Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street and building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the party is always right.
N.J. town fires officer, suspends another over post calling Black Lives Matter protesters 'terrorists'
Timid steps towards normalcy
Hopewell Township has fired a police officer who described Black Lives Matter protesters as "terrorists" and will suspend and demote another for replying to a comment on the Facebook post.
The fired officer, Sara Erwin, and Sgt. Mandy Grey, who will be suspended for six months, are exemplary and decorated officers with "absolutely no disciplinary history", their lawyer Frank Crivelli said Monday evening.
The town's actions against them, he said, are "disgraceful and cowardice".
Gray was the first female officer hired in Hopewell Township, and was the first sergeant when promoted in 2019 — a rank she will lose in the demotion.
Crivelli said the discipline result is dumbfounding as neither officer has any prior internal affairs complaints; this was the first such investigation for either.
Both are public servants with 20 or more years of service.
Appeals are already underway in Superior Court for both, he said. That action will argue a number of things, including First Amendment issues.
The town took the action Friday evening through its council, which voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of a hearing officer, lawyer Brian P. Trelease.
Councilwoman Julie Blake, who serves as mayor, declined to discuss the matter, citing personnel confidentiality.
Hopewell Township has fired a police officer who described Black Lives Matter protesters as "terrorists" and will suspend and demote another for replying to a comment on the Facebook post.
