The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office has assumed responsibility for internal affairs investigations that involve Deptford police officers.
The move – announced on Dec. 8 – came after the prosecutor’s office conducted an audit and decided its Professional Standards Unit would take on township cases. Due to the confidential nature of such investigations, no additional information was released.
The exact reason for the prosecutor’s action – or how long it will last – has not been revealed, though it does hint at police misconduct being a factor, officials said. As of deadline, the township department had not put out a statement regarding the news, and Police Chief Joseph Smith was directed not to comment.
Public response has been mixed, with some residents seeking answers and others theorizing without evidence that officers in the department may have showed favoritism or were “on a power trip” during investigations.
Others have voiced their support for the force and suggested the suspect cases involve a few officers and not a majority.
“Lets be clear, this decision is due to the actions of a few, but not representative of the majority of the amazing men and women who protect and serve Deptford Township,” said Christine Toal, who has a son on the township force. They are severely understaffed and have been working without a contract for almost a year,” she added, “but still show up, do a job most of us can’t or won’t do and put their lives on the line every single day.
“Please continue to show your respect and support for them, and then ask the mayor and township manager what they are doing to support the officers.”
Mayor Paul Medany disagreed that the department is understaffed, but he was also directed not to comment.
Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns advised that anyone who feels they have seen or been the victim of police misconduct has the right to file an internal affairs complaint against the officers in question.
“The prosecutor’s office is committed to working with the leadership and officers of the (Deptford police) to strengthen the department’s internal affairs function,” he explained. “Effective professional policing necessitates that the internal affairs function of all law-enforcement agencies strictly adheres to the applicable state law and directives.
“The period of supersession will ensure (the department) is fulfilling those requirements for the benefit of the community it serves.”
Those with concerns about police internal affairs investigations – which must be passed on to the prosecutor or the Professional Standards Unit by the township department – can go online to https://gcprosecutor.opsnetwork.org/ia or report by phone to (856) 384-5500. Complaints can be anonymous.
