The New Jersey State Police The large amount of unpunished crime in Ocean County in those years pointed up the necessity of better law enforcement procedures. Statistics compiled by New Jersey State Bureau of Commerce Research for the years 19141916 show 341 crimes unpunished for a total of 73 percent. The same statistics continue by showing the proportions of the population and of the total property without police patrol in Ocean County: population 77 percent; property 50 percent. Of persons under indictment 21 or 16.4 percent had not been apprehended, i.e. were fugitives. By 1920, the need for a state police force was widely seen as urgent. As envisioned by its advocates, this force should enable to move throughout the state in a system of rural stations and substations, and should consist of men of the highest character who were well-trained in police work. It was deemed at that time to be absolutely essential that politics and influences have no place in this force. The goal was coverage of the county with law enforcement agents for the welfare and safety of the people. These troopers were not to supplant constable or sheriffs and other officials in authority. Their primary duty would be to prevent accidents, save life and property. In 1921, the Legislature provided for the creation of a State Police Force, and in 1923 two troopers were stationed in Toms River. By the middle of the 1920’s, the New Jersey State Police was a well-trained force of law enforcement officers working closely with all law enforcement officers in the counties throughout the state. This was the era of prohibition and these troopers were specially active in enforcing the prohibitions laws as they related to illegal stills, slot machines and rum running. Many raids were carried out in close cooperation with the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and the Prosecutor’s Office.
1921
State Police auditing confiscated “rum” from a raid. Photo source - Ocean County Historical Society
Summer 2013 • The PFIA Protector
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