Post by KC on Sept 23, 2006 20:07:58 GMT -5
September 23, 2006 - TRENTON - An Irvington police officer has been arrested for stealing evidence from his department, authorities said Saturday.
Officer Frederick T. Southerland, 49, was arrested Friday night after bags of evidence marked as narcotics, hand guns and case files were found in a personal storage facility in Union County that the 18-year veteran officer rented, said Essex County prosecutor Paula T. Dow.
Southerland, who was called in from patrol and arrested at the Irvington police station in front of shocked colleagues, was charged with official misconduct and receiving stolen property, Dow said.
If convicted, Southerland faces up 10 years in prison.
The contents of the unit were discovered when someone purchased them, site unseen, at an open auction after Southerland failed to pay the unit's fees, Dow said. After discovering the hand guns, cocaine, heroine and marijuana, the buyer, who was not identified, alerted authorities.
"In very many respects, stupidity led to our good fortune in uncovering a clear criminal act by an active police officer," Dow said.
The evidence was recovered on Sept. 21.
In addition to the drugs and hand guns, a large number of internal affairs and juvenile case files were found in the storage unit, along with Southerland's rental agreement and some of his identifications, Dow said. It doesn't appear that the guns were taken from Irvington investigations, but Dow said her office plans to investigate that further.
Dow said her office has "no doubt" the objects were placed in the facility by Frederick.
"What makes this one (case) in particular such a travesty is Irvington citizens have been calling out for safer and better communities and here we have an officer thwarting the good investigations out on the street by fellow officers," said Dow, adding that she plans to prosecute Frederick fully.
Irvington, which borders Newark, has one of the highest crime rates in the state and has struggled for years with gang violence.
Dow said she's called for a full inventory of Irvington's evidence room and her office will continue to examine what they've recovered to see if any investigations were negatively impacted.
Southerland was being held on $100,000 bail at an Essex County corrections facility. He was scheduled to be arraigned next week.
It was unclear on Saturday if Southerland had an attorney and there were no available phone numbers listed under his name.
1010wins.com/pages/87542.php?contentType=4&contentId=210730
Officer Frederick T. Southerland, 49, was arrested Friday night after bags of evidence marked as narcotics, hand guns and case files were found in a personal storage facility in Union County that the 18-year veteran officer rented, said Essex County prosecutor Paula T. Dow.
Southerland, who was called in from patrol and arrested at the Irvington police station in front of shocked colleagues, was charged with official misconduct and receiving stolen property, Dow said.
If convicted, Southerland faces up 10 years in prison.
The contents of the unit were discovered when someone purchased them, site unseen, at an open auction after Southerland failed to pay the unit's fees, Dow said. After discovering the hand guns, cocaine, heroine and marijuana, the buyer, who was not identified, alerted authorities.
"In very many respects, stupidity led to our good fortune in uncovering a clear criminal act by an active police officer," Dow said.
The evidence was recovered on Sept. 21.
In addition to the drugs and hand guns, a large number of internal affairs and juvenile case files were found in the storage unit, along with Southerland's rental agreement and some of his identifications, Dow said. It doesn't appear that the guns were taken from Irvington investigations, but Dow said her office plans to investigate that further.
Dow said her office has "no doubt" the objects were placed in the facility by Frederick.
"What makes this one (case) in particular such a travesty is Irvington citizens have been calling out for safer and better communities and here we have an officer thwarting the good investigations out on the street by fellow officers," said Dow, adding that she plans to prosecute Frederick fully.
Irvington, which borders Newark, has one of the highest crime rates in the state and has struggled for years with gang violence.
Dow said she's called for a full inventory of Irvington's evidence room and her office will continue to examine what they've recovered to see if any investigations were negatively impacted.
Southerland was being held on $100,000 bail at an Essex County corrections facility. He was scheduled to be arraigned next week.
It was unclear on Saturday if Southerland had an attorney and there were no available phone numbers listed under his name.
1010wins.com/pages/87542.php?contentType=4&contentId=210730