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Hillsdale internal affairs investigation underway
(by Erin Patricia Griffiths - July 01, 2008)
An internal affairs investigation is underway in the Hillsdale Police Department after statements were filed alleging that Officer Fred Vavosa pulled a gun on a group of middle-school boys.
On Friday, June 20, police said a group of boys gathered at the basketball courts located by George G. White School to finish a fight that had been started downtown earlier in the day. A passing motorist who witnessed the fighting reported what was taking place to Vavosa, who was packing the back of his car to begin his shift. After contacting the dispatcher at 2:56 p.m. to inform the department he was responding to the call, Vavosa drove to the location to assess the scene.
Upon reaching the basketball courts, Vavosa observed seven male juveniles, two of whom were fighting while five stood around to observe. An ambulance from the Township of Washington was dispatched to the scene to evaluate the medical condition of the two boys involved in the fight. It was determined that neither of the boys required further treatment or transport to any area hospitals, and they were released from the scene. Vavosa’s back-up officer Sean Smith was also dispatched to the basketball courts during the call. According to the officer’s report, the call was closed out at 3:30 p.m., approximately half an hour after the situation was called into the dispatcher.
Later that afternoon, the police department received a complaint that the officer responding to the call at the basketball courts allegedly pulled his gun on the group of boys. The complainant described that the officer told them to get down on the ground, threatening to mace anyone who lifted their head, then letting the boys go after several minutes.
According to Lt. Michael Niego, Vavosa was given a change of assignment on Saturday, June 21 after the department was made aware of the situation the evening before. “He’s still working,” said Niego. “But he is assigned to desk duty, pending an internal affairs investigation.”
The investigation is being conducted by internal affairs Detective Sgt. Robert Francaviglia to establish the course of action Vavosa took when responding to the fight. Additionally, an investigation to determine if assault charges will be brought against the boys involved in the fight is presently being conducted by the department’s juvenile officer.
“My IA [internal affairs] people are conducting an investigation,” said Chief Chip Stalter. “We are making sure to protect the rights of the complainants and the accused officer.”
Officer Vavosa, 25, joined the Hillsdale Police Department approximately two years ago through an alternate route program said Niego. There is no defined timeline of when the internal affairs investigation will be concluded, but a report of the findings regarding the allegation will be released upon completion.
“IA’s are long. There are certain avenues we have to go through,” said Niego. “And it is a personnel issue.”
Erin Patricia Griffiths' e-mail address is GriffithsE@northjersey.com.
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