National Police Association Podcast with Guest, Barbara Oldrati, mother of unjustly charged LEO Salvatore Oldrati
Episode Overview
Barbara Oldrati details the night her son, Corporal Sal Oldrati, responded to a 911 burglary-in-progress call on September 21, 2021—a volatile encounter that ended in a fatal, officer-involved shooting. Cleared internally and returned to duty within weeks, Sal was indicted 20 months later (May 23, 2023) for reckless manslaughter after New Jersey’s Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA) revisited the case under a new attorney general. Barbara explains why the family believes the prosecution is politically motivated, the toll it has taken on Sal’s career and young family, and what listeners can do to help.
Key Takeaways
- Sal’s Law-Enforcement Journey – From Philadelphia Police Explorers at 14 to Officer-of-the-Year awards and promotion to corporal.
- The Critical Incident – Low-light, 1:30 a.m. confrontation with an armed homeowner brandishing a replica handgun; split-second decision-making under NJ use-of-force law.
- Attorney-General Reversal – Initial clearance by NJ Shooting Response Team vs. later grand-jury indictment under a newly installed progressive AG.
- Legal Issues Highlighted
- Grand-jury “ham-sandwich” threshold and selective evidence presentation.
- NJ self-defense statute allowing deadly force when an officer reasonably fears imminent harm.
- Alleged discovery suppression and broader OPIA misconduct now drawing legislative scrutiny.
- Personal Impact – Sal suspended without pay, losing health insurance just before marriage and fatherhood; PTSD and career uncertainty.
