The popular ex-chief of the Union City Police Department was arrested last week and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio.
Paul J. Hanak, 60, of Weehawken was arrested in a Thursday afternoon raid that also netted 14 other arrests on charges of conspiring to distribute drugs.
According to DeFazio, Hanak was not the focus of what was a joint investigation between the Jersey City Police Department and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. The focus of the investigation was actually Hanak’s roommate, Arthur Hodge, 40, DeFazio said.
According to DeFazio, Hodge has been charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled and dangerous substances, which were heroin and cocaine. This charge is a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison. Hodge’s bail has been set at $250,000 and he remains in the Hudson County Jail in Kearny as of press time.
Said DeFazio, “A bench warrant was executed and when the officers entered the premises, there was drug paraphernalia in full view. Hanak and Hodge were in the apartment at the time.”
Continued DeFazio, “This was part of a lengthy investigation by the Jersey City Police Department and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office that resulted in the arrest of 15 people.”
Though Union City Police officials were apparently unwilling to speak about the arrest of the ex-chief, an unnamed source in City Hall confirmed that the ex-chief was quite popular and remains friendly with many of the police officers still on the job. The source also said that many of the rank-and-file officers don’t believe that Hanak knowingly broke the law.
Hanak became chief of the Union City Police Department in 1997and was replaced by current chief Norman Bareis in 2001 after retiring from the department.
According to Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Dave Rastogi, a possession of drug paraphernalia charge is a disorderly persons offense that carries the potential for six months of jail time, a $1,000 fine, suspension of a driver’s license for six months and other substantial financial penalties.
Said Rastogi, “If you have no prior conviction record, you are entitled to what is called a ‘conditional discharge’. Basically, you don’t have to plead guilty or not guilty on the case. If you say out of trouble for six months, there will be no public record of the offense. However, the law enforcement community will be aware of it.”
Hanak was released but will, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio, have to appear in court at an undisclosed time in the near future.