UPDATE: Officer Varady has now been charged with driving under the influence. More information will be provided as it becomes available.



EDISON — The police officer was in uniform, his marked cruiser parked out front.

But Edison patrolman Alan Varady wasn’t investigating a crime as he sat in a township back yard Saturday afternoon.

He was drinking beer at a barbecue when he should have been patrolling the streets, according to three law enforcement officials with knowledge of the case.

Varady, a 27-year veteran who makes $131,500 a year, had been drinking for several hours when someone alerted the department, said the law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.

Two uniformed supervisors were dispatched to the house to bring Varady and the cruiser to headquarters, where the officer was administered a Breathalyzer test, the officials said. The test results could not immediately be obtained.

Varady, 51, was promptly suspended, but he will continue to collect his salary pending disciplinary action.

The incident marks the latest in a long series of embarrassments and black marks for the Edison Police Department, the subject of a two-part series in The Star-ledger in December. The department’s troubles have continued apace since then, with infighting among some officers and new episodes of alleged wrongdoing or criminal behavior by members of the force.

Edison police officer Michael Dotro faces five counts of attempted murder for allegedly setting his captain's house on fire.

In the most high-profile case, an officer with a history of disciplinary problems was charged with five counts of attempted murder late last month for allegedly setting fire to his captain’s home while the supervisor and his family slept inside. All escaped without injury.

The officer, Michael Dotro, remains jailed on $5 million cash bail.

Edison Mayor Antonia Ricigliano said the continuing disciplinary problems in the department show that "something is obviously amiss."

"Clearly, the system is not working," Ricigliano said last night. "We need to do something, and we need to do it quickly."

The mayor, who serves as public safety director, said she plans to meet later this week with acting Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey about the ongoing problems. In particular, Ricigliano said, she wants monthly reports from the police department’s professional standards unit on patterns of behavior by officers.

"If there seems to be a pattern of negative behavior, it’s something that needs to be dealt with," Ricigliano said. "If you deal with issues as they come up, you can prevent bad things from happening."

It appears that Saturday’s incident involving Varady did not amount to a criminal offense, but it could have resulted in his arrest — and imperiled the public — had he climbed behind the wheel of his cruiser drunk.

Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan would not address details of the probe, but he confirmed the department received a complaint about Varady drinking on the job.

"We took immediate action," Bryan said. "It’s under investigation. And as always, I’m not going to tolerate any police misconduct."

He declined to say what kind of punishment Varady could face.

"The appropriate discipline will be administered," Bryan said.

Varady could not be reached for comment. The law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity described him as a well-liked officer with no serious disciplinary history.

In its December series, The Star-Ledger reported that at least 30 Edison police officers had been fired or abruptly resigned amid allegations of inappropriate or illegal behavior over the past two decades.

That record of misconduct was unmatched by any department of equivalent size in New Jersey and, on a per-officer basis, was far worse than the state’s largest law enforcement agency, the State Police.

At the same time, officers and supervisors have been mired in a long battle for control of the department.

At least 16 members of the force have filed suit in recent years against the chief, the mayor or the township, claiming age discrimination, retaliation, harassment or political influence over promotions and demotions. Those suits have cost taxpayers millions of dollars in settlements and legal fees.

In January, the Attorney General’s Office stepped up oversight of Edison’s internal affairs division but has rejected calls for a department-wide takeover.

RELATED COVERAGE

• Possible motive emerges in Edison cop's alleged arson attack on captain's home

• Edison cop charged with attempted murder in firebomb attack on supervisor's home

• $20K reward offered following firebombing of Edison cop's home

• Molotov cocktail may have been used to firebomb home of Edison cop, sources say

• Betraying the badge: Edison police produce astonishing record of misconduct

• Law and disorder: Edison's police force plagued by infighting, lawsuits



