2020 Police Internal Affairs Summaries and Synopses
Charlie Kratovil made this OPRA request to Highland Park Borough as part of a batch sent to 24 authorities This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Highland Park Borough,
Under OPRA and the common law right of access, please provide copies of all police internal affairs ("professional standards") summary records for the year 2020, including all annual, quarterly, and monthly reports, as well as the required synopses identifying major discipline cases, in accordance with the Attorney General of New Jersey's Directive 2020-5. Thank you kindly.
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
Attached are the responsive records for your opra request dated June 14,
2021. Documents include quarterly and annual professional standards
reports for 2020. Records do not exist for any monthly reports, The
document requested for major discipline cases, required for New Jersey's
Directive 2020-5 does not exist at this time. We are awaiting further
guidance from the NJ Attorney General’s Office.
--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey 08904
[1][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235
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Dear Lt. Hammill,
Thank you for response. As the major discipline document specific to the AG's latest guidelines is not yet ready, please provide whatever version you have of the required synopses for 2020 major discipline cases.
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
Mr. Kratovil,
The previous version of the AG's guidelines stated that major discipline
(10 days or more suspension) would be posted periodically. We interpreted
this as posting once a year, when we had major discipline that fit into
the directive. If there was no discipline that fit that criteria, the
directive was not clear on what, if anything, should be posted. We did
not post if there was no discipline that fit.
There was one major discipline incident in 2020. We would have posted
this by the end of 2020, but the AG's Office "stayed" this portion of the
directive pending the Court decision. I am attaching the guidance from
the AG's office that we received (highlighted section) for your
information. We currently do not have anything officially prepared for
2020 major discipline.
Because we believe in transparency, I will tell you of the
disciplinary incident, but this does not include the officer's name. We
are still awaiting direction from the Prosecutor's Office about how we are
going to report, what format we will be using and how far back
we will report.
In 2020:
One disciplinary charge was sustained as the result of an Internal Affairs
investigation opened in 2019. The officer received 30 days suspension for
conduct unbecoming an officer. This officer was arrested on suspected DWI
charges. The Court case was heard in Federal Court in Newark and the DWI
charges were dropped, and the officer was found guilty of a motor vehicle
violation and had their license suspended. This IA was not finished until
after the Court proceedings, which went into February 2020. The Officer
did not serve their suspension until the end of the first quarter of
2020.
I hope this fulfills your request.
Thank you.
Dear Lt. Hammill,
Thank you for your message. In the hopes that you have since received the guidance you were awaiting, I am respectfully requesting that you now name the officer who was subjected to major discipline.
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
Dear Highland Park Borough,
I have not received a response to my follow-up inquiry for Lt. Hammill, related to my recent OPRA request. I am not clear why Highland Park still has not produced the document that would identify the officer who received major discipline. Please advise, thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
Dear Highland Park Borough,
My request remains unfulfilled. I have asked for the name of the officer that was subject to major discipline. I did not receive a response from Lt. Hammill. Please provide an answer, thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
Mr. Kratovil,
I apologize, I responded to Mrs. Hullings, who I thought was responding to
you but did not for some reason. The major discipline that was imposed
in 2020 was in February 2020, for a 2019 incident. The Middlesex County
Prosecutor's Office has given guidance on the new guidelines that take
effect for June 15, 2020. Any major discipline, which also had a
different definition prior to June 15, 2020, will only have a description
of the incident and not the names of officers. We are following the
guidance of the Prosecutor's Office. We did not have any major discipline
on or after June 15, 2020. Attached is Appendix L of the requirements in
the AG's guidelines for incidents prior to June 15, 2020. This will be
posted shortly on our website.
Dear Lt. Hammill,
Thank you, can you please provide the Annual Major Discipline Reporting Form for the remainder of 2020?
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
Dear Lt. Hammill,
Yes, that's correct. Can you also provide the same for January 1-June 14?
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
Sir,
We did not create that form from January 1, to June 14. Those dates fall
under the previous AG guidelines, which required the Appendix L posting
synopsising major discipline. Major discipline also had a different
definition under that directive. I do not have the form for January 1, to
June 14, it does not exist. I sent you everything that we have and it is
currently posted on the Borough's website under the police department as
per the AG's guidelines.
Thank you and be safe!