EDISON — A 15-year veteran of the Edison Police Department has been suspended without pay as a result of charges he allegedly used the New Jersey Criminal Justice Information System to stalk a former girlfriend, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Police Chief Thomas Bryan announced.
Paul Pappas, 43, was charged with computer theft/criminal activity in the second degree and stalking in the fourth degree. Pappas turned himself into authorities at the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office on April 17. He was charged on a summons and released pending his initial court appearance on May 4.
On March 20, Pappas was charged with criminal mischief, which is a disorderly person’s offense, for allegedly slashing a tire on his former girlfriend’s car in New Brunswick while he was on duty with the Edison Police Department, according to the statement.
At that time, Township Attorney William Northgrave acknowledged the charges, saying, “While Edison does not and will not comment on personnel matters, it has been brought to our attention there was an issue … involving one of our police officers. That matter is actively under investigation. Further comment would be inappropriate at this time except to say the police officer involved has been relieved of his badge and service weapon pending further investigation.”
Upon further investigation by the Edison Police Department, it was determined that Pappas, from August 2017 through March 2018, had allegedly been making unauthorized full disclosure inquiries into the New Jersey Criminal Justice Information System and using that information to stalk his former girlfriend, according to the statement.
The investigation was conducted by the Edison Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit in conjunction with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Anyone with information should call Edison Police Sgt. Theodore Hamer at 732-248-7400 or Detective Nicholas Chiorello of the prosecutor’s office at 732-745-3848.