The Criminal Investigation Division of the North Plainfield Police Department consists of a Lieutenant, a Sergeant and 5 Detectives. 

There is one sergeant and one detective assigned to general investigations and two detectives to juvenile investigations. However all of the detectives are crossed trained and able to investigate matters outside their primary designation.

There are also two detectives with special designations of School Resource Officer, Crime Prevention Detective and Community Policing Officers.

As part of their assigned duties they also investigate certain matters brought to the attention of the police department.

Finally two officers are trained and certified in both the LEAD and GREAT programs.

The Criminal Investigations Division also coordinates and supervises the Police Department’s Special Law Enforcement Officer Class III program, which places specially trained retired police officers in our public school for added safety and security. The Det./Sergeant supervises those officers and coordinates with the School District Security Specialist.

It is the duty of the detectives to investigate unsolved criminal activity and pursue criminal complaints through the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office where the perpetrator has been determined.

In New Jersey violations of the state’s Criminal Code, (Title 2C), are divided into Crimes and Disorderly Person violations.

To compare this to our common law heritage, crimes are felonies, and disorderly person violations are misdemeanors. Generally Crimes are punishable by over a year in prison and disorderly person violations are under a year in prison. Crimes are further divided by degree. Crimes of the first degree being the most serious violations, on through crimes of the second, third and fourth degree, the fourth being the least serious. Crimes are adjudicated in Superior Court, (Somerville).

Disorderly Person violations are also subdivided into disorderly person violations and petty disorderly person violations. Unless part of a larger incident involving Crimes, disorderly person matters are adjudicated in North Plainfield Municipal Court.

Generally, police officers must see a disorderly person violation occur to make an arrest for it, although there are exceptions such as in domestic violence matters.

The detectives not only investigate unsolved criminal activity but also assist the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office in case preparation for trial. All matters involving an arrest for a crime of the first, second, third, or fourth degree are assigned a detective as a “case agent”. It is the responsibility of the case agent to prepare the case for trial. This may involve conducting interviews, taking sworn statements, processing evidence, and writing supplemental reports.

Members of the detective bureau have also participated with the Community Policing Office by speaking to members of the Board of Education, parents associations, the Senior Citizens Club, and law enforcement associations.

Besides investigating matters, and preparing cases for trial, each detective also serves in a contact capacity. Some of these contacts positions include but are not limited to: Narcotic Intelligence; Gang Intelligence; Terrorism Intelligence; Alcohol Beverage Law; Megan’s Law; and Somerset County Intelligence liaison.

If you ever have information you believe is related to criminal activity please contact a member of the Criminal Investigation Division so that we may speak with you. Working together, the residents of North Plainfield and the Police Department can make the community a safe place to live and enjoy.