Organizations Call For Firing Of Paterson Cop After Video Release

PATERSON, NJ — A Paterson police officer is already facing multiple criminal charges. Now, he's facing calls for his job.

Spencer Finch, 44, of Mahwah, is charged with official misconduct, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and tampering with public records or information. Those charges date back to a May incident in which Finch is accused of striking a victim multiple times in the face, and submitting a police report with false statements.

Finch was arrested earlier this month, and spent a few days in jail before he was granted pre-trial release. However, video of the altercation was released by the office of Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, which has prompted calls from community organizers and others for the immediate firing of Finch.

The video, which can be seen below, was posted to YouTube by the Paterson Times. It includes explicit language and violence.

The body camera footage shows an upset father arguing with someone about his children. The footage shows another police officer interacting with the man. After roughly two minutes, Finch can be seen walking into frame, when he immediately engages in an altercation with the man.

Responses from local organizations came quickly.

Black Lives Matter Paterson quickly began efforts to contact city officials, calling for Finch's immediate firing. According to the Paterson Times, Sayegh is trying to "separate" Finch from the department.

Others to speak out include Paterson NAACP President Kenneth Clayton, and local pastor John Givens.

"This officer has been charged, suspended without pay, and the city is vigorously pursuing the avenues available to separate him from the police department," Sayegh told the publication.

The Prosecutor's Office said this set of charges relates back to May 26, when it's alleged that Finch "committed aggravated assault by striking the victim in the face with his hand, hitting the victim multiple times with a flashlight, and kneeing the victim in the face." Finch was on-duty and in uniform at the time he committed the assault, the prosecutor added.

Finch then went on to prepare, sign and submit a police report which contained "several false statements" that described the incident, the prosecutor said.

Official misconduct and aggravated assault each carry a maximum term of ten years in New Jersey State Prison. Possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and tampering with public records or information each carry a maximum term of five years.

Finch isn't the only officer to face charges from their alleged wrongdoings on the job.

Two Paterson police officers are facing civil rights and obstruction charges after assaulting a Paterson citizen in December 2020, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced in late April.

Officers Kevin Patino, 29, and Kendry Tineo-Restituyo, 28, both of Paterson, are charged with "depriving a victim of his Constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by law enforcement officers and with filing a false police report," the U.S. Attorney announced.

In that case, like in Finch's, Patino and Tineo-Restituyo are accused of assaulting a victim while on-duty, and then writing a report that contained "numerous false statements and omissions."

On the same day charges were announced against Patino and Tineo-Restituyo, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office announced that they had assumed oversight of the Paterson Police Department's internal affairs division.

The office will also work with the Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity & Accountability to conduct a historical review of the Paterson Police Department's internal affairs investigations "to determine whether any should be reopened or reinvestigated."

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