Paterson police Internal Affairs will investigate drug suspect’s escape

Joe Malinconico
·1 min read

PATERSON — The police department’s Internal Affairs division is investigating Thursday’s escape by a low-level drug suspect who had not been caught as of noon the next day, according to law enforcement sources.

What we know

  • Justin Ranko, 22, of Paterson was inside a holding cell area at police headquarters when he escaped shortly before 2 p.m., officials said.

  • Ranko, who is homeless, is not considered dangerous according to authorities. He likely would have been released later Thursday afternoon, after his processing was done, police said. Now Ranko faces an additional criminal charge — escape, police said.

  • Exactly how Ranko managed to get away from the holding cell area, where suspects usually are kept in handcuffs, will be one of the things examined in the IA investigation, officials said.

  • The headquarters’ main entrance and exit face Broadway in Paterson’s downtown area, but the building also has multiple doors leading to a rear parking lot in the back of the building, off Memorial Parkway.

Paterson Police headquarters at the Frank X. Graves Jr. Public Safety Complex in April 2021.
Paterson Police headquarters at the Frank X. Graves Jr. Public Safety Complex in April 2021.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ news: Police to investigate how drug suspect escaped