Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante, and Police Chief Steven Aguiar unveiled a proposal today for a new Community Policing Bureau within the Hoboken Police Department. The Bureau, which Mayor Bhalla announced yesterday during his annual State of the City Address, would consist of specially trained officers dedicated to building community relationships by focusing on proactive, community-centered approaches to policing, crime prevention, and quality of life issues with an increased on-street presence.
In a statement Mayor Bhalla said, “Ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents is my top priority, and the launch of the Community Policing Bureau reflects our commitment to fostering stronger relationships between our officers and the community they serve. I thank Councilman Joe Quintero for working with my administration on legislation to allow for us to hire these additional officers for this division so Chief Aguiar can bring back more foot patrols, not just in our parks and on our waterfront, but throughout the City. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this bureau will have in making Hoboken an even safer and more connected city.”
The Hoboken City Council would have to sign off on the additional officers. According to Director Ferrante, “We have heard from residents who say they feel unsafe walking through our parks, even during the day. The Community Policing Bureau will have officers in your neighborhoods, 16 hours a day, seven days a week, to create an environment where you not only feel safer, but you are even safer than you are today.”A press release issued by the city says that the creation of this bureau is a key part of Mayor Bhalla’s and Police Chief Aguiar’s “ongoing efforts to improve public safety, build trust, and foster a spirit of collaboration by creating new crime prevention strategies, expanding community outreach programs, and creating ongoing partnerships with other community entities including other government agencies, non-profits, private businesses, and community groups.”
Chief Aguiar added, “We are proud of our accomplishments in recent years, especially the PD’s significant increase in clearance rates, but we know residents want more from their police department. This program will boost police presence throughout the streets and parks, improving visibility and reassuring residents that they are safe in their community.”
An ordinance to add 20 more officers to the department’s Table of Organization to staff the unit will be introduced for City Council consideration next month. If approved by the City Council, the bureau would begin operations in 2026.
As for how it would pay for the Bureau and officers, the Hoboken Police Department will seek a variety of funding sources, including the COPS Hiring Program, which provides federal grant monies to law enforcement agencies looking to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
The Hoboken Police Department is actively recruiting new officers and encourages anyone interested in joining HPD to apply to the NJ Civil Service Commission’s Law Enforcement Exam. Applications are available through the end of March, and can be found along with more information on becoming a Hoboken Police Officer at: https://hobokenpdnj.gov/employment-opportunities/