‘Mob Assault’ Or ‘False Narrative?’ Watch This Newark Video

NEWARK, NJ — What happened on Fabyan Place and Cypress Street in Newark last week? It depends who you ask: the city’s mayor or head of the police union.

Recently, the Newark Department of Public Safety released part of a body camera video of the incident, which police are calling an “aggravated assault” (watch the footage below).

According to department spokespeople, here’s what happened:

“On Tuesday, June 1, at approximately 1:30 p.m., two Newark police officers, assisted by a detective of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, were patrolling the area of Fabyan Place and Cypress Street in response to recent gun violence in that area. They approached a group of males on Cypress Street and attempted to stop one male who was suspected of gun possession. Two brothers of the suspect came to the scene and physically interfered with the arrest. The officers requested backup.”

Two police officers were transported to University Hospital for treatment of complaints of pain, and four men were arrested as a result of this incident, authorities said.

Branden K. Rodwell, 31, of Newark, and Justin Rodwell, 30, of Irvington, were arrested at the scene. Jaykil A. Rodwell, 28, and Jasper D. Spivey, 24, both of Newark, were arrested on Wednesday after voluntarily surrendering to police following issuances of arrest warrants, authorities said.

Branden Rodwell and Justin Rodwell face charges of three counts of aggravated assault against a police officer, obstruction of the administration of the law and resisting arrest.

Jaykil Rodwell and Jasper Spivey face charges of three counts of aggravated assault against a police officer, obstruction of the administration of the law and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

In a scathing interview with NJ.com, James Stewart, the president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, said the officers were “set upon by a mob of people,” then “pummeled to the ground, kicked in the head and choked.” The officers’ bodycams were “forcibly removed” from the officers and smashed on the ground, he added.

“This mentality that people do not have to abide by the law, this complete lack of respect for law enforcement must end,” Stewart said.

But apparently responding to Stewart’s comments, Baraka issued an equally scathing statement decrying a “false narrative” about the incident.

The mayor wrote:

“As we continue to build trust between police and community in the City of Newark, the false narrative of the incident Tuesday afternoon between our officers and three residents during an attempted gun arrest undermines those efforts, stoking fear in our officers that they are dealing with a hostile community, and sending an implicit message to the community that our police are fair game.”

Baraka said:

“First, let’s separate fact from fiction. While it is true two men tried to interfere in the arrest, our officers were not ‘pummeled to the ground and kicked in the head’ as one source, who was never at the scene, relayed to the press. Equally, the headlines that said police were attacked by a ‘mob’ were patently false and sensational. Second, while this incident is still under investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, body camera footage from the police struggling to handcuff the suspect while showing great restraint themselves, was nowhere near the level of violence described in the press. In fact, none of the suspects were injured. Third, while a small group of people gathered, they in no way attacked the police. In truth, when I arrived at the scene, the uninvolved witnesses were helpful, respectful, and seemed to side with the police.”

Baraka continued:

“Finally, the source in the news story insinuates my administration does not support the police by suggesting I ‘demand’ an investigation by the prosecutor’s office. Had the source come to the scene, he would have known the prosecutor’s office detectives were already there. It also should be noted that in support of the police, and to monitor the situation, I dispatched members of our DPW and code enforcement teams in the area to meet me at the scene, not as a force, but as community ambassadors to keep things calm. One further truth about the incident is that the two men who interfered with the arrest, voluntarily turned themselves in, evidence that, despite their actions, they know they acted irresponsibly and put themselves, the police and their community in danger.”

“The false narrative put forth feeds the old and archaic thinking that police are an occupying force, always in danger from a hostile community, rather than goodwill guardians of a community that has a growing respect and cooperation with one another,” Baraka said.

“That is what we are building in Newark, truth be told,” he added.

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Newark police released body camera footage of the incident on Friday, with Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara praising the response of the involved officers.

“They used extraordinary restraint even while it is clear from the video that the officers were out-numbered and that they were attacked while attempting to make an arrest,” O’Hara said. “We cannot and will not standby and allow police officers, who are sworn to safeguard our streets, to be physically attacked for doing their job.”

“Typically, when a criminal investigation is underway, we don’t release the footage per policy,” O’Hara added. “Regardless, when police wear body worn cameras, the public expects that we have nothing to hide. Therefore, I believe it is in the best interest of the public to release this video — especially in light of all the false information circulating about this incident.

Watch the video below. EDITOR’S NOTE: Viewer discretion advised.

After last week's incident, city officials and police have taken additional steps to secure the area.

"Under the direction of Mayor Baraka, two abandoned houses were immediately torn down and code enforcement issued 17 summonses for violations of city ordinances and quality of life issues," O'Hara said. "Also, 17 vehicles were towed from that block for being either abandoned or unregistered. The Department of Public Works cleaned the block of excessive garbage and debris resulting from illegal dumping."

“Additionally, Mayor Baraka directed that a mobile police precinct be immediately established on that block and that an increased police presence be felt around the clock,” O’Hara added.

POLICING IN NEWARK

Newark has been making several moves to change the way its police department works.

In June 2020, city officials announced that Newark officers who commit "serious disciplinary violations" will have their identities disclosed to the public. Later that month, officials announced that Newark planned to use almost $12 million to create a new Office of Violence Prevention, re-channeling about 5 percent of its policing budget to pay for it. And in January, following the fatal police shooting of Carl Dorsey on New Year’s Day, officials announced that all officers, even those in "plainclothes," will have to wear body cameras when they're on duty.

In recent years, police officers in Newark have also been undergoing training that aims to remedy past problems and "de-escalate" potentially deadly situations. It's been working, top public safety officials say – no local cop fired a shot in 2020.

However, some residents say there’s still much more work to be done in a city that’s only five decades removed from the race-related riot of 1967, now known as the “Newark Rebellion” by many activists.

After the shooting of Dorsey, community groups rallied in his name, calling for a renewed role for Newark’s Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), which is charged with investigating alleged police abuse in the city.

Newark's CCRB was created in 2016 as part of a landmark consent decree between the U.S Justice Department and the city. Prior to the agreement, a three-year federal probe found that Newark police officers were stopping, arresting and using force on minorities at a much higher rate than white people.

After the CCRB launched, some civil rights advocates hailed it as one of the "most robust civilian oversight bodies in the country." But Newark's police unions immediately challenged the board’s authority, igniting a long-running legal battle between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police, Newark Lodge No. 12.

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Meanwhile – as the rules surrounding local policing evolves – Newark’s officers continue to make strides in reducing crime on their city’s streets.

In January, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey commended the Newark Police Department, which saw a 30 percent drop in the number of shooting victims citywide between 2017 and 2018. In 2019, the number of shooting victims and shooting incidents declined another 39 percent, with the number of murders reaching its lowest level in nearly six decades.

• See related article: Crime Is Dropping Big Time In Newark, Officials Say

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