking
out a complaint phoned into police by someone in the neighborhood.
They may have received a report of some criminal activity which has
just occurred in the area. Your presence might indicate that you are a
potential witness who would be able to provide valuable information in
an investigation. In some cases the officers’ observations might lead
them to think you are having trouble and need assistance. The best way
for them to clarify the situation is to ask questions. With all due
respect to citizens’ rights, officers have a responsibility to
properly investigate matters which may threaten public safety or
involve breaking the law. Their questions are not necessarily an
accusation, and your cooperative response can alleviate potential
conflict.
If the Police Stop
You . . . On the Street
Sometimes problems arise when it seems
as if a police officer has stopped to question you for what appears to
be no reason at all. Since the time factor may be crucial in
investigating a possible crime, police officers are trained to observe
and evaluate a situation and to act if they have a reasonable
suspicion that you may in some way be involved in an incident. There
are many factors that officers take into consideration in determining
if they have a reasonable suspicion to stop and question someone.
Every situation is different, but some factors they may consider are:
Police may have a minimal description
of a suspect which you might resemble.
Your actions appear to be suspicious
(i.e. running from an area where a crime has just been committed)
and you act even more suspiciously when you see the police officer.
Someone may have pointed you out as a
suspect.
Your forthright responses, if an
officer does stop and question you, will usually quickly resolve the
situation. If the officer hasn’t told you why you have been stopped,
you may inquire. If, despite these considerations, you feel that you
do not want to respond, the officer must respect your right not to
answer. However, your cooperation would be most helpful in aiding a
police investigation.
If the Police Stop You .
. . In Your Car
A traffic stop is one of the most
frequent encounters between citizens and police. Usually, police
officers will pull a vehicle over if they have reason to believe that
some offense has occurred. You may feel anxious, irritated at the
delay, or concerned about a possible citation. However, officers are
also concerned about possible threats to their personal safety while
performing their duties. The following recommended procedures will
ensure that the traffic stop can be completed quickly and safely.
When signaled by an officer, safely
pull over to a place out of traffic flow.
Sit calmly, with your hands visible on
the steering wheel. If you have passengers, ask them to sit quietly
with their hands visible. (Avoid sudden movements or ducking in the
seat; these actions can unnecessarily alarm the officer.
If it is night, turn on your inside
light when you pull the car over. For safety reasons, the officer
will want to visually scan the car’s interior before proceeding.
Do not get out of your car unless the
officer asks you to step out. If you are asked to do so, comply in a
calm manner.
A sure way to put an officer at ease
is to communicate your actions in advance by telling the officer
what you will be doing before you move. Also, you can ask to see the
officer’s identification.
If requested, you must give the
officer your driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of
insurance. Tell the officer where it is before reaching for it -
especially if it is tucked away in the glove box or some other
unusual place.
If the Police Come to
Your Door
Usually if a police officer
knocks on your door, it is for one of the following reasons:
To interview you or a member of your
household as a witness to an incident that is being investigated.
To make a notification.
To serve an arrest warrant.
To serve a search and seizure warrant.
Whenever police come to your door,
they should willingly provide identification and state their purpose
for being there. However, when serving a warrant, officers may
dispense with the knock and announce requirement if they believe
some emergency circumstances exist which necessitate a speedy or
unannounced entry. Examples of such circumstances include, but are
not limited to, protection of life or the possibility that evidence
might be destroyed. If the officers have a warrant, you may ask to
see a copy of it. Although, if it is an arrest warrant, it is not
necessary for the warrant to be in the officers’ possession for them
to make an arrest. You must comply with the warrant and admit the
officers into your house.
An arrest warrant commands a police
officer to arrest the person named in the warrant. An arrest warrant
permits the entry into a suspect's residence to look for the suspect
when there is reason to believe the suspect is in the residence. A
search and seizure warrant is a document supported by an affidavit and
signed by a judge commanding a police officer to search a specifically
named premise for the property or person described in the warrant. The
officer will provide the resident with a copy of the warrant after
reading the contents of the warrant to them. Once the search is
completed, a list of the property seized will be provided.
An officer may execute a search and
seizure warrant at any time of the day (unless a specific time frame
is specified on the warrant). The owner/occupant does not have to be
present. When this occurs, a copy of the warrant and inventory will be
left at the residence in a conspicuous location.
Police officers may conduct a search
without a warrant in certain situations. Two main examples of when
this might occur would be in situations involving the emergency
circumstances noted above or searches done with the consent of a
person have authority over the property. If you consent to a search,
you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time during the
search. Just clearly tell the officers that you wish the search to
stop.
Generally, Police Officers Will . . .
Provide their name (s) upon request.
If in plain clothes, identify
themselves when taking action.
Inform a person about the reason for
being stopped or questioned.
Only use the amount of force necessary
to effect the arrest of a suspect. Excessive force is not tolerated
by the East Orange Police Department.
Final Note
Law enforcement, by its very
nature,
is often an unpleasant business. Police officers deal with many
dangerous and desperate criminals in a climate of negativity,
animosity and resentment of their presence. However, the stories of
major crimes, arrests and related incidents usually covered in the
news media represent only a part of the service that officers of the
East Orange Police Department provide for the residents of East Orange
each and every day. Much more often, police officers interact with the
public in a productive and helpful service, where their
professionalism, courtesy and courage are always appreciated and
valued.
The East Orange Police Department recognizes that mistakes may be made
and the actions of our officers may fall short of expectancy. The
Department has established rules and regulations and standing
operating procedures governing the professional and personal conduct
of employees and acceptable work performance standards. These
guidelines are designed to protect the well-being and the rights of
all citizens and employees. The Office of Internal Affairs
(Professional Standards Unit) will thoroughly investigate all
complaints of misconduct by employees regardless of the foundation.
Anyone who files a complaint will be treated with courtesy and
respect.
Directions to
«
local click to enlarge
regional »
NEW
JERSEY TURNPIKE (I-95)
I-95 to I-280 West (Exit 15W).
I-280 to Clinton Street/East Orange exit.
Right at North Walnut Street. At next light make right on Main
Street.
Stay on Main Street bearing left at fork to North Arlington
Avenue. Left on North Arlington to New Street (first block on
right) make right turn on New Street to end of block. Police
Station at the intersection of New Street and North Munn Avenue.
INTERSTATE 280 I-280 to Clinton Street/East Orange exit.
Make right on to North Walnut Street.
Stay on Main Street bearing left at fork to North Arlington
Avenue. Left on North Arlington to New Street, (first block on
right) make right turn on New Street to end of block. Police
Station at the intersection of New Street and North Munn Avenue.
GARDEN STATE PARKWAY NORTH
Garden State Parkway North to Exit 145, "I-280/The Oranges."
Just past Toll booth, keep right at the fork in the ramp.
Stay straight to go onto Winthrop Terrace.
At light, turn left onto South Grove Street
Stay on South Grove Street to second light and turn left onto Main
Street.
Stay on Main Street and at second light turn right onto North Munn
Avenue.
Past U.S. Post Office to second building on left side of roadway.
Police station 61 North Munn Avenue.
GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SOUTH to Exit 147, "East Orange/Springdale
Avenue."
Merge onto Parkway Drive.
Take Parkway Drive and make right at next light onto North
Arlington Avenue.
Take North Arlington Avenue going thru two traffic lights (Park
Avenue & William Street). Make left turn on New Street to end of
block. Police Station at the intersection of New Street and North
Munn Avenue.
INTERSTATE 78 I-78 to Garden State Parkway North.
Follow directions cited above for Garden State Parkway North.
I-80 EAST
Take I-80 East to I-280 East
Merge onto I-280 E and take the exit towards Harrison St/Clinton
St/E. Orange.
Merge onto Freeway Dr E.
Take Freeway Dr E. to South Arlington Avenue.
Turn Left onto South Arlington Avenue.
South Arlington Avenue will turn into North Arlington Avenue. Take
North Arlington Avenue to New Street (second block on right) make
right turn on New Street to end of block. Police Station at the
intersection of New Street and North Munn Avenue.
I-80 WEST
Take I-80 West to I-280 East
Follow directions cited above I-80 East.
FROM NEW YORK CITY
Take the George Washington Bridge or the Lincoln tunnel to the
New Jersey Turnpike.
Leave the NJ Turnpike at Exit 15W.
Follow directions cited above for Interstate 280 West
