The Detective Bureau conducts intensive investigations into incidents of criminal and non-criminal activity within the Township. In addition to solving crimes, the Bureau seeks to reduce citizen fear of crime through participation with the Community Policing Bureau in student and citizen information forums. The Detective Bureau is comprised of three specialized squads: General Investigations, Narcotic and Burglary. Members of the various squads conducted over 1500 criminal investigations in the past year. In the year 2000, the Detective Bureau will aggressively target those quality of life issues, which most seriously impact Township residents. Our broad based crime prevention initiative will focus on providing free crime prevention surveys on all Township homes and businesses, to reduce the incidence of loss.

The Juvenile Bureau is comprised of three detectives, a full-time high school officer and a full-time D.A.R.E. Officer and is commanded by a Detective Lieutenant and Detective Sergeant. The Bureau investigated a total of 836 cases in 1999 involving juveniles; these include juvenile delinquency, child abuse/sexual assault, missing juveniles, graffiti cases, bicycle thefts, crimes at the Township schools and bias incidents. Some cases are investigated in cooperation with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office and others are referred to agencies such as Crisis Intervention and the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). Not all juvenile delinquency complaints are referred to the Court system. Some cases are referred to the Juvenile Conference Committee which give alternative penalties and advise young people that there are consequences for their actions. The Bureau works closely with the Teaneck Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse (TMAASA) and school administrators in a joint effort to educate the youth of the community about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and substance abuse.  The full-time D.A.R.E. and high school officers promote positive interaction with the students in both public and private schools and reach out to the youth in our community. The Bureau also cooperates in events such as the Junior Police Academy, the Citizens Police Academy, National Night Out and numerous events at Teaneck High School. Members of the Bureau lecture on assorted topics in an effort to educate both juveniles and parents of the laws pertaining to the possession and use of alcohol and illegal drugs and the effects these substances have on their body.

The mission of the Traffic Bureau is to ensure that pedestrians and motorists are able to conveniently maneuver throughout the Township with the safety of these individuals being of primary concern. This is accomplished by a variety of traffic functions such as the school crossing guard program, radar enforcement, and intersection evaluations. Additional areas of focus for the Traffic Bureau include DWI sobriety check points, DWI roving patrols, bicycle helmet awareness programs, accident investigations, inspection sticker road checks and details to follow up complaints of vehicles passing stopped school buses and frozen desert trucks. The Traffic Bureau's hand held radar units are used in conjunction with the radar trailer to address complaints of vehicles exceeding the speed limit. The motorcycles continue to be an asset in traffic concerns and patrolling Township parks. The Traffic Bureau has increased the number of school safety programs available for the 1999-2000 school year by the addition of such programs as "Traumaroo" and "Little Red Driving Hood". The Traffic Bureau can be contacted at 837-2600, extension 282, for questions or information on safety programs.

During 1999, the Patrol Division (working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year) patrolled a total of 518,070 miles. During this time period 9,426 summonses for moving violations and 14,743 summonses for parking violations were issued. A total of 1,462 accident investigations were conducted, of which 475 summonses were issued. For 1999, 59 DWI arrests were made. The Police Department responded to 33 calls of animal bites, 87 fire calls, and 2,287 calls for first aid. Officers located 234 unsecured premises and recorded 234 Vacant houses.  Additionally the department impounded 499 vehicles and recovered $398,374.00 worth of stolen property.  There were 14,199 report filed for the year and 1,463 adult arrests.

The Service Bureau collected $10,385.00 in alarm registration fees as well as $1,445.00 in false alarm fines.  An additional $11,014.00 in miscellaneous fees, as well as $5,799.00 in miscellaneous identification fees were collected.

Detective Bureau: A member of the Narcotics Bureau will speak to groups about the dangers of abusing drugs and alcohol. The Detective Bureau can be contacted at 837-2565.

Juvenile Bureau: Members of the Juvenile Bureau lecture on assorted topics, in an effort to educate both juveniles and parents. The Juvenile Bureau can be contacted at 837-0495.

Traffic Bureau: Citizens can request that the radar trailer be placed on their street which will show the speed limit at that location and alert oncoming vehicles of the speed at which they are traveling. Officers certified in the operation of radar remove the trailer after a few days and follow up with enforcement. The Traffic Bureau can be contacted at 837-2600 extension 282.

Service Bureau: Residents may call the Service Bureau for bicycle registration, alarm registration, liquor license identification cards and firearms purchase applications. Officers will engrave a distinct number on the residents bicycle. The Service Bureau may be contacted at 837-2573.

Crime Stoppers: Rewards are paid to individuals for information which leads to a criminal arrest. The caller may remain anonymous. Crime Stoppers may be contacted at 833-4222.

Emergency: The Teaneck Police Department is a Public Safety Answering and Dispatch Point for the 9-1-1 system. A call in the event of an emergency will get you a quick response from public safety providers, whether the need is for Police, Fire or Ambulance.

Back to Teaneck Municipal Services 2000

Back to Home