Major discipline · 2023[1]
Suspended 5 days- Rank as reported
- Officer
- Sustained charge(s)
- (a)(1) – , or failure to perform duties (a)(6) – a public employee (a)(7) – (a)(12) – –
- Separated while IA pending
- not reported
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
Officer Jamil Otero received a five-day suspension from the Essex County Department of Corrections in 2023. The record states that on January 18, 2022, Otero was assigned as a Constant Observation officer for an inmate placed on dry cell status to be monitored for a contraband cell phone. According to the record, Otero was inattentive and then seen on camera sleeping on duty while the inmate removed the phone from his body cavity and broke it into pieces. Sustained charges included neglect of duty and failure to perform duties.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On January 18, 2022 an Inmate was assigned on “Dry Cell” status in order to be monitored for the passage of contraband “Cell Phone”. Inmate was assigned this cell on the authority of a Doctor, Officer Otero was assigned to the unit/ inmate as a “Constant Observation” Officer Otero documents being on post monitoring Inmates activity at 1745 hours but is not actually seen to be in front of the cell. Officer Otero is then seen on camera with his head back looking up at 1811 hours when he is supposed to be monitoring the behavior of the inmate. While Officer Otero is inattentive as to the behavior of the inmate, the Inmate is seen on his cell camera repositioning himself to remove the phone from his body cavity and then seen taking the phone out of his body cavity, all while Officer Otero is in front of the cell inattentive to the inmates activates. At 1814 hours, Officer Otero is seen on camera nodding and at 1821 hours Officer Otero is sleeping on duty. While Officer Otero is sleeping, the inmate has the phone in his hands and is destroying it. At 1823 hours, the inmate is seen placing pieces of the phone in a sock and sliding it across the floor to the door. The inmate is then seen placing the sock in his food tray at 1826 hour’s and Officer Otero is oblivious to any inmate activity as he’s sleeping on duty. At 1829 hours the inmate is still breaking the phone into pieces as the Officer is still sleeping; it is not until 1831 hours when another Officer enters the unit to conduct a tour when Officer Otero is finally awaken.