You’re driving through that stretch of Union County where the borders of Scotch Plains and Fanwood sort of blur together. Maybe you’re heading toward the train station or grabbing a coffee on Martine Avenue. Then you see the cruiser. It’s a familiar sight for anyone who lives here, but there is actually quite a bit more going on with the Fanwood NJ police department than just speed enforcement on Terrill Road.
Small towns often have reputations for being "speed traps." Fanwood, being a compact borough of only about 1.3 square miles, naturally has a police presence that feels very immediate. But when you look at how this department actually functions, it’s less about meeting quotas—which are illegal in New Jersey anyway—and more about the logistical nightmare of managing a high-density commuter hub.
Fanwood is tiny. Seriously tiny.
Because of that, the relationship between the community and the officers is intense. You see them at the 5K runs. You see them at the Fanny Wood Day street fair. This isn't a faceless big-city precinct; it’s a small team of about 20-ish sworn officers who likely know your neighbor’s dog by name.
The Reality of Policing a Commuter Borough
The biggest challenge the Fanwood NJ police department faces isn't high-level crime. It’s the sheer volume of humanity passing through a very small geographic "funnel."
The Fanwood Train Station is a focal point. Thousands of people move through that area daily. This creates a specific set of problems: parking disputes, pedestrian safety, and the occasional "crimes of opportunity" like bike thefts or car break-ins. Honestly, most of the "action" the department sees involves traffic flow. If you’ve ever tried to navigate the intersection of South Avenue and Martine Avenue during rush hour, you know exactly why an officer is often standing there.
Leadership and the Shift in Culture
For a long time, Chief Richard Rosenhoffer led the department. When he retired, it marked a significant transition for the borough. Currently, the department is under the leadership of Chief Christoper "Chris" Szeliga. Szeliga has been with the department for decades, moving up through the ranks, which is typical for Fanwood. They tend to promote from within, keeping that "local knowledge" intact.
Szeliga’s tenure has been defined by a push toward accreditation. This sounds like boring administrative talk, but for a small-town resident, it actually matters. New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) accreditation means the department has to meet very specific, high-level standards for how they handle evidence, how they use force, and how they train.
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It’s about accountability.
In a town where everyone knows everyone, having standardized, professional rules prevents the "small town sheriff" trope from becoming a reality. It keeps things fair.
Modern Gear in a Historic Town
Don't let the Victorian homes and the quaint "Borough of Fanwood" signs fool you. The tech being used by the Fanwood NJ police department is surprisingly modern.
- Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs): Like most New Jersey departments following the 2021 mandates, every Fanwood officer on patrol is wearing a camera.
- ALPR Technology: Automated License Plate Readers are often used. If you’re driving a stolen car or have a serious warrant, the car might "tell" on you before the officer even pulls you over.
- Social Media Presence: They are actually pretty active on Facebook. It’s where they post about road closures, missing pets, and "Coffee with a Cop" events. It’s become their primary way of bypassing the old-school grapevine.
The department operates out of the Fanwood Borough Hall on North Avenue. It’s a shared space. You have the police on one side and the municipal court and administrative offices on the other. It’s efficient, but it also means the police are literally at the heart of the local government.
Common Misconceptions About the "Fanwood Speed Trap"
Is Fanwood a speed trap? Well, yes and no.
If you do 45 mph in a 25 mph zone on a residential side street, you're getting a ticket. Period. The residents demand it because the houses are close to the curb and kids are everywhere. However, the department is generally more focused on "deterrence" than "revenue."
The speed limits in Fanwood change abruptly. You might be coming off a busier road in Scotch Plains where the limit is 35 or 40, and suddenly you’re in Fanwood and it’s 25. People get caught because they don't adjust fast enough, not necessarily because the cops are hiding behind every bush.
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Crime Stats: What’s Actually Happening?
Fanwood is consistently ranked as one of the safest places to live in New Jersey. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data, violent crime is statistically near zero in most years.
The real issues?
- Theft from Unlocked Vehicles: This is the #1 headache for Fanwood officers. People feel so safe that they leave their key fobs in their SUVs. Professional crews from other areas know this and scout the neighborhood at 3:00 AM.
- Scams: The elderly population in Fanwood is often targeted by "Grandparent Scams" or IRS phone scams. The police spend a lot of time doing community outreach just to tell people not to send gift cards to strangers.
- Domestic Calls: Like any town, domestic disputes happen. Because Fanwood is small, these are often handled with a high level of discretion and referrals to Union County social services.
Working with Scotch Plains: The "Shared Services" Reality
You can’t talk about Fanwood without talking about Scotch Plains. The two towns are deeply intertwined. While Fanwood maintains its own independent police department, they share a lot of "back-end" stuff.
They share a dispatch system. They share certain emergency services. There have been talks for decades about merging the two departments to save on taxes. It never happens. Fanwood residents like having their cops. They like the four-minute response time. In a merger, people fear that the "Fanwood side" of the map would get less attention than the larger Scotch Plains territory.
So, for now, the Fanwood NJ police department remains its own entity, fiercely defended by the local Borough Council.
How to Interact with Fanwood PD
If you live in town or are just passing through, there are a few practical things to keep in mind.
First, the "9 PM Routine." The department pushes this hard on social media. It’s a simple reminder: lock your car, take your keys, and turn on your porch light. Most "crime" in Fanwood is prevented by just locking a door.
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Second, the "Safe Exchange Zone." If you’re selling something on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, don't meet a stranger at your house. You can go to the police department parking lot. It’s monitored by cameras and, obviously, full of police. It’s a service they offer to keep residents from getting robbed during private transactions.
Third, if you get a ticket, the Fanwood Municipal Court is the place to go. They’ve moved a lot of their sessions to Zoom lately, which is a massive convenience compared to sitting in those wooden benches at Borough Hall for four hours on a Tuesday night.
What to do in an Emergency
Obviously, dial 911. But for non-emergencies—like reporting a weird car in the neighborhood or asking about a parking permit—call their non-emergency line at (908) 322-5000.
Don't call 911 because your neighbor’s leaf blower is too loud at 8 AM on a Sunday. Use the non-emergency line. The dispatchers will appreciate it, and your neighbors won't have three cruisers with lights flashing showing up for a noise complaint.
Actionable Steps for Fanwood Residents
Staying safe and informed in Fanwood doesn't require much effort, but there are three specific things you should do right now:
- Sign up for FirstNet/Nixle Alerts: The Fanwood NJ police department uses these to send out texts about major accidents, water main breaks, or police activity. It is the fastest way to know why there’s a helicopter circling your house at midnight.
- Register Your Cameras: If you have a Ring door camera or a Nest cam, you can voluntarily let the police know. They won't have "live access" to your feed (that’s a privacy myth), but if a crime happens on your block, they will know exactly who to ask for footage. It saves them hours of door-knocking.
- Check Your Property Lighting: Most nighttime thefts in the borough happen in the shadows. Installing a simple motion-sensor light on your driveway is often enough to make a "car hopper" skip your house and move to the next one.
The Fanwood NJ police department is a small-scale operation that mirrors the town itself: quiet, professional, and very present. While the "speed trap" reputation might persist among frustrated commuters, the reality for those who live there is a department that acts more like a high-end security service for the community. Stay locked up, watch your speed on South Avenue, and you’ll likely never have an issue.