PAULSBORO — Three brothers who accused Paulsboro police officers of assaulting them in 2011 have settled with the borough for a sum of $60,000.

Shavon Mears, of West Deptford, and his brothers Artavius and Eltereake, both of Paulsboro, filed complaints in August 2011 saying three borough officers — Francis Grogan, Gary Kille and Vernon Marino — assaulted them in May of that year.

The three officers named in the suit were removed from the complaint prior to the plaintiffs reaching a settlement with the borough government.

Eltereake Mears claimed he was in the area of Adams and Spruce streets with his 5-month-old son in a stroller on May 5 when police attempted to arrest his friend Daquan Belcher.

In a citizen complaint filed against the police officers, Eltereake Mears claimed one officer knocked the stroller onto two wheels with the child inside as they went to arrest Belcher and he then had a verbal altercation with the officers.

He said officers then surrounded him and pushed him against a fence before taking him to the police vehicle where an officer allegedly hit him and slammed his face into the trunk of the car.

Eltereake filed complaints of assault and harassment against each officer.

His brothers, Artavius and Shavon, said they went to the police station to check on Eltereake's status later that day. They alleged a verbal confrontation there led to their own violent arrests.

Shavon had reported that two of the officers assaulted and harassed him, while Artavius named only one officer who was allegedly violent with him.

In the settlement agreement between the three brothers, the borough and the Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland Counties Municipal Joint Insurance Fund, each brother is awarded $20,000 and agrees to give up all claims and rights against the borough.

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@southjerseymedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.