Auditor General issues statement on allegation of excessive force by DRPA Transit Officer

HARRISBURG – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, who serves as a member of the Delaware River Port Authority, today issued the following statement regarding the allegation of excessive force by a DRPA police officer:
“I was made aware of some disturbing allegations of excessive force by a DRPA police officer earlier this month. The officer has been suspended pending further investigation by the appropriate law enforcement authorities in Camden County, N.J.
“DRPA staff assured me that they are cooperating with the investigation. I urge the DRPA to continue cooperating in every way possible so that investigators can get to the bottom of what happened.
“As too many other communities have discovered, one of the biggest mistakes is not being fully cooperative and transparent. People will have questions and they will deserve answers.
“I respect police officers and the challenges they face in the work they do every day to protect people. That being said, I believe every allegation of excessive or unnecessary force must be investigated. We need to have the highest standards for our police officers.
“This is a matter of public trust. I want to be clear we cannot tolerate the use of excessive and unnecessary force by a police officer.”