The New Jersey State Park Police patrol and protect the State's 54
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
s,
forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
s,
recreation area
A recreation area is a type of protected area designated in some jurisdictions.
By country Canada
In the province of British Columbia, recreation areas are lands set aside for recreational use. These lands are also being evaluated to determine w ...
s and 130 natural trust preserves which encompass more than and are visited by more than 18 million people each year. Their motto is "Protecting New Jersey's Treasures and the people who visit them." All State Park Police Officers are sworn State Law Enforcement Officers who are PTC certified. Officers have statewide jurisdiction, carry
weapon
A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
s and have all of the arrest and
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...
powers of any
police officer
A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...
in the state. They are dedicated to safeguarding New Jersey's resources 24 hours a day through the prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, enforcement of criminal and
motor vehicle
A motor vehicle, also known as motorized vehicle or automotive vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on Track (rail transport), rails (such as trains or trams) and is used for the transportation of pe ...
laws of the state, and enforcement of park regulations. State Park Police respond to
public safety
Public security or public safety is the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety and security of the public from significant danger, injury, or property damage. It is often conducted by a state government to ensure ...
emergencies and environmental emergencies as well as provide mutual aid assistance to municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. They use various methods of patrol, including foot, bike, boat, ATV, and motor patrol.
Functions
Operating under the guises of the
New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
In the state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry is an administrative division of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. In its most visible role, the Division is directly responsible for the management and ...
, a child agency of the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution. NJDEP now has a staff o ...
, NJSPP makes up one of two state law enforcement agencies within the arsenal of the NJDEP. Organized under the administration of the Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Natural and Historic Resources, NJSPP is joined by their counterparts with th New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife - Bureau of Law Enforcement which also operates as a child agency of the NJDEP. Noteworthy enough, this section includes the
New Jersey Forest Fire Service
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) is an agency within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Founded in 1906 with a focus on wildland fire suppression and fire protection, the Forest Fire Service is the largest firefighti ...
as well as a myriad of others. Although NJSPP headquarters is located in
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.