Major discipline · 2024[1]
Terminated- Rank as reported
- Officer
- Sustained charge(s)
- , , and Failure to Perform Duties; a Public Employee; ; a Police Officer; ; Obedience to Laws, Regulations, and Orders; Performance of Duty; Responsibilities; Prohibited Activity "Loafing"; Response to Calls; Availailability on Duty; Truthfulness
- Separated while IA pending
- No
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
Officer Mercado was terminated by the Pennsauken Township Police Department for failing to respond to two calls for service, a neighbor dispute and a burglar alarm, to which he had been dispatched as an assist unit. An internal affairs investigation found that Mercado was loafing at the FOP hall for several hours and never responded to the calls, and that he was untruthful during the investigation. The conduct occurred in 2022, and the appeal concluded in 2024.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
Officer Mercado was terminated for failing to respond to two calls for service (Neighbor Dispute & Burglar Alarm) where he was dispatched as an assist unit. During an internal affairs investigation, it was found that he was loafing at the FOP hall for several hours and never responded to the calls. Officer Mercado was also found to be untruthful during the investigation. This conduct occurred in 2022, but the appeal concluded in 2024.