Hi, I'm the president of a 9 unit condo association and I'm looking around for a new management company. Any recommendations? Thanks!

JCPD BLACK & BLUE
He called cops - they beat, cuffed him
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A Jersey City man called cops Monday night when he saw what looked like burglars on his roof and said he was then badly beaten by arriving officers, who apparently thought he was a burglar as he ran to the front door to let them in.

Mathias Bolton, 34, of Palisade Avenue near Bowers Street, suffered a broken arm, black eye, possibly a broken foot, and many abrasions on his arms, back and shoulders, as a result of the incident on Monday at 10:11 p.m., he said.

On top of that, Bolton was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest, but after he appeared in Central Judicial Processing Court in Jersey City yesterday, the charges were downgraded to simple assault and a lesser degree of resisting arrest. The case was remanded to Municipal Court.

Police Chief Tom Comey said yesterday that there would be an investigation of the incident.

"I would urge everyone not to rush to judgment," Comey said.

Bolton said he heard a noise on his roof and when he looked out a skylight saw two men trying to break in, so he called police and was told a car would be sent. After hanging up he ran downstairs to open the front door because there is no bell, Bolton said.

"I opened the door and midway up the steps were two thug-looking guys in jeans and T-shirts, and they looked pretty tough," said Bolton.

In fact, they were plainclothes Police Officers Victor Vargas and Kevin Hill.

Bolton said the two didn't identify themselves or display badges - a point the officers disputed in the police report of the incident.

"These guys rushed me and I heard sirens in the distance and my first thought was, these guys might be connected to the burglars," Bolton said.

He said the officers were grabbing him and screaming "Did you call police?" which Bolton said made him think they were burglars and were angry at him.

He said the pair were trying to push him back into the building.

Bolton said he braced himself to resist being pushed in and he was punched in the face a number of times. He was still able to stop them pushing him in and could hear the sirens getting closer, Bolton said.

When the cruisers arrived, Bolton said, he yelled: "Officer, officer, come get these guys off me. I need help."

As the uniformed cops approached with night sticks out, he said he figured those punching him would get beaten, but instead the arriving cops laid into him, Bolton said.

He told police he was the one who called them but they put him in a police car as confusion seemed to grow among the officers, Bolton said.

In a police report filed about the incident, the cops said Bolton ran to the door, looked surprised and was out of breath. The officers said they identified themselves and had their badges out, and that when they asked Bolton if he called police and did he need help Bolton responded, "What?"

The police report says Bolton tried to close the door but an officer held it open and then Bolton punched him in the chest and tried to push his way through.

They grabbed him and told him they were investigating a burglary and Bolton replied, "So get the hell off me," and then fell trying to run away, kicking at Hill and Vargas while down, the reports said.

When the cruiser arrived, the report said, Bolton said: "Get the (expletive) off me. Who are you guys?"

According to the police report, after the uniformed officers were on the scene, Bolton said, "OK, I give up. I'm sorry" and was taken to the police station and then to the hospital for treatment of what the report calls "minor scrapes."

Bolton is director of research for a union in New York City and has a master's degree from Rutgers University in industrial management labor relations, said his Jersey City attorney, John Burke. Bolton said his father is a retired Paterson police officer.

Police said the officers involved would not comment.

Bolton is to appear in municipal court on Sept. 5.
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This is right across the street from where I live. What bullcrap!

Yeah, seriously, I still can't understand why the jitney people aren't all over Central Ave!

Ah, CRAP!!