Park Ridge Police Department

Park Ridge Police Department is the municipal law-enforcement agency serving the Borough of Park Ridge in Bergen County, New Jersey. The department headquarters is located at 33 Park Avenue.
The department provides 24-hour, 365-day police services to the community, including traditional patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, emergency response, community policing and specialized police services.

Patrol Operations

Patrol is the foundation of the department's daily operations. Patrol is generally broken down into four squads, each supervised by a Patrol Sergeant. Patrol officers generally work the Pitman Schedule (12-hour shifts) on a two-week day/night rotation. Officers respond to:

• Emergency and non-emergency calls for service
• Motor vehicle crashes
• Suspicious activity
• Domestic incidents
• Criminal complaints
• Quality-of-life concerns
• Medical and other emergency calls
• Traffic-related complaints
• Borough ordinance violations

Traffic & Enforcement

Traffic safety is a significant component of PRPD operations. The department's Traffic Bureau handles:

• Motor vehicle crash investigations and reports
• Traffic complaints
•  Traffic studies and enforcement
• DWI enforcement
• Commercial vehicle enforcement
•  Selective enforcement details
• School crossing-guard coordination
• Motor-vehicle enforcement and related investigations
• The department has also incorporated technology and data-driven approaches into traffic enforcement and patrol operations.

Detective Bureau

The Detective Bureau handles more complex investigations, including:

• General criminal investigations
• Narcotics investigations
• Juvenile matters
•  Background investigations
• Warrant investigations
• Surveillance
• Evidence collection and processing
•  Investigative coordination with outside agencies

The department works with county, state and other municipal agencies when investigations cross jurisdictional boundaries.

Specialized Capabilities

PRPD has several specialized functions designed to supplement routine patrol operations.
These include:

• Drone UAV Unit - Provides an aerial resource to support officers during critical incidents and public-safety operations.
• Tactical Operations — Training for incidents such as active threats, building searches, high-risk vehicle stops, search warrants, school lockdowns, tactical training, and other critical incidents.
• Domestic Violence— Handles domestic-violence investigations, documentation and required follow-up.
• Bias Crimes — Investigates and documents bias-related incidents and maintains required training and reporting.
• Vehicle Unit — Responsible for maintaining police vehicle equipment and readiness.
  The department also has specialized technology and equipment that allow it to provide additional capabilities during major incidents, searches, missing-person investigations and large public events.

Community Policing

Community engagement is an important part of PRPD's philosophy. The department emphasizes crime prevention, public education and partnerships with residents, schools and community organizations.

Programs and services include:

• D.A.R.E.
• School-related programs
• Junior Police Academy/community youth programs
• Bicycle registration
• Child safety-seat guidance
•  Emergency notifications
• Cyber-safety education
• Prescription medication disposal
• Public safety awareness programs

Technology & Modern Policing

The department has continued incorporating technology into its operations, including:

• Automated license-plate recognition
• Traffic-data collection and analysis
• Emergency notification systems
• Digital investigative resources
• Modern patrol vehicle technology
• Specialized tactical equipment
• Drone/UAS capabilities

These technologies supplement—not replace—traditional police work and are intended to improve situational awareness, investigations, traffic enforcement and officer/public safety.

Overall Department Profile

At its core, PRPD is a progressive, growing municipal police agency providing a broad range of top-level services for a suburban Bergen County community. Its responsibilities extend well beyond answering calls for service.

The department combines:
Patrol + Investigations + Traffic Safety + Community Policing + Specialized Operations + Professional Standards + Technology

That combination allows the department to address both traditional law-enforcement responsibilities and the increasingly complex demands placed on a modern municipal police agency.

About Us

Park Ridge is a small, primarily residential suburban community in Bergen County, covering about 2.6 square miles with an estimated 10,000 residents.
The community is characterized by established residential neighborhoods, a downtown/business district, schools, parks and recreational facilities, with residents generally living in owner-occupied homes, with several apartment and condominium complexes.

What this means for the Police Department

The Park Ridge Police Department serves a small, close-knit suburban community rather than a dense urban environment. Police responsibilities therefore involve a broad mixture of:

• Residential patrol and quality-of-life issues
• Traffic enforcement and motor-vehicle crashes
• School and youth-related activities
• Business and downtown security
• Domestic and family-related calls
• Elderly and vulnerable-population concerns
• Criminal investigations and narcotics enforcement
• Community events and large public gatherings
• Emergency response and mutual-aid operations with surrounding Bergen County agencies

In short, PRPD provides full-service policing in a residential Bergen County community where community engagement, traffic safety, quality-of-life enforcement and rapid response are significant parts of the job. The department must also be prepared to handle the more serious criminal and emergency incidents that can occur in any municipality, despite Park Ridge's suburban character.