Philly Cops Charged For Illegally Detaining Man, Fudging Records

PHILADELPHIA – Two Philadelphia police officers are facing charges, including a felony, and will be fired from the force after each serve a 30-day suspension, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.

Officer Matthew Walsh, 30, and Officer Marvin Jones, 48, have been charged with felony record tampering, false imprisonment, official oppression, obstructing administration of law, and criminal conspiracy, according to the department.

Walsh, a four-year veteran of the force, and Jones, a 10-year veteran, will be dismissed after 30-day suspensions, as well.

The pair were arrested and charged after a citizen filed a complaint against the officers, which prompted an Internal Affairs Division investigation.

At about 10:10 a.m. on April 17, Walsh and Jones – both assigned to the 14th District – stopped an adult male citizen for investigation in the area of 100 E. Sharpnack St, police said.

According to documentation prepared and submitted by the officers, the man was stopped for "apparently using narcotics."

Also according to the officers' paperwork, during the encounter, the citizen was frisked because he failed to take his hands out of his pockets. He was ultimately released without charges, but he later filed the complaint.

Based on video surveillance recovered during the investigation, Walsh and Jones could not have seen the citizen "apparently using narcotics," according to police.

Additionally, the man was fully compliant at the time of the stop.

The search of the man – which resulted in the removal of a prescription pharmaceutical from the man's pants pocket – was not noted on the "Vehicle/Pedestrian Investigation Report" prepared and submitted by the officers.

The investigation further determined that Walsh and Jones stopped the citizen without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, improperly searched the citizen and his vehicle without probable cause, detained the citizen in handcuffs for approximately 15 minutes, drove him approximately one block away, then released the citizen approximately one minute later.

Based on the video surveillance, the investigation also determined that Walsh and Jones falsified the Vehicle/Pedestrian Investigation Report they prepared and submitted.

Image via Philadelphia Police