The officer had shown up to investigate someone hanging up on a 911 call.
DEPTFORD -- Township police say one of their officers was punched in the face as he responded to a routine call Thursday night.
Police arrived at a Lee Avenue residence at 9:18 p.m. in response to reports of someone hanging up on a 911 call. There, they found Avtar A. Singh, 44, who asked "when officers were going to bring his wife home," according to an announcement from the DTPD.
The officers, having shown up specifically to address the phone call, repeatedly told Singh that they did not know where his wife was. At some point in the exchange, Singh allegedly punched Officer Michael Brazelton in the left side of the face. Brazelton was not injured, and Singh was arrested without any further incident.
"The officer responded to assist as a result of the 911 call when he was the victim of an unprovoked assault. We will not tolerate attacks of our police officers who protect and serve our community. This will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Chief William Hanstein in a press release.
Singh was charged with aggravated assault and obstructing the administration of law. He was held at the Salem County Correctional Facility in lieu of $7,500 full cash bail.
Andy Polhamus may be reached at apolhamus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ajpolhamus. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
