Special Investigations Unit (Internal Affairs)

The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit fulfills the internal affairs function for the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and is responsible for conducting the following activities:

1. Overseeing, providing guidance, and in some instances offering assistance, to law enforcement agencies maintained and operated in Burlington County who are conducting internal affairs investigations.
2. Providing authorization to Burlington County Prosecutors Office employees or any law enforcement officer to file a criminal complaint or any charging document against a Public Official charged with an offense listed under J.S.A. 2C:43-6.5 or New Jersey Attorney General Guideline Concerning the Prosecution of Public Officials (5/31/07).
3. Investigations of allegations of political corruption.
4. Investigations of complaints pertaining to Sunshine Law violations.
5. Investigations pertaining to other confidential or sensitive matters which may involve local or county law enforcement officers or elected or appointed public officials.
6. Conducting background investigations on prospective employees of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and other individuals who may have access to sensitive and confidential law enforcement records.
7. Implementing the semi-annual random drug testing of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office detective personnel.
8. Conducting co-operative investigations with the Major Crimes Unit regarding incidents of a police-involved shooting (as per Attorney General guidelines and Section 11 of P.L.1970, c.74 (C.52:17B-107) and In-Custody Deaths.
9. Conducting all Brady/Giglio reviews as the Professional Responsibility Unit (“PRU”)

The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit also responds to allegations and complaints of reported misconduct by law enforcement officers within Burlington County.  The members of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office are committed to providing law enforcement services that are fair and impartially applied.

The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office will objectively review complaints of misconduct. If the complaint received is an administrative violation members of the Special Investigations Unit will assist the complainant with reporting the allegation to the appropriate municipal police department or agency. However, if the complaint is a criminal violation, the Special Investigations Unit will conduct a criminal investigation.

Any person filing a complaint of misconduct concerning a police officer employed by a municipal or county law enforcement agency located in Burlington County is assured of the following:

• Every law enforcement agency within the State of New Jersey must accept reports of officer misconduct from any person at any time.
• Every law enforcement agency within the State of New Jersey must have a policy consistent with the Attorney General’s Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures, which provides that all citizen complaints involving police misconduct are readily accepted and fully and promptly investigated.
• A member of the public who feels that he/she has witnessed or been the victim of police misconduct has the right to file an internal-affairs complaint against the officer(s)-in-question.
• The police have a duty to fairly, objectively and thoroughly investigate all internal-affairs complaints.
• All persons filing internal-affairs complaints have the right to courteous, professional and fair treatment by the police.
• A member of the public has the right to lodge a complaint regardless of the hour or day of the week. If the complainant cannot come to police headquarters, the police must meet the complainant at his/her home, work or other mutually convenient location. In the event the complainant is unable for some reason to meet in person with the police, the internal affairs complaint can be made via telephone, U.S. Mail or through e-mail. Reasonable steps must be taken to accommodate a complainant who does not speak English.
• Complaints shall be accepted regardless of the age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or immigration status of the complaining party.
• A member of the public has the right to make his/her complaint anonymously. He/she does not have to be an American citizen to do so and cannot be required to produce identification or be accompanied by a citizen before a complaint will be accepted. The police cannot report a person to federal immigration officials in retaliation for the filing of an internal-affairs complaint.
• A juvenile has the right to file an internal-affairs complaint, with or without the presence of a parent or guardian.
• An officer/employee shall not attempt to resolve or discuss the merits of a report or complaint. Only a supervisor is authorized to informally resolve a minor complaint that is based upon a misunderstanding of the law or accepted law enforcement practices.
• A complainant has the right to be kept informed of the status of their complaint as well as the outcome of his/her complaint at the conclusion of the police investigation.

Any person who wishes to file a complaint concerning a police officer employed by a municipal or county law enforcement agency located in Burlington County may submit a complaint in person by visiting the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office at 49 Rancocas Road, 2^nd Floor, Mount Holly, NJ 08060, or by calling us at 609-265-5035.

DOCUMENTS

Internal Affairs Civilian Report Form

Report Form-Arabic

Report Form-Chinese

Report Form-English

Report Form-Haitian

Report Form-Hindi

Report Form-Korean

Report Form-Polish

Report Form-Portuguese

Report Form-Spanish

Report Form-Tagalog

Report Form-Vietnamese

Internal Affairs Civilian Complaint Information Sheet

Complaint Information Sheet – Arabic

Complaint Information Sheet – Chinese

Complaint Information Sheet – English

Complaint Information Sheet – Haitian

Complaint Information Sheet – Hindi

Complaint Information Sheet – Korean

Complaint Information Sheet – Polish

Complaint Information Sheet – Portuguese

Complaint Information Sheet – Spanish

Complaint Information Sheet – Tagalog

Complaint Information Sheet – Vietnamese

2023 Annual Major Discipline Reporting Form

2022 Annual Major Discipline Reporting Form

2021 Annual Major Discipline Reporting Form

2020 Annual Major Discipline Reporting Form

2020 Early Warning System Letter

2019 Early Warning System Letter

Early Warning System BCPO SOP

2020 Random Drug Testing

2019 Random Drug Testing

Mandatory Random Drug Testing BCPO SOP

2023 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report

2022 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report

2021 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report

2020 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

2019 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

2018 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

2017 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

2016 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

2015 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

2014 Burlington County Internal Affairs Summary Report (PDF)

ATTORNEY GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECTIVES

NJ Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2021-6 – Internal Affairs Policies and Procedures – Revised June 2021

https://www.nj.gov/oag/iapp/docs/AG%20Directive%202021-6%20IAPP%20June%202021_All-Documents.pdf

NJ Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2019-4 – Ensuring the Independent Investigation of Criminal Cases Involving Police Use-of-Force or In-Custody Deaths

https://mk0camdencountyrl9fn.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AG-Directive-2019-4.pdf