ORGANIZATION & MANAGEMENT
The Hillside Police Department is directed by Officer in Charge, Lt.Matthew Cove and consists of 70 fulltime regular police officers. There are an additional 13 full-time, civilian employees and one police aide/juvenile counselor. Eight of these civilian employees serve as emergency telecommunications operators; the remainder as administrative law enforcement support staff.
The Operations Division is under the command of Captain Benjamin Niewinski. The Operations Division consists of; the Patrol Division. Criminal Investigative Division (CID),Traffic Bureau and Fleet Management. The Administrative Division is under the command of Captain Lashonda Burgess-Mason. The Administrative Division consists of; Professional Standards/Internal Affairs, Accreditation, Recruitment & Hiring, Training Division, and the Records Bureau.
The Patrol Division, provides 24-hour service to the community. Considered the "backbone" of the Hillside Police Department, the Patrol Division is the most visible and most important function in the police department. Members of the Patrol Division respond to all calls for emergency assistance including calls for fire and ambulance service. When a crime is committed, patrol officers are the first to respond to the scene and often arrest suspects as they attempt to flee. Patrol officers conduct preliminary investigations and render assistance to crime victims, accident victims and others. At this time, the Patrol Division consists of one captain, four lieutenants, six sergeants, 36 police officers and eight civilian emergency telecommunications operators.
The Criminal Investigative Division, is responsible for the investigation of all crimes committed in the township. The C.I.D. works closely with the Patrol Division and responds to the scene of all serious crimes. Members of the C.I.D. assist patrol officers by searching for suspects and evidence left at crime scenes. They analyze evidence and statements provided by crime victims and witnesses. They conduct follow-up investigations, work cooperatively with other law enforcement agencies to track and pursue offenders who flee to or reside in other jurisdictions, and prepare cases for prosecution after arrest. The Criminal Investigative Division consists of a detective lieutenant, detective sergeant, eight investigators, an evidence and identification specialist, an administrative assistant and a police aide/juvenile counselor.
The Traffic Division, is responsible for a wide variety of important safety-related functions in the community. Members of the unit work to promote safety in and around the schools and throughout the community. They investigate motor vehicle accidents and enforce speed limits throughout the township by aggressive use of radar and other enforcement equipment. They also conduct safety campaigns to combat a variety of offenses such as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and "Aggressive" Driving. The Traffic Division consists of a lieutenant and two detectives.
The Captain of Operations also serves as the department's Fleet Manager. The Fleet Manager is responsible for the procurement, maintenance, and repair of all vehicles in the police department’s fleet. This position ensures that vehicles are safe, reliable, and ready for use at all times. The role includes budget management, coordination with vendors, tracking vehicle performance, and maintaining a fleet inventory.
Professional Standards/Internal Affairs Division's central duty is to monitor the actions and behavior of the Hillside Police Department personnel and ensure compliance with the Department’s Rules and Regulations, Policies, State and Federal Laws and Township Ordinances . Internal Affairs is responsible for investigating complaints of serious rule infractions, criminal allegations, firearm discharges, vehicle pursuits and monitoring drug testing of employees. Internal Affairs also investigates complaints of minor rule infractions and conducts inspections and audits of all Hillside Police Branches and Divisions. Administration Branch Internal Affairs Division The Internal Affairs Division is staffed full time by the Administrative Lieutenant and supplemented by fully trained adjunct Internal Affairs Investigators. The Administration Lieutenant also doubles as the appointed Police Department’s Accreditation Manager (AM). The AM is responsible for to administering and overseeing the accreditation program for the agency.
The Training Division is responsible for coordinating all police training (internal and external), distributing training material and available course listings, providing employees of all ranks with the means and opportunities to receive required agency training as well as additional in-service training and training offered by area training facilities. In addition, the Training Division maintains comprehensive records of all training provided to personnel and ensures that assigned training is compliant with New Jersey's Police Training Commission Licensing Standards.
The Records Bureau Processes, indexes, and files Department reports, case records, and provides miscellaneous records services to the public and the department. Records Division personnel receive and prepare firearms permit applications for the Criminal Investigative Division, manage expungement petitions. Provide various types of media, police incident reports, crash reports and case discovery to the Hillside Municipal Court, defense attorneys, and other law enforcement agencies. Conducts audits and ensures compliance by convicted sex offenders registered through the National Sex Offender Database in compliance with Megan’s Law. Ensures compliance with establish laws regarding record retention schedules and submits Requests and Authorization for Records Disposal from the Bureau of Records Management at the Division of Archives and Records Management. The Records Burau consists of one Detective and 4 Records Clerks
The Administrative Division is also responsible for recruitment and hiring. The Administrative Division and Criminal Investigative Division works collaboratively in the recruitment and selection process for law enforcement personnel. The Administrative Captain managing all aspects of the pre-employment process, from recruitment and posting job openings to conducting interviews, background investigations, assessments, and final selection of qualified candidates. The Administrative Captain will work closely with department leadership to ensure that candidates meet the necessary qualifications and align with the department's values and standards.
