Prosecutors release body camera footage of Woodlynne police officer pepper spray incident

WOODLYNNE, N.J. - A Woodlynne police officer has been charged after he allegedly sprayed two people with pepper spray without provocation, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Ryan Dubiel, 31, of Wenonah, has been charged with two counts of simple assault, according to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Woodlynne Mayor Joseph Chukwueke announced Friday that Dubiel had been suspended. 

Investigators say video footage showed that at the time of the pepper spray deployment on the 200 block of Parker Avenue June 4 around 1:30 p.m., the individuals were not observed physically resisting or attempting to harm others or themselves. 

“Our Special Prosecutions Unit received the Internal Affairs complaint against Dubiel on June 5 and immediately began collecting all of the evidence to conduct a thorough and impartial review of the complaint,” said Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill. Mayer. “After careful review, it was clear Dubiel’s actions are not consistent with the State of New Jersey use-of-force policy.”

Officer Dubiel has been with the Woodlynne Police Department for 10 months. Dubiel is currently suspended without pay.

In the wake of this incident, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal called for officers in the state to be licensed like doctors, nurses and lawers. 

"We must insure that all officers meet baseline standards of professionalism, and that officers who fail to meet those standards cannot be passed from one police department to another while posing a threat to the public and other officers," Gurbir said.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office released body camera footage of the incident Thursday night. 

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