You’re driving down Route 322. Maybe you’re headed toward Mullica Hill or cutting through to the Commodore Barry Bridge. You see the lights. A Woolwich Township Police Department cruiser is tucked into a gravel turnout or sitting near the municipal building on Village Green Drive. Most people just tap their brakes and keep moving. But there's a lot more to this department than just checking speeds on a busy commuter artery.
Woolwich is weird. Not bad weird—just unique. It’s one of the fastest-growing municipalities in New Jersey. One minute you’re looking at a 100-acre farm that’s been there since the 1800s, and the next, you’re staring at a massive new warehouse complex or a sprawling suburban development. That transition creates a massive headache for local cops. They have to balance "small-town" community policing with the reality of heavy industrial traffic and a skyrocketing population.
Honestly, the Woolwich Township Police Department handles a workload that would make some urban precincts sweat, but they do it with a fraction of the staff. They cover both Woolwich and Swedesboro—two distinct areas with totally different vibes. Swedesboro is that classic, dense borough feel. Woolwich is open, windy, and increasingly busy.
The Dual Mission: Woolwich and Swedesboro Combined
The biggest thing most folks don't realize is that when you call 911 in Swedesboro, you aren't getting a Swedesboro cop. You’re getting a Woolwich officer.
This isn't a new setup. The shared services agreement has been the backbone of local safety for years. It saves money. Taxpayers generally like that. But for the officers, it means switching gears constantly. They might spend twenty minutes helping a resident with a noise complaint in a tight Swedesboro alleyway and then immediately have to fly out to a high-speed rollover on a rural stretch of Harrisonville Road.
The logistics are tough.
Chief Robert J. Suchura leads the agency, and the culture he’s cultivated is pretty clear: be visible. You’ll see these guys at the Kingsway football games and the Swedesboro "Dancing in the Streets" events. It’s not just for show. In a town growing this fast, if the police don't know the faces of the residents, they lose the "buy-in" needed to solve crimes later.
Growth Pains and the Warehouse Problem
Let's talk about the trucks. If you live in Woolwich, you talk about the trucks.
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The explosion of logistics centers along the 322 corridor has changed the department's priorities. It’s not just about crime in the traditional sense. It’s about traffic safety and infrastructure. The Woolwich Township Police Department has had to get aggressive with commercial vehicle enforcement. You can’t have 80,000-pound rigs blowing through residential intersections where kids are waiting for school buses.
It’s a constant battle.
They use specialized units to weigh trucks and check logs. It sounds boring. It's actually vital. One overweight truck can do more damage to a local road in a week than a thousand cars do in a year. The department has to be the gatekeeper there.
Then there’s the residential side. New Construction.
Every time a new "Phase 4" of a development opens, that’s another 50-100 families. More calls for service. More domestic disputes. More porch pirates. The department hasn't always grown as fast as the rooftops have, which puts a lot of pressure on the patrol shifts. They’re busy. Like, really busy.
Technology and Transparency
The department has leaned heavily into modern tech to keep up. We aren't talking about Robocop stuff, but standard-issue gear that keeps everyone honest. Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are the norm here. In New Jersey, the Attorney General’s guidelines are strict, and Woolwich follows them to the letter.
They also use a lot of social media. Most local PDs use Facebook to post pictures of lost dogs. Woolwich does that, sure, but they also use it for real-time traffic alerts. If there’s a crash on 322 near the turnpike entrance, they’re usually the first ones telling you to take the back way through Paulsboro Road.
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It’s helpful.
Community Programs That Actually Work
- National Night Out: This is their big one. It’s held at the municipal complex and usually draws a massive crowd.
- L.E.A.D. Program: They are active in the schools. Since Woolwich kids go to the Kingsway Regional district, the police have a presence there to build relationships before kids reach "trouble" age.
- House Checks: If you go on vacation, you can actually tell them. They’ll put your house on a list for patrol officers to swing by and check the perimeter when they have a free minute.
That last point is a relic of the "old" Woolwich that they’ve managed to keep alive. It’s a nice touch. It makes the department feel like a neighborhood watch with badges rather than an occupying force.
The Reality of Crime in the Township
Is Woolwich dangerous? No. Not by a long shot. Compared to Camden or even parts of Deptford, it’s incredibly quiet. But "quiet" is relative.
The most common issues the Woolwich Township Police Department deals with are:
- Property Crimes: Theft from unlocked cars is the big one. People move from the city or inner suburbs thinking they’re "safe" now and leave their key fobs in the cupholder. Thieves love Woolwich for this.
- Traffic Accidents: High speeds plus deer plus commuters equals a lot of twisted metal.
- Retail Theft: As more shops open up near the 322/295 interchange, shoplifting calls have ticked up.
They also deal with the "unseen" stuff. Mental health calls have risen everywhere, and Woolwich is no exception. Officers now undergo specialized training to de-escalate these situations. It’s a far cry from the "handcuffs-first" mentality of thirty years ago.
Why the Location Matters
Woolwich sits in a weird geographical pocket. It’s the gateway to Gloucester County from the bridge. This makes it a transit point for drug trafficking heading toward the shore or deeper into South Jersey. The department works closely with the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office and the State Police on interdiction.
They’re a small cog in a big machine, but they’re the ones on the front line.
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Navigating Local Law Enforcement Services
If you need to interact with the department, don't just show up expecting to walk into the back offices. Like most modern stations, there’s a process.
For records and reports, you’re looking at the Discovery/Records Clerk. You can’t just get a crash report five minutes after it happens; it takes a few business days to process. If you’re looking for a firearms permit, be prepared to wait. New Jersey has some of the most complex gun laws in the country, and the Woolwich PD has to vet every application through the FARS system. It’s a tedious process of background checks, mental health records searches, and fingerprinting.
The department is located at:
120 Village Green Drive, Woolwich Township, NJ 08085
It’s right near the park. If you’re a resident, you’ve probably walked your dog past it a dozen times.
Actionable Steps for Residents
Living in a town with an active police force like Woolwich means you have a role to play too. Safety isn't just the cops' job.
- Lock your car. Seriously. This sounds like "boomer" advice, but 90% of the thefts in the township are "crimes of opportunity." If the door is locked, the thief usually just moves to the next driveway.
- Sign up for Nixle. This is how the department sends out emergency alerts. If a road is closed or there’s a missing person, this is how you find out first.
- Use the "Vacation Check" service. If you’re heading to the shore or flying out for a week, fill out the form on their website. It’s free. Why wouldn't you?
- Check your speed on 322 and 551. These are high-enforcement zones. The department isn't "hunting" for tickets, but they are tasked with keeping those high-volume roads from becoming racetracks.
- Report suspicious activity via the non-emergency line. Save the non-emergency number in your phone: (856) 467-1664. Don't clog up 911 because your neighbor’s trash cans are blowing into the street or you saw a solicitor who looks "off."
The Woolwich Township Police Department is a modern agency trying to maintain a rural soul. As the town continues to build out, the pressure on these officers will only increase. Knowing how they operate—and how to work with them—is the best way to make sure the "Small Town Feel" doesn't get lost in the shuffle of progress and pavement.
Follow the department’s official social media pages for real-time updates on road closures and community events. If you're new to town, stop by the municipal building to grab a local map and see the scale of the area they cover; it’s larger than most people realize. Staying informed is your best defense against the growing pains of a changing Gloucester County.