OPRA - police officer-involved lawsuits 2012-2019
Dear Ventnor City,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
1. A list of all lawsuits and cases in which any officer of the police department was involved between 2012 and 2019. For each lawsuit/case, please provide the date (month and year) of the alleged incident at issue, whether the alleged incident was excessive force, settlement amount (if any), and final compensation amount ruled (if any).
2. Please provide copies of the complaint in any lawsuits and cases described in above.
Yours faithfully,
UC Research
Dear UC research,
Please accept this e mail to your OPRA request addressed to the City of
Ventnor. You requested information, and copies of complaints, of any law
suits involving members of the City of Ventnor Police Department for the
years 2012 through and including 2019. In response thereto attached please
find the cases of County of Camden v. Galloway Township et. al. ( the City
of Ventnor is a named defendant) and Kevin R. McDowell, et. al. v. Sgt.
Frank O'Neill, et. al.. Neither of the complaints allege excessive force,
although one of the allegations in the McDowell complaint was that an
individual committed suicide with officer O'Neill's service weapon, which
it is alleged, was not properly secured. There has been no settlement
agreed to, and no compensation paid, in either matter. The dates of the
alleged incidents are as set forth in the complaint.
Thank you,
Timothy Maguire, City Attorney