Prior to 1942 the Township of Saddle River (as it was called) was patrolled by a volunteer force of special officers. On March 13, 1942 the Township Council passed an ordinance that established the official Saddle River Township Police Department which was made up of two sworn officers.
In 1943, two (2) more officers were added to bring the total to four. The first police headquarters was housed in the rear of the firehouse located on Saddle River Road near Railroad Avenue.
Technology was not a part of the original department, as for many years the department had a single one way radio that connected them to the Bergen County Police Department in Hackensack.
In 1949, the Department moved its headquarters to 73 Market Street.
1958 saw the name of the Township and the department change to Saddle Brook.
In 1961, the Police Pistol Range was constructed on Route 46 West and 10th Street. A police officer in 1961 was required to attend a six (6) week course held at the NJ State Police Academy in Sea Girt.
In October 2003, under the direction of Mayor Louis D'Arminio hired officers under the NJ Department of Personnel Lateral Transfer Program. Through January 2004, five (5) officers have been hired under the program.
In that same year, the department began the tenuous process of accreditation through the New Jersey Association of Chief's of Police.
On March 8, 2006 the police department moved into its new state of the art headquarters facility at 63 Market Street. The building was officially dedicated on May 10, 2006.
Currently, the Department is made up of 33 sworn full time officers, 4 Class 1 Special Police Officers, 2 civilian dispatchers, and a civilian records clerk. They operate twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week using a fleet of eight (8) marked patrol vehicles, 1 Community Services van, 2 police motorcycles and several unmarked cars.
Chief's Page - A List of Our Men In Charge