Cop Accused of Stealing Drugs From Evidence Room

A Denville Police Officer is accused of stealing drugs from his department's evidence room, compromising several cases.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday Officer Eugene Blood faces several charges including burglary and theft of a controlled dangerous substance after an investigation that lasted several months.

Lt. Paul Nigro of the Denville department first reported he suspected someone was tampering with evidence in April, the prosecutor's office said. The prosecutor's office's Professional Standards Unit and Technical Assistance Response Unit conducted a covert probe that led to the charges against Blood, the prosecutor's office said.

"These allegations are very serious in and of themselves, as well as the fact that it compromised numerous criminal prosecutions,"Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi said. "The Morris County Prosecutor's Office and the Denville Township Police Department have spent the past four months examining every piece of evidence on every case in the Denville Police Department's evidence room to determine what cases have been compromised."

He said his office is in the process of notifying defendants and their attorneys about the compromised evidence. It wasn't clear from a statement released by the prosecutor's office how many cases were affected.

It also wasn't immediately clear what volume or type of drugs Blood is accused of taking over the several months.

Denville Cheif Christopher Wagner said his department immediately notified the prosecutor's office after identifying an issue.

"I am extremely disappointed in the actions of this one officer," he said. "I do, however, stand by all of the other fine officers in the Denville Police Department who wear the uniform with pride and go out each day to serve the residents of Denville with honor and integrity."

Bianchi also stressed his confidence in the Denville department as a whole, and said it provided crucial aid in the investigation.

Blood has been suspended without pay since August, Wagner said.

Blood first joined the department in 2003 as a member of the patrol division, according to the prosecutor's office. From 2007 through 2010, he was a member of the department's detective bureau and a custodian of its department of evidence. He rejoined the patrol division last year.