On February 13, 1895 the Borough of Glen Ridge was incorporated as a community, succeeding from Bloomfield, New Jersey. The Glen Ridge section of Bloomfield was also known as "the Hill." The initiation of secession was predicated upon an unfair amount of taxes not being returned to the Hill section. Residents were looking for more street lamps and paved roads as well as other improvements. After many attempts to bring these improvements forward, with no progress being made, it was resolved to break away from Bloomfield. The Glen Ridge Police Department was created at the same time.

As pictured on this web site, the Glen Ridge Police Department is one of the first police departments to utilize police canine - German shepherd dogs during their foot patrols. In 1910, two dogs from Belgium were purchased to aid the night patrols.

In 2008 the Glen Ridge Police Department reinstated the Motor Unit. Officers assigned to this unit have successfully completed and passed the Maryland State Police Motor Officers Training Course.

The Bicycle Unit was reinstituted May 1999. Every Police Officer assigned to this detail is required to successfully complete a three-day Bicycle Patrol Riding Course.

The Borough of Glen Ridge is located in northern New Jersey approximately 15 miles west of New York City, an urban/suburban community of 7,200 residents, daytime work population of approximately 10,000 in a 1.3 square mile area, incorporated in 1895. The department consists of 26 full-time sworn officers and five full-time Community Service Officers. The Glen Ridge Police Department is a full service agency committed to excellence in policing. Our patch displays a gas lamp, these lamps are located throughout the Borough used to illuminate the streets by low-pressure natural gas. We are one of three towns within the State of New Jersey that continues to utilize the natural gas lamps since their inception in 1895.

By 1914, there were about 300 gas lamps in town, presently there are almost 700. (Note: It is reported that around 1970 during an energy crisis, the Borough had to attain a waiver to keep the gas lamps. The cost to convert to electric was far too expensive.)

The first patch change from the diamond style took place in the late 1960's. Most departments in the area were integrating a unique highlight that would be associated to the town. The design change for Glen Ridge was first made by former Chief of Police Thomas P. Dugan, it depicts the gas lamp against a maroon background. The maroon color background is the High Schools official color, the Borough had no official color at the time.

In 1983, the police department became the Glen Ridge Department of Public Safety a transition to better manage the Fire/Ambulance and Police Departments. The idea came from a former Councilperson who saw the operation in Florida. The Public Safety Department concept was designed to completely cross train Fire/Ambulance and Police to allow for a Public Safety Officer to function in any of the disciplines. However, the Public Safety concept did not work in the Northeast.

The Borough had at the time a paid fire department and police department, so the patch incorporated the appropriate "Police Division" on the top rocker of the patch with a green tree behind the gas lamp, it represents the tree-lined streets throughout the town. In 1986 the "division" rocker was enlarged, the first design was actually flawed. In 1989, as the result of fiscal matters, the Borough dissolved the fire department (6 firefighters), we currently contract-out for fire services with a neighboring town, and it has been a very successful and beneficial relationship. Sometime around this period Green became the Borough color. The need for the "division rocker" no longer existed.

Therefore, in 1999 the background was changed to black, and the "division rocker" removed. The background color was changed because it would blend better with the color of our dark uniform shirts, and we have been that way since.

Written by Chief John R. Magnier, M.Ed.
Contributions by Chief Thomas P. Dugan (Ret.)