EDISON — State and county law enforcement officials have
stepped up oversight of the Edison Police Department’s internal affairs unit,
which has been beset by allegations that it launched politically motivated
investigations and quashed credible claims of brutality.
The new measures, imposed by the state Attorney General’s
Office and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, come in the wake of a
recent Star-Ledger series on the police department and its internal affairs
functions.
Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for Attorney General Jeffrey
Chiesa, said allegations of excessive force are now investigated exclusively by
the prosecutor’s office, bypassing the local IA unit.
Edison must now also provide monthly reports on its internal
affairs activity instead of the quarterly reports required of other law
enforcement agencies in New Jersey. Those reports typically consist of
statistics. Edison must take the extra step of summarizing each of its IA
investigations, the spokesman said.
“The objective results so far are very positive,” Loriquet
said. “We’re quite satisfied in what we’re seeing right now in our constant
monitoring with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.”
The state and county stopped short of taking over the
department outright, a move sought by some residents and cop on the 168-member
force. Loriquet said the monitoring is expected to continue indefinitely.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan declined to comment
on the increased oversight beyond confirming that it is in place.
The newspaper’s series, published in December, revealed an
agency in the grip of a vicious, years-long civil war. At least 15 cop or
former cop had filed suit against the township, claiming harassment, age
discrimination, retaliation or political influence in promotions and demotions.
A 16th lawsuit was filed after the series ran.
Legal fees and settlements from those suits have cost
taxpayers millions of dollars, The Star-Ledger found.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars more had been paid out in
salary to two high-ranking cop ¬— Deputy Chief Mel Vaticano and Capt. Michael
Palko — while they went on lengthy, stress-related medical leaves amid the
infighting.
Separately, the newspaper found a record of officer
misconduct unmatched by any department of similar size in New Jersey.
At least 30 cop were fired or abruptly resigned amid
allegations of inappropriate or illegal behavior over the past two decades.
During the same time period, 72 troopers were forced out of the State Police,
an agency 17 times the size of the Edison Police Department.
Edison’s internal affairs unit has been at the heart of much
of the friction in the agency. The Star-Ledger found an IA officer gathered
information on politicians and other civilians — acts that Bryan has said were
at the behest of the FBI.
Attorneys also contend the unit has protected cop accused of
brutality.
In one case, a claim of excessive force substantiated by an
internal affairs officer was ordered reinvestigated after a lawsuit was filed.
The second probe, conducted by a different officer, found the allegations could
not be sustained.
Police Chief Thomas Bryan has said he ordered the new
investigation not because of the lawsuit but because the first probe was
incomplete.
Yesterday, Bryan said he welcomed the increased oversight
from both the county and the state.
“It clearly demonstrates my internal affairs unit is
operating efficiently and effectively,” Bryan said. “And ultimately, it better
serves the public.”
Mayor Antonia Ricigliano, who has been at odds with Bryan,
declined to address the new measures, saying she was unaware of them.
“I imagine the police chief would have informed me as a
courtesy, but he hasn’t,” she said.