In accordance with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Body Worn Camera Policy and Directive 2021-5, it will be the policy of the Brooklawn Police Department, beginning June 1, 2021, to utilize body worn video/audio cameras (BWC). Body worn camera’s (BWC’s) provide an accurate and unbiased recorded account of an incident. They will be worn by uniformed and plainclothes officers, and will be worn on the center of the officer’s chest. A flashing green light indicates that the BWC is not actively recording, and a flashing red light indicates that the BWC is actively recording.
The Borough of Brooklawn, in partnership with Rite-Aids KidCents Program, is proud to announce they we are now participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Project Medicine Drop. You can anonymously drop off old expired medications, medications you no longer use, and other drugs. Whenever the Borough building is open to the public you can dispose of your unwanted medication/drugs at your convenience. The mailbox style drop-box is located in the Borough Hall, just to the right as you walk in. You do not have to check-in with the police department, just deposit into the box as you would a mailbox.
Operation Helping Hand (OHH) is a prosecutor-led program whereby law enforcement, in collaboration with the Camden County Office of Mental Health and Addiction, and Recovery Specialists proactively link individuals suffering from substance use disorders to services. Since 2018, the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety (DL&PS) has been administering state and federal funding for grants to the 21 County Prosecutor’s Offices to establish and expand OHH programs. In 2022, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office (CCPO) OHH program transitioned from an arrest-based model to a services outreach model throughout Camden County by partnering with local police departments, as well as, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley and Maryville Addiction Treatment Center, to bring services to its communities. OHH program is part of the CCPO Community Outreach and Engagement Unit. For more information regarding the history of Operation Helping Hand in New Jersey, click here.
The members of this agency are committed to providing law enforcement services that are fair, effective, and impartially applied. It is in the best interests of everyone that your complaint about the performance of an individual officer is resolved fairly and promptly. Our agency has formal procedures for investigating your complaint. These procedures are designed to ensure fairness and protect the rights of both citizens and law enforcement officers:
- Reports or Complaints of officer/employee misconduct must be accepted from any person, including anonymous sources, at any time.
- Complaints shall be accepted regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or immigration status of the complaining party.
- Your complaint will be sent to a superior officer or a specially trained internal affairs officer who will conduct a thorough and objective investigation.
- You might be asked to help in the investigation by giving a detailed statement about what happened or providing other important information or documents.
- All complaints against law enforcement officers are thoroughly investigated. You will be kept informed of the status of the investigation and its ultimate outcome, if requested, and you will provide contact information. The exact discipline imposed is confidential, but you will be advised of the ultimate finding, namely:
- Sustained: A preponderance of the evidence shows an officer violated any law; regulation; directive, guideline, policy, or procedure issued by the Attorney General or County Prosecutor; agency protocol; standing operating procedure; rule; or training.
- Unfounded: A preponderance of the evidence shows that the alleged misconduct did not occur.
- Exonerated: A preponderance of the evidence shows the alleged conduct did occur but did not violate any law; regulation; directive, guideline, policy, or procedure issued by the Attorney General or County Prosecutor; agency protocol; standing operating procedure; rule; or training.
- Not Sustained: The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to clearly prove or disprove the allegation.
- If our investigation shows that a crime might have been committed, the county prosecutor will be notified. You might be asked to testify in court.
- If our investigation results in an officer being charged with a violation of department rules, you might be asked to testify in a departmental hearing.
- If our investigation shows that the complaint is unfounded or that the officer acted properly, the matter will be closed.
- Internal affairs investigations are confidential, and all disciplinary hearings shall be closed to the public unless the defendant officer requests an open hearing.
Our agency operates in accordance with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Guidelines on Internal Affairs Policies and Procedures.