Officer Emmanuel Rivera was among five officers suspended without pay in 2024 after a failed operation in East Orange. The officers contested the disciplinary actions, claiming procedural errors and lack of authority by the public safety director. Rivera, who works on a Newark violent crime initiative and is deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service, argued that the discipline could jeopardize his federal deputization and the effectiveness of the task forces he serves on. The case is awaiting a fact-finding hearing at the state Office of Administrative Law.
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