police department

54 Fairmount Avenue
Chatham, NJ 07928
973-635-8000
Emergency Only: 911
police@chathamborough.org

Animal Control: 908-722-1271

To achieve this vision the Borough of Chatham Police Department Mission is to commit resources in partnership with the community to:

• Promote a safe and secure environment, free from crime and fear of crime,
• Maintain order and provide for a safe and expeditious flow of traffic,
• Practice our core values of integrity, respect, service and fairness.

INTEGRITY: Integrity is the hallmark of the Chatham Borough Police Department, and we are committed to the highest performance standards, ethical conduct and truthfulness in all relationships.
We hold ourselves accountable for our actions and take pride in a professional level of service and fairness to all.

RESPECT: We treat all persons in a dignified and courteous manner, and exhibit understanding of ethnic and cultural diversity, both in our professional and personal endeavors.
We guarantee to uphold the principles and values embodied in the constitutions of the United States and the State of New Jersey.

SERVICE: We provide service in a courteous, efficient, and accessible manner.
We foster community and employee involvement through problem-solving partnerships.

FAIRNESS: We treat all people impartially, with consideration and compassion. We are equally responsive to our employees and the community we serve.

 Please DO NOT request police service, report crimes/incidents or request permission to park overnight using the police@chathamborough.org e-mail address. This e-mail address is not monitored 24 hours per day and is intended for general police-related inquiries only and is monitored during normal Borough business hours.

Requests for police service, crime/incident reports or permission to park must be directed to our dispatch center at (973) 635-8000. For police emergencies only please dial – 911.

The Borough of Chatham Police Department Vision is to:

• Provide quality and professional law enforcement services to the community. Commitment to the professional development of the employees of the Chatham Borough Police Department.
• Recognize that the quality of life issues are important to the community and the members of the Chatham Borough Police Department.
• The Chatham Borough Police Department shall respond to the changing needs of the community and its members. This shall be accomplished through the principles of community policing, leadership, teamwork and dedication by all members of the department.

The Chatham Borough Police Department will participate in a Goal: Zero high-visibility traffic safety enforcement campaign on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with enhanced enforcement efforts taking place throughout the day and evening.

This mid-summer saturation detail will be conducted in memory of Chatham resident Patti Smith Barrett, whose life was tragically lost following a pedestrian motor vehicle crash earlier this year.

Goal: Zero is a statewide traffic safety initiative built around a simple objective: zero deaths, zero injuries, and zero crashes. The campaign combines education, visibility, and targeted enforcement to address dangerous driving behaviors, including speeding, distracted and inattentive driving, aggressive driving, impaired driving, and other violations that place motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists at risk.

In Memory of Patti Smith Barrett

On January 2, 2026, shortly after noon, 54-year-old Chatham resident Patti Smith Barrett was walking on the shoulder of Fairmount Avenue in Chatham Borough when she was struck by a Ford F-150 that had traveled from the roadway onto the shoulder.

Patti sustained critical injuries and died five days later, on January 7, 2026, at Morristown Medical Center.

The driver subsequently pleaded guilty to third-degree reckless vehicular homicide and failure to maintain a lane. The driver was sentenced to 364 days in the Morris County Correctional Facility, three years of probation, 80 hours of community service, and a six-month driver's license suspension.

The vehicle’s departure from the roadway and continued travel along the shoulder for approximately 150 feet is indicative of distracted or inattentive driving. In a matter of seconds, that loss of attention resulted in a devastating and irreversible tragedy, taking a life and forever changing a family and community. Vehicle window tinting was also identified as a contributing circumstance.

Patti was a wife, mother of four, former broadcast journalist, and dedicated community volunteer who was deeply devoted to her family and the Chatham community. Even following her death, Patti continued to help others through organ donation, providing life-saving assistance to two individuals.

Her memory gives this enforcement effort a deeply local and personal meaning.

Chief Brian Gibbons stated:

“Goal: Zero is ultimately about preventing another family and another community from experiencing a loss like this. Patti's death affected all of Chatham. By dedicating this detail to her memory, we hope motorists will understand that distracted, inattentive, aggressive, and unsafe driving are not abstract traffic violations—they can have irreversible consequences.”

The purpose of the campaign is not simply enforcement. It is to encourage every driver to make a conscious decision each time they get behind the wheel:

Put the phone down. Slow down. Stay alert. Drive sober. Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists.

ZERO DEATHS. ZERO INJURIES. ZERO CRASHES.

GOAL: ZERO.