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Palmer, who was arrested Friday, May 30, is accused of accessing the Phillipsburg Police Department’s Records Management System while off duty to locate the address of someone he had a personal dispute with, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Daily Voice.
The affidavit obtained by Daily Voice Friday, June 13 states that Palmer entered PPD headquarters around 4:25 a.m. on April 8, saying he needed to use a computer. He then used the system to search for the civilian’s name, retrieved their address, and told officers they "might need to respond there," the complaint says. Palmer then went to the individual’s home, where officers found him later that morning, the document says.
The person’s identity was redacted but is known to law enforcement, according to the documents.
Palmer is charged with a third-degree crime for “knowingly and without authorization” using a government computer system to access personal information.
Palmer, who joined the force in 2023, is currently out pending court proceedings.
His attorney, Donald Souders Jr., has pushed back on the charges, calling them a result of selective enforcement.
“There are double standards at the Phillipsburg Police Department, which often has received a ‘look-the-other-way’ treatment for some and aggressive persecution of others,” Souders said. “The underlying facts involve personal, familial relationships and abhorrent conduct by a third-party… designed to protect a third-party and ruin the career of a young police officer whose lifelong dream was to serve and protect the public.”
The case is being prosecuted by the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office.
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