Police Department

The City of Linden and the Linden Police Department announced that they have been awarded a year-long, federally-funded grant focused on improving pedestrian safety. The $20,000 grant, administered through the New Jersey Department of Highway Transportation & Safety, supplements and supports the department’s educational and enforcement efforts throughout the year.

In New Jersey, drivers are required to STOP for pedestrians in a crosswalk and yield to pedestrians walking outside of a crosswalk. Drivers are also advised to slow down and be alert for pedestrians; the risk of death for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 23 mph is 10%, but jumps to near 50% if the vehicle is traveling at 40 mph.

“Walking is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health, and for the environment,” said Police Chief David Hart. “In Linden, we are committed to keeping our pedestrians safe on the sidewalks and while crossing the street — anywhere that people walk, bike, or roll they should be able to do so without fear or stress. We urge drivers to take the time to look out for pedestrians, slow down, and incorporate pedestrian awareness into their driving routines.”

Despite a nationwide decline in highway fatalities last year, pedestrian fatalities across New Jersey surged 30%. Two hundred and twenty-two pedestrians lost their lives in vehicle crashes, the most since 1968.

For more information about pedestrian safety, please click here.

Mayor Derek Armstead, the City of Linden, and the Linden Police Department invite you to attend Coffee with a Cop.

Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this event.

• Where: Starbucks at Aviation Plaza, which is located at 639 West Edgar Road.
• When: Wednesday, October 2, 2024 from 11am until 1pm.
• How: For more information, contact Captain Christopher Guenther via email here.

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Board of County Commissioners, Union County Police Chiefs Association, Union County Sheriff’s Department, and Union County Police Department along with the local police departments from Berkeley Heights, Clark, Cranford, Elizabeth, Fanwood, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union, Westfield, and Winfield present the Union County Gun Surrender Program.

Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for the Union County Gun Surrender Program.

• What: Union County Gun Surrender Program. Accepting firearms, ammo and/or prescription drugs. Amnesty program: no questions asked. Surrendered items can be received at any location.
• When: Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 9am until 4pm.
• Where: John T. Gregorio Center, which is located at 330 Helen Street.
• How: For more information, contact your local police department.

During the Labor Day holiday period, including the end of summertime and the busy holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be working alongside the law enforcement community in Linden to decrease impaired driving. From August 16 through September 2, the Linden Police Department will be participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement period. In support of the law enforcement community’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities, you’ll see officers working together during this time to take drunk drivers off the roads. No matter how you plan to celebrate the end of summer this year, make sure you plan to do it safely.

According to NHTSA, 13,384 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2021 — that’s one person every 39 minutes. On average, more than 11,000 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes each year from 2017 to 2021. This is why the Linden Police Department is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal; it’s a matter of life and death. As you head out to festivities during the end of summer and Labor Day weekend, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.  
 
“We want our community members to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Police Chief David Hart. “The Drive Sober campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it takes lives. Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help us protect the community and put an end to this senseless behavior,” he said.
   
During the 2021 Labor Day holiday period, there were 531 crash fatalities nationwide. Of these fatalities, 41% (216) involved a drunk driver, and more than a quarter (27%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Among drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2021, 488% of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of .08 or higher. There are plenty of options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact law enforcement immediately.  
 
No one should mix drinking and driving, and no one is immune to the effects of drinking. If you find yourself drunk and stranded with your vehicle, give your keys to a sober driver who can safely drive you home. Remind your friends to never get into a vehicle with a drunk driver. If you have a friend who is about to drive after drinking, take away their keys and help them get home safely. Most importantly: Always have a plan before you head out for the evening. If you wait until after you’ve been drinking to figure out how to get from one place to the next, you will already be too impaired to make the right choice.  
 
Click here for more information on impaired driving.

View the 2024 swearing in ceremony for the new Linden Police Officers.