Paterson suspends two police officers without pay
By Jayed Rahman
Published: May 22, 2018
The city suspended two police officers on Friday as a result of an on-going law enforcement corruption investigation.
Police officers Frank Toledo and Matthew Torres were placed on unpaid suspension, according to police sources.
Police director Jerry Speziale on Monday morning confirmed two officers were suspended on Friday. Speziale would not comment on the reasons for the suspensions; he referred to police chief Troy Oswald.
Oswald did not respond to multiple calls for comment on Monday.
Councilman Michael Jackson, chairman of the public safety committee, was not aware of the suspensions on Monday. Neither was council president Ruby Cotton.
Mayor Jane Williams-Warren did not respond to a call for comment.
Alex Cruz, president of the Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Local 1, which represents police officers, did not respond to a call for comment on Monday.
Both Toledo and Matthews joined the police force in 2014. Neither of the men suspended were charged with corruption.
Last month, the U.S. Attorney’s office charged police officers Jonathan Bustios and Eudy Ramos, both joined the police force in 2014, with conducting warrantless searches and filing false police reports.
Authorities uncovered instances in which Bustios and Ramos stopped motor vehicles, detained people, and conducted car searches without justification. In some instances, both men took cash and other items without justification before releasing the detainees, according to federal charging documents.
Besides Bustios and Ramos, a third police officer was charged with corruption last month. Ruben McAusland, who also joined in 2014, was arrested for dealing drugs using his marked interceptor.
McAusland allegedly dealt heroin, crack-cocaine, powder cocaine, and marijuana from late 2017 through early 2018 to a person cooperating with the FBI. He was allegedly taking drugs from suspects and re-selling them for profit.
Oswald, who was appointed as police chief in February, has vowed to weed out corruption in his 420-officer department. Police invited the FBI to investigate officers flagged by its internal affairs early warning system. FBI investigations led to charges against Bustios, Ramos, and McAusland.
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