Multiple Bloomfield police cruisers totaled in crash following pursuit
Authorities say the pursuit started in a neighboring town and Bloomfield police joined in to assist.
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Several Bloomfield police cruisers were totaled early Monday morning following a police chase that crossed through several jurisdictions and ended in Newark.
The crash happened near South Orange Avenue and Grove Street in Newark.
According to law enforcement officials, police in a neighboring town were pursuing a suspect who broke into a house, stole the keys to a BMW and took off sometime after 1:30 a.m.
Bloomfield officers came in with the assist and ultimately were involved in two separate crashes in Newark. The suspect in that stolen car fled after the police cruisers crashed, according to officials.
It’s been almost a year and a half since New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin re-authorized police pursuits due to the rise in car thefts in New Jersey.
News 12 spoke with Peter Andreyev; the president of the New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association who broke down what has to happen before a pursuit takes place that could potentially put officers and the community at risk.
"They’ve got to first confirm the fact that the vehicle is stolen, or the vehicle was involved in another crime. Once it’s confirmed they can then go and start to initiate a motor vehicle stop. Hopefully, the occupants of the vehicle will stop but often the perps don’t do that, and they try to flee that’s when the officers are then authorized to pursue those vehicles."
Three officers and one civilian had minor injuries. The incident remains under investigation.
