In a letter to the editor, Jersey City Police Superior Officers Association President Capt. Pawel Wojtowicz discusses the history of the city’s local law enforcement agency.
Dear Editor,
Since 1829, before Jersey City was formally incorporated as a city, the men entrusted with protecting this community have stood watch over its residents. At that time, fewer than 1,000 people called Jersey City home.
The community was small, but its leaders understood a fundamental truth that has remained unchanged throughout history: without public safety, no community can truly prosper.
The establishment of “The Watch” in 1829 was not merely the creation of a police force—it was the recognition that protecting life, preserving peace, and safeguarding property were among the first and most essential responsibilities of any organized community.
From those humble beginnings, the Jersey City Police Department has grown alongside the city itself, serving generations of residents through times of prosperity, hardship, war, civil unrest, natural disasters, and unprecedented growth.
The history of public safety extends far beyond Jersey City. For thousands of years, long before modern governments existed, tribal communities understood that survival depended upon collective security.
While some members hunted, gathered food, or cultivated the land, others stood watch to protect the community from danger.
Their service was supported by those they protected because every member recognized that security was indispensable to survival.
As civilizations evolved, so did the organization of public safety.
During the medieval period, communities established formal systems to maintain order and protect commerce. By the thirteenth century, governments were collecting taxes to support those charged with safeguarding towns, roads, and marketplaces.
Throughout history, one principle has remained constant: every successful society has recognized that public safety is not a luxury—it is a fundamental public responsibility.
Today, public safety has evolved into one of the most complex and demanding professions in government.
Modern police officers are expected to be law enforcement professionals, crisis managers, mediators, investigators, emergency responders, medical first responders, counselors, and community partners.
They are held to higher standards than ever before, operating under extensive legal requirements, state mandates, judicial oversight, technological advancements, and public accountability.
Progress is both necessary and inevitable.
The Jersey City Police Department has continually evolved over nearly two centuries, embracing new training, modern equipment, advanced investigative techniques, constitutional policing, and stronger community partnerships.
These changes have strengthened the profession and better equipped officers to serve the public.
However, progress should never require us to abandon our history or diminish the value of the institution itself.
Every generation has a responsibility to improve upon the work of those who came before it while preserving the principles that have sustained our communities for centuries.
As the saying goes, you cannot truly know where you are going if you do not know where you came from.
Discussions regarding police funding and the future of public safety are appropriate in any democratic society. Yet history consistently demonstrates that communities thrive when they invest wisely in the safety and security of their residents.
Public safety is not simply another line item in a municipal budget; it is one of the foundational services upon which every other municipal function depends.
Economic development, education, healthcare, recreation, housing, and commerce all flourish only when people feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
For nearly 200 years, the Jersey City Police Department has answered that call.
Long before today’s skyline, transportation network, hospitals, schools, universities, and thriving neighborhoods existed, there were men standing watch over this community.
Their legacy has been carried forward by generations of officers who accepted the same solemn responsibility: to protect others, often at great personal sacrifice.
To the men and women of the Jersey City Police Department, take pride in the badge you wear.
Learn the history of this remarkable department and remember that you are part of a tradition dating back to 1829—one that predates the incorporation of Jersey City itself.
Every generation has faced unique challenges, but each has been united by the same commitment to service, courage, integrity, and sacrifice.
You are not simply employees of a municipal government. You are the stewards of one of New Jersey’s oldest and most distinguished law enforcement agencies.
Preserve its history, honor those who came before you, and continue building a department worthy of those who will one day follow in your footsteps.
The Jersey City Police Department has stood watch over this community since 1829.
It has endured because every generation understood that public safety is not merely a government function—it is the foundation upon which strong communities are built. That legacy is now yours to protect.
Captain Pawel Wojtowicz
President
Jersey City Police Superior Officers Association
