Police Department

The Linden Police Department will be cracking down on distracted drivers during April as part of New Jersey’s UDrive. UText. UPay. Enforcement Campaign.

Beginning April 1 and running through the end of the month, the high visibility law enforcement initiative will target motorists who engage in dangerous distracted driving behaviors such as talking on hand-held cell phones and sending text messages while driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2019 alone, 3,142 people were killed in distracted driving crashes on our nation’s roads and an estimated 400,000 people were injured. Driver inattention has remained the most frequently cited cause of fatal and incapacitating crashes in NJ, over seven times higher than the total crashes cited for unsafe speed over the five-year period 2015-2019. Driver inattention was a contributing circumstance in nearly 49 percent of NJ crashes in 2019.

Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

New Jersey is one of eight states nationally to receive dedicated federal funds this year to tackle the issue of driver distraction. This federal funding will be used for police overtime enforcement grants at the local level as well as a statewide multimedia public awareness campaign on this Important issue.

Click here to view and/or download a copy of this press release.

Join the Linden Police Department Crisis Intervention Team for their Annual Easter Egg Hunt for Special Needs Students.

• Who: Grades Pre-K through 5th
• What: Parent(s) must accompany child(ren) throughout the Egg Hunt
• When: April 9th, 2022 @ 11am (Rain Date April 16th)
• Where: Tiger Stadium
• How: Please fill out this form and return it to 170 Hussa Street, Attention: Marge Martorano. Registration must be submitted no later than April 1st.

The Linden Police Department will be hosting an informational meeting at the Linden Public Library on February 16th @ 5:30pm.

Officers will be on hand to answer any questions a potential applicant might have about eligibility, background investigations, physical requirements, and training. For anyone interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement, our goal is to make sure you know exactly what to expect throughout the process. Register for the event by clicking here!

The application deadline for NJ Civil Service Commission Police Entrance Exam is February 28th.

Several inches of snow are expected to fall in Linden. Residents are reminded that vehicles must be removed from designated snow emergency routes once snow begins. Vehicles not in compliance will be towed. TOWED VEHICLES CANNOT BE RELEASED UNTIL MONDAY.

Alternate side of the street parking will be suspended today, Friday January 28th as storm preparations are made.

Join Our Team!

The 2022 NJ Law Enforcement Examination Applications are now available. Applications must be submitted by February 28, 2022. Click here to apply. For more information, please contact the Linden Police Department Professional Standards Division.

Requirements

• US Citizen
• Valid NJ Drivers License
• Must be 18 – 35 on the closing date
• Must be a Linden Resident
• Must be a High School or Vocational High School graduate, or possess an approved High School Certificate.

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

In conjunction with the Union County Prosecutors Office, the Union County Sheriff’s Department and the County Board of Commissioners, the Union County Police Department is conducting a Gun Buy Back event on Saturday, October 23rd, with locations in the City of Elizabeth, City of Plainfield and Township of Westfield. For more information, please click here for the informational flyer for this event in both English and Spanish.

When

• October 23rd, 2021
• 9am until 4pm

Where

• Plainfield – Shiloh Baptist Church Community Center, Corner of 5th Street & Liberty Street
• Westfield – Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, 506 Westfield Avenue
• Elizabeth – Master’s Table Christian Fellowship (Triumphant Life Church), 207-211 Bond Street

A Newark man was arrested and is facing charges for his role in an altercation that resulted in a shooting.

At approximately 7:42pm on Sunday, September 26, 2021, Officers responded to the 500 block of Union St on reports of a shooting. They quickly located the victim, a 44-year-old man from Rahway, who had suffered multiple gun shot wounds. The defendant, identified as Ramon Perez Jr, 33, was also located and taken into custody. A semi-automatic handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets was recovered from the scene.

The victim was treated on scene, and transported to Newark University Hospital. He is currently listed in stable condition.

“Violent crime like this has no place in our community,” said Linden Police Chief David Hart. “We are pleased with the quick arrest in this case, and we are proud of the Officers and members of our community who continue to work tirelessly so that incidents like this are never tolerated or accepted as normal.”

Perez is charged with second-degree aggravated assault and related weapons charges. He was committed to the Union County Jail pending a scheduled appearance in Superior Court.

“We will do everything humanely possible to make sure these individuals are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Mayor Derek Armstead. “We hope their prosecution deters others from coming into our community and exhibiting such behavior.”

This incident remains under investigation by the Linden Police Detective Bureau, and anyone with information is urged to contact Det. Michael Cistaro at (908) 474- 8530 or via email here Information about this incident or any other crime can also be shared anonymously via email here.

These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Click here to view and/or download a PDF of this press release from the Linden Police Department.

Law enforcement officials from Linden will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of summer “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” statewide campaign. Beginning August 20 and continuing through September 6, 2021, local and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education. “During the last five years New Jersey has experienced more than 35,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in 618 fatalities,” said Police Chief David Hart. “This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives, especially in light of recent increased motor vehicle fatality rates both nationally and in New Jersey.”

Last year, 23% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, 10,142 people died in 2019 in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2021 Statewide Labor Day Crackdown offer the following advice for the holiday season:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life. 
• Always buckle-up, every ride. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you are intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

To view and/or download a PDF of this press release, click here.

Linden, NJ –The Linden Police Department is pleased to announce that they have completed a pledge they took to improve their response to those suffering from mental illness in their community. The pledge is part of an initiative called the One Mind Campaign started by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), a 31,000 member professional association for law enforcement that provides training, technical assistance, and recruitment services. To join the One Mind Campaign, law enforcement agencies must pledge to implement four promising practices in a 12-36 month period to ensure successful future interactions between police officers and persons with mental illness. Linden became just the second agency in New Jersey to complete the pledge.

In the law enforcement community, mental illness has become a common focus, with some departments estimating that as many as 20% of their calls for service are related to mental health challenges. Chief David Hart made the decision to join the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s One Mind Campaign because of the growing number of calls for service related to mental health, as well as the challenges associated with safely dealing with a person in crisis.

“For years, we have been among the most progressive agencies in Union County and across the state in our efforts to build relationships within the mental health community,” said Chief Hart. “The One Mind Campaign is a natural fit, and our participation further demonstrates our commitment to helping members of our community who are in crisis.”

The Linden Police Department Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), led by Captain Abdul Williams, hosts several event throughout the year to help build relationships and interact with affected members of the community when they are not in crisis. Captain Williams and other members of the team have been instrumental in developing curriculum and facilitating training for Police officers across the state. The program is well-respected for their consistent, sustained efforts; in 2017 the program was honored as the Program of the Year by the CIT – NJ Center of Excellence in 2017. Captain Williams was also personally honored earlier this year when he was selected as the 2020 Program Coordinator of the Year.

In completing the One Mind Pledge, the Linden Police Department established a sustainable partnership with a local mental health organization, developed and implemented a model policy to address officers’ interactions with those affected by mental illness, and ensured that all of their officers received some type of mental health awareness training, with at least twenty percent of the department completing the more intensive CIT or equivalent crisis response training. The 40-hour Crisis Intervention curriculum is designed by local agencies to train a team of specialized officers to respond to calls that involve individuals with mental health disorders such as depression or intellectual disability. The curriculum includes education on various de-escalation techniques as well as live role-play scenarios of officers responding to persons who need mental health assistance.

“I want to tip my hat off to our Linden Police Department for their constant dedication and commitment to the Linden community and putting practices in place to bridge the gap between officers and persons with mental illnesses,” said Linden Mayor Derek Armstead. “The Linden Police Department is the second police department in NJ to complete the pledge, and we are proud of their efforts.””

For more information about the One Mind Campaign, visit the IACP’s website. A list of all agencies who have taken the pledge is available there. For more information about the Linden Police Department’s CIT program, please click here.

To view and/or download a PDF of this press release, please click here.

The Academy is a free, annual program offered to Linden residents entering sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. The program includes presentations and hands-on demonstrations from Police Department personnel and agency partners to familiarize Cadets with Police operations, criminal investigations, first aid, and other Police related duties. This was the third year the Department has hosted the program; it was canceled in 2020 due to Covid restrictions.

The program was made possible by a $5,000 donation from the Linden Branch of Columbia Bank.  

“Our Youth Academy is one of the most anticipated community events of the year,” said Police Chief David Hart. “Columbia Bank has supported this program from its inception; their generous donation, and the support of our community partners, allowed us to make this experience available to more kids while keeping it free of change.”

We would like to thank all of the Police Officers, Detectives, and Traffic Investigators who made themselves available to help with this program throughout the week. We would also like to thank our partners who did so much to make this experience special for our Cadets:

Columbia Bank of Linden, Villani Bus Company, Linden Airport, Linden PBA Local # 42, Linden Police Superior Officers Association, Linden Recreation Department, The US Marine Corps Recruiting Center Elizabeth, NJ Transit Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit, Norfolk Southern Railroad Police, Linden Fire Department, Union County Police SWAT, US Customs & Border Protection, Union County Homicide Task Force, and the Union County Bomb Squad.

• To view and/or download a PDF of this press release, click here.