The New Jersey State Police is the state police force for the state of New Jersey. As with the New York State Police, the primary reason for the creation of the New Jersey State Police was for the protection of rural areas that had never had law enforcement, beyond a local sheriff, who was often not able to provide suitable police services. Legislation for its creation was first introduced in 1914, but it would not be until March 29 1921, with the passing of the State Police Bill, that the desire for a professional statewide police force would be realized.
History
Senator Clarence I. Case was the driving force behind the 1921 legislation; however, the person with the most impact on the organization was its first Superintendent Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf. Schwarzkopf was a graduate of West Point and this training and his time in the military heavily influenced how he organized and trained his first group of troopers. The first State Police class reported for training on September 1 1921 and consisted of 116 men out of an applicant group of 1,600. Training took place in Sea Girt, New Jersey on the same grounds as the current New Jersey State Police Academy. Out of the 116 men who started training only 81 officers and troopers completed the three-month training program. According to the New Jersey State Police Website, "On December 1 1921, the new troopers were administered the oath of office and on December 5 1921, in a blinding snowstorm, started out on horseback and motorcycle to their posts throughout the state." An important part of the ethos and esprit de corps of the State Police is vested in such things as General Order #1 and the importance of an academy class number as a source of pride.
General Order #1
The General Orders are the guiding principles of the State Police and provide historical bases for its rules and regulations.
It shall be the duty of the members of the New Jersey State Police Force:
- To be Police Officers of the State
- To prevent crime
- To pursue and apprehend offenders
- To execute any lawful warrant or order of arrest issued against any person or persons for any violation of the law
- To make arrest without a warrant for violations of the law committed in the presence or view
- To make arrest when a misdemeanor or some high crime has been committed and he has good cause to suspect a person of having committed the crime.
- To make arrest upon the information of responsible persons, when there is not an opportunity to procure a warrant, and in such cases, you should try to get the person that gave the information to make complaint and appear as witness
- An arrest without a warrant should be made, by announcing yourself as a Police Officer, and if in civilian clothes, showing your official badge
- To give first aid to the injured, and if necessary call a doctor
- To give succor to the helpless
Other General Orders include: the importance of Non-commissioned Officers, Special Duties, Marriage (troopers were not allowed to marry without permission), not taking bribes, maintenance of horse and man, and always getting your man.
"Duty, Honor, Fidelity"
Duty, Honor, Fidelity, the motto of the New Jersey State Police was adapted from the West Point motto Duty, Honor, Country. The triangular State Police logo and hat badge represents this motto. The badge has stars in each of its three corners and was created by New York jeweler Julius George Schwarzkopf, the father of founder Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf. The NJSP logo includes the year 1921, date of founding, in place of a badge number.
Current Orginaztion
- Office of the Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes is the current Superintendent.
- Administration Section
- Emergency Management Services Section
- Field Operations Section includes Road Stations
- Troop A: Southern New Jersey
- Troop B: Northern New Jersey
- Troop C: Central New Jersey
- Troop D: New Jersey Turnpike
- Troop E: Garden State Parkway
- Investigations Section
- Records & Identification Section
- Special & Technical Services Section