Police Department

Welcome to the Summit Police Department

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Our officers and civilian staff are proud to serve and protect the City of Summit through proactive law enforcement and community outreach. We work in partnership with the people of Summit, NJ to enforce the law, preserve peace, protect all members of the community.



Weekly Police Blotter

Click here to see past police blotters.

SPD What you need to know 050621(7)

Summit Police Department News Releases

May 29, 2023: Summit Police Department responds to Sherman Avenue burglary
May 22, 2023: Summit Police Department to Offer Self-Defense Class for Women on June 28
May 22, 2023: Summit Police arrest two juveniles for attempting to enter motor vehicle on Waldron Avenue
April 17, 2023: Summit Police Department Receives Report of Stolen Vehicle and Two Attempted Vehicle Thefts
April 12, 2023: Summit Police Department Receives Report of Stolen Vehicle on Union Place

Previous Summit Police Department news releases:
2023
2022

Breaking News

SUMMIT, NJ, May 29, 2023 – At 1:50AM on Monday, May 29, 2023, a burglary occurred at a Sherman Avenue residence.

Two suspects entered the residence by climbing through a first-floor window after popping its latch. The residents were home and asleep during the incident and were unharmed. The suspects rummaged through kitchen drawers where they located key fobs to the resident’s 2023 Range Rover and 2023 Mercedes Benz GLS which were parked in the driveway. The suspects used the key fobs to take both vehicles. The resident’s wallet, containing credit cards and cash, was also taken from the kitchen.

The Summit Police Department tracked the stolen Mercedes using its GPS system and recovered it approximately three hours later parked on a street in the city of Newark. Summit Police Department detectives, along with members from the Union County Sherriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, processed the residence for trace evidence.

The incident is under investigation by the Summit Police Department Detective Bureau.

SUMMIT, NJ, May 27, 2023 – At 7:26 AM on Saturday 05/27/2023, a Midland Terrace resident reported that sometime overnight their 2022 Volvo XC90, which was parked in the driveway, was entered and a wallet, containing an undisclosed amount of cash, was stolen. Ring camera video footage put the time of the incident at 3:00 AM. There was no evidence of forced entry.

SUMMIT, NJ, May 22, 2023 – The Summit Police Department is reporting the arrest of two juveniles for attempting to enter a car on Waldron Avenue on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

At approximately 8:29PM, Summit Police officers stopped and questioned two suspicious males walking on Waldron Avenue near Whittredge Road. Both were wearing hoods and face coverings. Moments later, police dispatch received a call from a Waldron Avenue resident reporting that two males, who matched the description of the suspects stopped by police, had just attempted to enter their locked Audi which was parked in their driveway. The suspects were placed under arrest and transported to the Summit Police Department for processing.

The suspects, who were identified as a 16-year-old Irvington resident and a 17-year-old Union Township resident, were charged as juveniles and were subsequently released to the custody of their respective parents, pending a court date.

On Saturday, May 20, at approximately 11PM, Summit Police investigated reported attempts to enter vehicles parked in the driveways of two separate residences on Waldron Avenue. The incidents are still under investigation by the Summit Police Department Detective Bureau.

  1. PO Karen Sauers

    Officer Karen Stenstrom Sauers needs your help

    Summit police and fire departments, PBA Local 55, FMBA 54, Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad and city officials are joining together to raise awareness about the immediate need for a living donor kidney transplant for Police Officer Karen Stenstrom Sauers. Full news release (pdf)
  1. blue graphic with summit police department seal and text that reads self defense training

    Summit Police Department to offer self-defense class for women

    The class will be taught by Summit Police Department officers and held on Wednesday, June 28, from 6PM to 8PM in the Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School gymnasium. There is no cost for the program, but space is limited; registration is required. Register now
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Summit has a zero tolerance policy for prejudice, racism, bigotry, hatred and violence of any kind

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The SPD is committed to ensuring that all citizens regardless of their disability, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation enjoy the rights guaranteed by NJ law and the US Constitution. Community resources

Safe Place Program

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Click to enlarge

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Please take a look at these safety tips to help prevent auto theft in Summit.

Two Streets a Week Campaign

Summit Police Department is working to reduce careless driving through its new "two streets a week" campaign. The purpose of the program is to coordinate enforcement efforts on two streets each week with the goal of reducing speeding and other dangerous traffic violations through an established and ongoing police presence.     

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Help keep our neighborhoods safe.

Join a voluntary registry of privately-owned video surveillance systems in Summit. The Summit Citizen Eye directory is a list of camera locations that will provide detectives with footage in areas where criminal activity has occurred. Program video

Frequently Asked Questions

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Overnight on-street parking rules
By municipal ordinance, no vehicle shall be parked on any street during any night of the year between the hours of 2:30AM and 5AM or when snow is forecast. Requests must be received prior to 2AM or subject to a parking citation. Call the police department non-emergency number 908-273-0051 with questions.

Body Camera Program

Uniformed officers assigned to the patrol bureau and traffic unit wear body cameras to capture valuable evidence for investigations and trials. It also documents scenes, interviews, and encounters between the police and citizens, promoting accountability and transparency. 

Click here for more info on the grant that is allowing the SPD to equip its officers with body cameras into 2026.

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restraining order

Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018 (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-20 to -32) provides procedures for a family or household member to apply for a protective order against a person who poses a danger of causing bodily injury to self or others by possessing or purchasing a firearm. It prohibits the respondent from possessing or purchasing a firearm or ammunition and from holding a firearms purchaser ID card, permit to purchase a handgun, and permit to carry a handgun. This is a civil court order that is issued by a judge upon consideration of evidence, prompted by a petition by a family or household member, or law enforcement officer. Order on State of NJ website

Protect and prepare your family with Smart911. Citizens can create a safety profile for their household on Smart911 with important information that emergency responders can use in the event of an emergency.

When a citizen makes an emergency call, their safety profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 dispatcher and emergency responders can provide more personalized assistance. Citizens can add important information to their profile such as medical conditions and allergies, property details and layout, information on pets and service animals, family members' phone numbers, emergency contacts, and more. Visit www.smart911.com to get started.

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Video Gallery


The Summit Police Department has created a series of videos to educate and inform the public. Videos focus on topics relating to safe trick-or-treating, bicycle and automobile theft, identity theft and fraud. Access the videos on YouTube here.

Recorded by HTTV 2020.

Prescription Medication Drop Off

Drop Off Box Medication

Safely dispose of your unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications in the drop off box located in the Summit Police Department on the first floor of City Hall. NJ Division of Consumer Affairs has developed Project Medicine Drop in an effort to halt the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs.

**Please do not dispose of syringes in this box. Please remove all personal information from the medicine containers you are depositing into the box. Click here for info on how to dispose of syringes with regular household garbage.

Nixle Alert Options

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Sign up for nixle alerts or access the Everbridge app to receive emergency and general notifications from the Summit Police Department. 

Please note: If you enter an email address when registering with nixle, you will receive email alerts when the SPD sends advisory, non-emergent messages. To receive only text alert and advisory messages, do not enter an email address. Using the app generates push notifications to your mobile phone and emails. More detailed information and instructions are available here.

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