The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing the Jersey City Police Department responses of two separate incidents that occurred over the weekend for excessive force, an official said.
Video shows Jersey City Police Officer punching teenager in Newport Mall. pic.twitter.com/jvdJA5a22X
— HudPost (@hudpost) March 6, 2023
The first incident led to at least one teenage boy being arrested after police responded to a call of a teenage girl being threatened with a handgun at Newport Centre Mall, sources familiar with the situation, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told HCV.
This eventually led to a confrontation at the food court caught on a 16-second cell phone video, uploaded by HudPost, where a police officer and the teen, identified as a 16-year-old in the video, trade punches and then another teenager resisting as police detain him.
The second video, also uploaded by HudPost, is a 90-second cell phone that shows a man in a black sweatshirt and red shorts being restrained by two police officer before a third officer punches him in the face.
The video appears to show the man being detained spit in the officer’s face before he punched him, with police holding the suspect’s head down after they get him to the ground and struggle to eventually handcuff him.
This incident occurred across the street from King’s Laundry, which is located at 753 West Side Ave.
City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said that she could not comment on the particulars since the matter is under review, but noted that Jersey City police officers have undergone extensive excessive force training.
“It is important to point out that as part of our increased training initiatives, the officers have undergone extensive training for exactly these scenarios to ensure officers only use any type of force when it is absolutely necessary,” she said in an email.
“The Fulop Administration created a Force Unit to conduct internal investigations regarding all use of force complaints, and both incidents are currently under investigation. As has been made clear, we have zero tolerance for excessive use of force. As is standard procedure, the City is working with the HCPO’s Office and has provided them with all of the body camera video. Therefore, we cannot comment while it is actively under review.”
Video shows a Jersey City Police Officer punching an apprehended person in the face. pic.twitter.com/KtmarbCOI3
— HudPost (@hudpost) March 6, 2023
