'Zone Policing' Assigns Sergeants to Six Chatham Neighborhoods

Chatham residents with non-emergency "quality of life" concerns now have police sergeants assigned to their neighborhoods to take note.

Traffic problems, pedestrian safety concerns, issues with street lights and noise, crime prevention questions, and unsafe road conditions are among the concerns residents can bring to the attention of their assigned sergeants.

"Problems that most people would never consider to be police matters are often identified as issues that, if left unattended, can often lead to criminal activity," Chief Philip J. Crosson Jr. said in a letter announcing the new community policing initiative, called "zone policing."

Crosson said the department is establishing six zones, and each sergeant is assigned to specific zones. The sergeants are assigned to identify problems in their zones and work with other sergeants to address problems borough-wide.

The borough "enjoys a relatively low crime rate," and the borough and police "routinely focus on quality of life issues affecting the community," Crosson said.

Having assigned neighborhoods doesn't mean sergeants stay in their zones. They are required to work together, and must patrol the entire town during their tours of duty.

"Through this program, all officers are required to become familiar with the citizens in their assigned zones, as this familiarity helps officers identify problems and work to solve them before they become larger problems," Crosson said. "We want our residents to feel empowered to express their concerns through direct interaction with the officers and to appreciate that they have a stake in their community. It's all about paying attention to the little things and if we work to resolve the small issues, the larger issues take care of themselves."

See the map to identify your zone and assigned sergeant. Your sergeant can be reached by calling 973-635-8000. Rotating schedules might mean your call won't be returned for several days, but the officer will get back as soon as possible.