In yet another chapter of the rivalry between cops and firefighters, a 12 year veteran of the Trenton fire department was arrested while off-duty at the scene of a fire. The incident occurred when the man arrived at the fire scene wearing civilian clothes and encountered a police officer who demanded to see a badge or some sort of identification that the firefighter was unable to provide at the time. It was because of his inability to show any ID that he was told to leave the premises of the scene, and it was at that point the firefighter refused to leave which led to his arrest and a charge of disorderly person offense for creating a public nuisance.
Details About the Situation Are Currently Unclear
It is not known at this time if there was any heated exchange of words between the officer and the firefighter, and to further complicate things the officer did not capture any video footage with the body-worn camera that he had been wearing. This is despite the fact that the police department’s general order states that all police officers must record all contact with citizens when performing any official duties. This would mean that this type of altercation should have been recorded, but as for the reason why the body camera was not activated has not yet been explained.
Refusal to Leave the Scene Leads to an Arrest and Summons
The firefighter states that he explained to the officer that he was a city firefighter and was allowed to be there, but since he could not produce the correct identification he was told he had to leave. It was then he refused to listen to the officer’s orders which in turn led to his arrest, although he was released at the scene after being issued a summons. As of now, it is not clear whether the firefighter had a legitimate reason to be at the site of the fire despite apparently being off-duty, and it is also not known if either the fire department or the police department has opened an official investigation into the incident to further seek out any additional information.
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If you or a loved one find yourself in a situation such as this you need a knowledgeable criminal attorney to stand up and fight for your rights in court. Contact the office of the Davis Firm today at 609-587-9100 to schedule a consultation. The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
