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.”
Source:
bayonnenj.org/police/history
