A Paterson cop has been arrested after allegedly beating a person while on duty and then lying about it in his report, authorities said.
Spencer Finch, 44, of Mahwah, was charged with official misconduct, aggravated assault, tampering with public records and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to a release from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
The incident happened on May 26 while Finch was on duty and in uniform.
Prosecutors say Finch punched the person, who was not identified, in the face, hit the person multiple times with a flashlight and kneed the person in the face.
The Paterson cop also allegedly prepared, signed, and submitted a police report describing the incident that contained several false statements, the release stated.
Video screenshot
City officials released body camera video in what appears to be an unprovoked attack, kneeing the victim in the face while the man was handcuffed and sitting down.
Two minutes and 22 seconds into the video, a cop who officials say is Finch can be seen moving past the officer whose camera is recording and strike the man in the head.
A chaotic scuffle ensued and eventually the man was sitting on the hallway floor, with his hands behind his back and his wrists bound by handcuffs.
https://youtu.be/KsmPKXL0yyY
“Look me in the eye,” the man said to Finch as the cop stood over him, the video showed. Finch then hit the handcuffed man in the face area with his knee.
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During the past 13 years, Finch has been the target of four federal lawsuits accusing him of using excessive force against citizens.
Finch was also the third city cop since April charged with using excessive force against members of the public.
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.
Like Finch, 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.”
The office said they 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.”
Finch currently is suspended without pay.
