Departments & Services
Patrol Division
The Patrol Division is the largest police division and is responsible for
the performance of all primary police tasks. In Bernards Township, patrol
officers are assigned to a designated section of the Township in a marked vehicle
to preserve law and order. Some examples of a patrol officer's tasks
are to prevent and discover the commission of a crime direct traffic and to
enforce motor vehicle operation, parking regulations and criminal laws; to
answer calls and complaints involving first aid calls, motor vehicle accidents,
and various types of criminal activities; to conduct preliminary investigations,
gather evidence, make arrests and transport prisoners to and from jail; provide
testimony in court; to complete all reports as required; and to accept assignment
to work in a variety of specialized units within the Department. The
patrol officer is under the direct supervision of the Patrol Sergeant.
The Patrol Sergeant provides direct supervision to patrol officers,
serves as a backup unit and carries out the duties of the officer
in charge. Other responsibilities of the Patrol Sergeant include
supervising an assigned squad of officers; to direct, review and
coordinate the work of personnel assigned to his/her squad; to instruct
subordinate officers and civilian personnel as to work assignments
and procedures in patrol, investigations, traffic or other assigned
areas; to supervise and participate in criminal investigations;
to receive complaints or reports of emergencies; and determine need
for action and direct subordinates in handling difficult problems. The
Patrol Sergeant is the first line of supervision within the Department
and answers to the Patrol Lieutenant.
The existing Table of Organization for the Patrol Division consists
of four squads. Each of these squads is comprised of one Sergeant
and five Patrol Officers. Upon the creation of the Six-officer
squads, the Department adopted a personnel-staffing policy that
requires a minimum of four patrol officers on duty at any given
time.
- Continue in current course of high customer service to the public;
- Continue in current process of quality proactive crime prevention;
- Continue in current process of quality in-service training;
- Expand current Anti-Crime task Force in scope and responsibility;