Justice Department finds a pattern of misconduct by police in Trenton, New Jersey

Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Police in New Jersey’s capital have shown a pattern of misconduct, including excessive force and unlawful stops. A Justice Department report released Thursday documents arrests without legal basis, officers escalating situations with aggressive tactics and unnecessary use of pepper spray. The 45-page report comes after a roughly yearlong investigation into the Trenton Police Department, undertaken after an officer shot and paralyzed a young Black driver. The Justice Department investigation found the police department’s practices violate the Fourth Amendment and the report comes with more than two dozen recommendations for remedial action.