About the Bayonne Police Department

According to the Bayonne Police Department, “The police force was created by ordinance on September 6, 1869. Originally appointments consisted of one patrolman from each ward. The first three patrolmen were Thomas Connelly, Jack Van Pelt and Hartman Vreeland. One year later, on September 6, 1870, George B. Whitney was named as Chief of Police of the already formed police department.

Over the years the Bayonne Police Department had developed into a modern law enforcement and service oriented agency. Today’s police officer is better trained, better educated and better equipped than his predecessor.  New recruits are mandated to complete a seventeen-week Basic Police Training Course. Although a college education is not a requirement to become a police officer, approximately fifty percent of  today’s sworn officers either have a college degree or have attended college courses.

Since the institution of the Bayonne Police Department in September of 1869, over nine hundred officers have been appointed to the organization. Presently there are two hundred and forty-three sworn officers assigned to the police department which include one Chief, three Deputy Chiefs, nine Captains, fourteen Lieutenants, forty-one Sergeants and one hundred and seventy-four Police Officers.”

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