Paul Krzewinski

Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)

Officer Paul Krzewinski was suspended for 7 days by the Princeton University Police Department on sustained charges of neglect of duty, obedience to laws, and domestic violence investigations. The record states that Krzewinski was responsible for investigating a dormitory dispute between a woman and a man in which the woman had visible signs of injury, and that he failed to make a mandatory arrest, leaving a domestic violence victim in a vulnerable state.

Synopsis as reported by the agency

Summary of Allegations Officers were dispatched to a residential dormitory for a call concerning a report of a female yelling, I cannot breathe. During the investigation, Officer Krzewinski arrived on location with other officers. Officer Krzewinski was responsible for investigating the dispute between a woman and a man. All parties were interviewed during the investigation. Both parties provided information accusing each other of aggressive acts, and the woman had visible signs of injury. The officers left the location without taking any further action. Summary of Factual Findings Officer Krzewinski violated several policies during the incident. Officer Krzewinski failed to make a mandatory arrest on the scene during this incident. The woman had a visible sign of injury supported by verbal statements, and a mandatory arrest was the proper course of action in this matter. As a sworn officer, Officer Krzewinski had a duty to make sure that the incident was handled properly according to policy and law, but did not, which left a victim of domestic violence in a vulnerable state. 1. Neglect of Duty 2. Obedience to Laws 3. Domestic Violence Investigations Finding: Sustained on all charges Discipline Imposed: 7-day suspension without pay and training.

Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)

In a separate matter, Officer Paul Krzewinski was terminated by the Princeton University Police Department on a sustained neglect of duty charge, with severity based on several sustained complaints within the previous twelve-month period. The record states that in February 2023 Krzewinski was dispatched to a suspicious person complaint at a parking lot on University Place, and that he rode past the vehicle two times and checked its registration but never approached the driver or took further action.

Synopsis as reported by the agency

Summary of Allegations During a shift in February 2023, Police Officer Paul Krzewinski was on duty assigned to a marked patrol vehicle. Officer Krzewinski was dispatched to a suspicious person complaint at a parking lot on University Place. The report came from a forty-year employee who has been parking in that lot for decades. The reporting person stated the vehicle and individual had been sitting in the lot for over a week with the vehicle idling as early as 7am in the morning. The person reporting felt certain that she knows just about all her co-workers and contractors that park in the lot and this person was neither. The officer told the reporting person that he would check on the suspicious person. Upon returning to his patrol vehicle after transmitting back to dispatch that the vehicle was still there, Officer Krzewinski rode past the vehicle two times, checked the vehicle’s registration, and then departed the area. The officer never approached the driver and took no further action. Summary of Factual Findings Officer Krzewinski failed to thoroughly investigate a call for service. Officer Krzewinski had ample information regarding a suspicious person sitting in a vehicle for extended periods on multiple days, but the only action taken by the officer was to check for the vehicle’s ownership. After determining the vehicle owner was believed not to be affiliated with the university, the officer concluded the investigation without speaking to the person involved. 1. Neglect of Duty Finding: Sustained Disciplined Imposed: Termination. The severity of the discipline is based on several sustained complaints against the officer within the previous twelve-month period.

Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)

In a further matter, Officer Paul Krzewinski was terminated by the Princeton University Police Department on a sustained charge involving the department's interview and constitutional requirements policy. The record states that in February 2023 Krzewinski responded to a report of a suspicious person at an academic building and, after the person produced a Princeton University identification card and attempted to walk away, grabbed the person by the arm and detained him without reasonable suspicion.

Synopsis as reported by the agency

Summary of Allegations During a shift in February 2023, Police Officer Paul Krzewinski was dispatched to an academic building in reference to a suspicious person. The information received was a student aged, African American male was inside of the academic building and left his bag on the ground while using the restroom. On arrival, Officer Krzewinski met with the person in question before meeting with the reporting person The officer located the person in question and asked if he was a student and if he had identification. The person was upset with the officer's interaction, and he begrudgingly produced his Princeton University identification card. As the officer began to write down the student’s information, the student snatched his ID back from the officer and stated he did not feel he should be a part of any report. As the student attempted to walk away the officer grabbed the student by the arm, preventing him from leaving and detaining him to get his name. The officer did not have information that anything the student was doing violated university policy. Summary of Factual Findings Police Officer Paul Krzewinski’s actions during a field interview were in violation of public safety policy because there was no reason to physically detain the involved person. Approaching a person in this matter is permissible by policy, but a violation occurred when the officer grabbed the student by the arm preventing him from leaving since there was not any reasonable suspicion present. 1. SOP – Interview, Interrogation, compliance with Constitutional requirements policy. Finding: Sustained Discipline Imposed: Termination. The severity of the discipline is based on several sustained complaints against the officer within the previous twelve-month period.