FREEHOLD, N.J. (1010 WINS) — A New Jersey police officer has been arrested for allegedly tampering with a drug test he was required to take and deleting a video off of a suspect's phone, prosecutors say.
Aberdeen Police Officer Philip Santiago, 34, of Keyport, has been charged with two counts of second-degree official misconduct, one count of second-degree engaging in a pattern of official misconduct and two counts of fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.
Prosecutors say Santiago "intentionally tampered" with a drug test he was ordered to take this past January, "rendering it unable to be processed."
In May, meanwhile, Santiago deleted a video off of a suspect's cell phone after the suspect was taken into custody by Aberdeen police officers, prosecutors said.
The video "had depicted the interaction between the suspect and the officers, leading up to his arrest," according to prosecutors.
The Aberdeen Police Department has suspended Santiago in light of the charges he is facing, prosecutors said. Santiago, who has been on the force since 2018, could face five to 10 years in state prison if he is convicted of official misconduct, the prosecutor's office said.
"The charges being announced today go beyond the mere breaking of laws — they constitute clear and repeated violations of the solemn oath this officer swore to uphold the interests of justice and serve the public good," Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey said in a statement.
"Such conduct is patently and unequivocally unacceptable among our ranks in law enforcement, and does not represent the majority who serve with honor and integrity," Linskey added.
Santiago's attorney didn't immediately respond to request for comment.
