A Denville police officer was arrested and charged yesterday with stealing drugs from the police department’s evidence room. According to the article in the Star Ledger, Officer Eugene Blood was charged with official misconduct, burglary, attempted burglary, theft of a controlled dangerous substance, attempted theft of a controlled dangerous substance and criminal mischief. The accused officer has been a member of the Denville Police Department since 2003. According to the Morris County Prosecutor, the thefts could compromise current and former prosecutions. For additional information, please see the Star Ledger article entitled, “Denville cop charged with stealing drugs from police department’s evidence room.”
It will be interesting to see how this case unfolds on two fronts. First, the case may be transferred out of Morris County so no conflict develops in the prosecution of a Denville Police Officer by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office (especially if the officer’s alleged acts jeapordizes some cases prosecuted by Morris County). Secondly, it will be interesting to see how many cases are effected by the officer’s alleged acts. It is difficult to prosecute a drug case without the evidence for trial.