A bill that would place the internal affairs functions of the troubled Edison Police Department in the hands of the state Attorney General’s Office won approval this afternoon in the Assembly.

The measure, co-sponsored by Assemblymen Peter Barnes III (D-Middlesex) and Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen), passed 46-24, with six abstentions.

The bill, introduced in response to a December Star-Ledger series on the Edison force, is a scaled-down version of an initiative that would have centralized internal affairs functions in the Attorney General’s Office for every law enforcement agency in New Jersey.

Facing objections from fellow lawmakers and the state police chief’s association about the potential costs and logistics of such a move, Barnes and Johnson narrowed the focus to Edison.

In the bill’s current incarnation, the state would assume control of Edison’s internal affairs unit for two years under a pilot program. At the end of that period, the state would issue a report recommending whether to expand the program to other law enforcement agencies that have shown signs of turmoil.

Assemblyman Peter Barnes III, seen here in February, contends local police officers should not police themselves.

“This is one piece of the puzzle,” Barnes said in an interview. “If Edison’s internal affairs functions went to the Attorney General’s Office, would that solve all of the problems in the township? No. There are other things that need to be done. But it’s a part of the solution, and it’s a part that makes sense not just for Edison, but for many towns.”

The assemblyman, whose father once served as public safety director in Edison, said he favors centralized internal affairs functions because of the worry that local officers cannot objectively investigate colleagues, leaving them susceptible to favoritism or vindictiveness.

Johnson, the co-sponsor and a former Bergen County undersheriff, said in a statement the public suffers when police departments are inefficient or ineffective.

“In these situations, agencies require oversight and management to get the unit back on track,” Johnson said. “(The) AG’s involvement will ensure these agencies are operating honorably, fairly and in accordance with the law.”

The Star-Ledger’s series in December revealed a department torn by a vicious battle for control, with factions dueling behind the scenes and in court, costing taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees and settlements. In addition, the newspaper found, the internal affairs unit gathered information on politicians, officers’ families and other civilians.

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The series’ second day focused on the department’s long record of misconduct, unrivaled by any agency of equivalent size.

In the wake of the stories, the Attorney General’s Office and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office stepped up monitoring of the internal affairs division, requiring IA officers to provide more frequent and more detailed reports on their activities and investigations.

In addition, allegations of police brutality were to be investigated solely by the prosecutor’s office. The measure passed by the Assembly would go further, placing all investigations under the aegis of the state.

The Senate has yet to field a companion bill to the Assembly measure. Barnes said he continues to seek a Senate sponsor.

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