A Union City police officer received a six-month suspension after pleading guilty to driving under the influence following his arrest in Secaucus.
A Union City Police Department officer was suspended for 180 days after being arrested for driving under the influence and later pleading guilty in court according to records released this year by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
According to disciplinary records, Officer Mauricio Garces was charged following an incident on July 2, 2023, when Secaucus police officers found him asleep behind the wheel of a vehicle stopped at an intersection.
Authorities said the vehicle was still in drive when officers located Garces.
The Secaucus Police Department arrested Garces and charged him with driving under the influence.
At the time of the incident, Garces was off duty and not in uniform.
Guilty plea entered in 2024
Court records cited in the disciplinary disclosure indicate that Garces pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, to driving under the influence of liquor or drugs.
Following the resolution of the criminal case, the matter proceeded through the Union City Police Department’s internal disciplinary process.
The department sustained charges of DUI/intoxication while off duty and conduct unbecoming a public employee.
Officials determined disciplinary action was warranted based on the officer’s conduct and subsequent guilty plea.
Six-month suspension imposed
Rather than termination or demotion, disciplinary records indicate Garces reached a settlement resulting in a 180-day suspension.
The disclosure notes that he was not terminated, demoted, transferred, retired, or otherwise separated from employment as part of the disciplinary resolution.
A 180-day suspension is among the more significant disciplinary penalties short of termination that can be imposed on a law enforcement officer in New Jersey.
The records do not specify whether the suspension was served consecutively following the guilty plea or whether additional conditions were imposed.
Conduct unbecoming charge sustained
In addition to the DUI-related violation, Garces was found to have engaged in conduct unbecoming a public employee.
That administrative charge is commonly used in public employee disciplinary cases when conduct is determined to negatively reflect on the integrity, reputation, or responsibilities of a public position.
The disciplinary action followed the officer’s criminal conviction for the offense.
Key Points
• Union City Police Officer Mauricio Garces was arrested for DUI on July 2, 2023.
• Secaucus police found him asleep in a vehicle that remained in drive at an intersection.
• Garces pleaded guilty to driving under the influence on Jan. 9, 2024.
• The Union City Police Department sustained charges related to DUI and conduct unbecoming a public employee.
• Garces received a 180-day suspension as part of a disciplinary settlement.
