Washington Twp. Police Score Perfect on ACLU Test

The Washington Township Police Department was one of 121 in New Jersey that got a "perfect score" in a recent test from the ACLU.

Volunteers from the ACLU called almost 500 police departments across the state and asked five questions about residents filing complaints against police, according to a report released last week. 

When a volunteer called Washington Township Police, the officer who answered the call answered all the questions correctly, according to the report.

Police Chief Randy Ciocco said that the department has spent a lot of time "to get the whole internal affairs process down pat."

"If there's a complaint, our officers are trained to take it," Ciocco said. "I'm very happy that whoever took the call did the right thing."

More than half the departments answered at least one question incorrectly, according to the report. 51 departments did not get a single question right.

Ciocco said that most of the complaints the department receives have no merit, but all are investigated.

"It's a very integral part of law enforcement," Ciocco said.

Township officials are also planning to replace outdated cameras for the department's patrol cars. Ciocco noted that the cameras are a "huge help" for internal affairs investigations, often allowing them to be completed much faster than if there were no cameras.

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