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POLICE EMPLOYEE DATA
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The Uniform Crime Reporting Program of New Jersey incorporates the collection
of pertinent data relating to the police of the state. Information regarding
police employees strength and trends are discussed in this section.
Individual listings of full-time state, county, university and college
police departments are shown in tables within this section. Listings of
municipal police departments will be found in Section VII.
The determination of police strength for any given area or municipality
should be subject for serious consideration. Such consideration, however,
should be based on the numerous factors which create the need for police
services. For example, the increased need for police service in a municipality
which has a highly mobile or seasonal population differs from a municipality
which has a relatively stable population. Some other factors, discussed
elsewhere in this publication, relate to size, density of population,
geographic location, character, and proximity to metropolitan areas. The
tables and charts shown in this section should not be interpreted as recommended
strength for any given municipality.
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TOTAL POLICE EMPLOYEES
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Total police employees are defined as the total number of full-time police
officers and civilian police employees (clerks, dispatchers, mechanics,
etc.) employed by all law enforcement agencies in the state.
- During 2000, there were 50,328 full-time police employees in New
Jersey. This represents an increase of 2 percent compared to the 49,330
full-time police employees in 1999.
- The number of full-time police officers increased 2 percent, from
37,702 in 1999 to 38,312 in 2000.
- The number of full-time civilian employees increased 3 percent, from
11,628 in 1999 to 12,016 in 2000.
- Seventy-six percent were sworn officers and the remaining 24 percent
were civilian employees.
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MUNICIPAL POLICE EMPLOYEES
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This category consists of the number of police employees, including civilian
personnel, employed full-time by municipalities of the state.
- During 2000, there were 24,777 municipal police employees, an increase
of 1 percent compared to the 24,575 in 1999.
- For every 1,000 inhabitants of the state there were 2.9 municipal
police employees.
- Union County reported the largest increase in municipal police employees,
an increase of 3 percent (49 employees).
- Atlantic County recorded the highest police employee rate; 4.5 per
1,000 population; (this rate is computed on the static population and
does not take into account the large influx of seasonal and recreational
population).
- Hunterdon County recorded the lowest police employee rate of 1.5
per 1,000 population.
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MUNICIPAL CIVILIAN POLICE EMPLOYEES
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The personnel of each department differ as to the demands and responsibilities
placed before them. Many police officers are fully occupied with clerical
tasks and are not free to perform active police duties. Employing civilians
in police departments to perform clerical duties is in line with the thinking
of many police administrators who recommended the use of civilians in
this capacity. Thus, freeing the sworn personnel for actual police-related
services.
- There were 3,983 municipal civilian police employees in 2000, an
increase of 1 percent compared to the 3,947 in 1999.
- Sixteen percent of all municipal police employees were civilians.
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MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS
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This includes the number of sworn police officers employed full-time
by municipalities of the state. The police employee rate per 1,000 population
presented here should not be construed as recommended ratios. The determination
of police strength for any municipality should be based on the numerous
factors that create the need for police services. These factors, as crime,
vary in type and degree from place to place. Some examples are: seasonal
population, geographic location, density and composition of the population.
- There were 20,794 full-time municipal police officers in 2000; this
represents an increase of 1 percent when compared to the 20,628 full-time
municipal police officers in 1999.
- The number of full-time municipal police officers was calculated
at 2.5 per 1,000 population; this represents no change when compared
to 1999.
- Sworn officers represented 84 percent of all municipal police employees.
- Union County recorded the largest numerical increase (43) which represented
a 3 percent increase of municipal police officers.
- The largest numerical decrease occurred in Essex County, a decrease
of 69 municipal police officers, or 2 percent.
- Essex County, with 3.7 police officers per 1,000 inhabitants, recorded
the highest rate of full-time municipal police officers. (This rate
is computed on the static population, and does not take into account
the large influx of seasonal and recreational population).
- Sussex County recorded the lowest rate of full-time municipal officers
with 1.3 police officers per 1,000 population.
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OTHER POLICE (State Agencies)
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In addition to the State Police, there are ten other state agencies reporting
to the system. These agencies consist of: NJ Forest Fire Service, Division
of Parks & Forestry, Department of Corrections, Department of Human
Services, Division of Criminal Justice, Division of Fish and Game, Office
of Weights and Measures, Palisades Interstate Park, Port Authority NY/NJ,
and NJ Transit Police. No rates were computed due to the variations in
the types of police services rendered, and their statewide jurisdictions.
- Together, these agencies reported a total of 12,050 full-time employees;
an increase of 1 percent compared to the 11,553 police employees in
1999.
- There were 8,439 sworn police officers in 2000, an increase of 3
percent compared to the 8,175 in 1999.
- These agencies reported 3,611 civilian police employees in 2000,
representing a 7 percent increase compared to the 3,378 reported in
1999.
- Seventy percent were sworn personnel, while the remaining 30 percent
were civilians.
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COUNTY POLICE, SHERIFFS AND PROSECUTORS
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The functions of county law enforcement vary widely throughout the state.
The operation of one sheriff's department may be limited exclusively to
civil areas and the administration of the county jail, or they may be
actively involved in criminal matters throughout the county.
County police departments are varied in their activities in that some
are responsible for enforcement throughout the county, while others may
have as their primary mission the policing of county parklands. The responsibilities
of county prosecutors' officers include criminal investigations, trial
preparation, court presentation and special probes. Because of the difference
in the types of police service rendered, rates for county law enforcement
agencies are not presented here.
- County law enforcement agencies reported a total of 8,994 full-time
police employees in 2000; an increase of 4 percent compared to 8,670
in 1999.
- There were 6,172 full-time sworn police officers employed by county
agencies in 2000. This represents an increase of 5 percent compared
to 5,881 in 1999.
- County police agencies reported 2,822 civilian police employees in
2000; an increase of 1 percent compared to 2,789 civilian employees
in 1999.
- Sworn personnel accounted for 69 percent while the remaining 31 percent
were civilians.
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STATE POLICE
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The New Jersey State Police is empowered to provide all phases of law
enforcement throughout the state. It also renders, upon request, police
services to all the law enforcement agencies in the state. No rates are
used due to the variations in the nature and extent of the police services
performed by the State Police.
- The New Jersey State Police reported 3,716 full-time police employees;
a decrease of less than one-half of one percent compared to 3,732 in
1999.
- State Police employed 2,534 officers in 2000, this represented a
decrease of 4 percent when compared to 2,637 in 1999.
- The State Police reported 1,182 civilian employees in 2000; an increase
of 8 percent over the 1,095 reported in 1999.
- Sworn personnel accounted for 68 percent and civilians represented
32 percent of the total State Police employees.
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