Department History

Fair Haven Police Department History

As a community, Fair Haven dates back to the mid-18th century, when the earliest known reference to a residence was that of the Lewis family in 1778. The earliest neighborhood or group of homes dates back to the 1790s. This was the first sense of a forming community. At this time, Fair Haven had yet to be incorporated as a borough, and was part of the extensive Shrewsbury Township.

Until its incorporation as a borough, Fair Haven’s policemen were hired by Shrewsbury Township and then dedicated to working in Fair Haven. A single officer was all that was required to patrol the still sparsely populated community. The officer was also a resident, allowing him to be called upon as needed.

Although little is recorded on the early days of policing in Fair Haven, research has found that in 1901 there was a policeman by the name of Edward Bennett. It was also discovered that in 1911, Charles Pittman Worthley, was reappointed by Shrewsbury Township as a policeman in Fair Haven. In April 1912, Fair Haven became incorporated as a borough. The “new” borough promoted Worthley to the position of Chief of Police, a position he held until the 1919. Joseph Herdon took the reins of the department in the mid-1920s.

During Chief Herdon’s tenure, the police department grew in size to keep up with the needs of the growing community. In addition to hiring regular police officers, the police department began to utilize special officers. The special officers formed an organization known as the Fair Haven Safety Squad. These special officers cooperated with the paid policemen in the prevention of crime in their respective neighborhoods and in Fair Haven’s drive to stop speeding within the borough’s confines.

Prior to the acquisition of two-way radio communications, the police department relied on the pull box system for signaling both the police officers and the fire department. These pull boxes were placed strategically throughout town. Officers on their rounds would use the pull box to signal for assistance or to alert the volunteer fire department. These pull boxes could also be used by residents for the same purpose. In the early years of the police department, patrol was conducted on foot, horseback and bicycle. Chief Herdon was known to use his personal motorcycle, his horse and his carriage to aid in his patrol of the borough.

Carl J. Jakubecy, who joined the Fair Haven Police in 1946, became chief in 1954, serving until his 1978 retirement. He is credited with turning the department into a modern organization. This included the hiring of additional staff, incorporating a structured chain of command and providing better technology and equipment to the department.

George E. Chandler, began police service as a special officer in 1950, joining the regular force as a patrolman the next year. He was appointed chief in 1978, holding that office for 4 of his 31 years of service. He was juvenile officer for part of that time and developed the “letter system”, wherein parents of juveniles who were involved in minor infractions were sent a letter informing them of the accusations, with the hope that parental cooperation and police monitoring could avoid more serious problems and the process of a formal complaint.

Louis Devito worked his way through the ranks until he was promoted to chief in 1983, serving until 1991. He was instrumental in moving the police department from the space they shared in the Borough Hall to their current location on Fisk Street. He placed a strong emphasis on his officers receiving additional training as they continued through their careers and with his department staying current with the advances in technology. It was during his time as chief that the department installed the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.

Richard Towler began his career as a patrolman in 1971, was appointed chief in 1991 and served until 2005. He was the first chief to attend the prestigious FBI Academy LEEDS program. He too placed a strong emphasis on training and technology. One critical area of technology that needed updating during his tenure was the department’s duty weapon. Fair Haven was one of the last municipalities in New Jersey whose officers still carried revolvers. In 1997, he convinced the governing body to purchase semi-automatic handguns.

Darryl G. Breckenridge, Sr. began his service to the Borough of Fair Haven as a special officer in 1986 before becoming Chief in 2005. An Army veteran, Chief Breckenridge attended the FBI National Academy and LEEDS program. During his tenure, budgets on the federal, state, county and municipal levels were drastically cut. Chief Breckenridge was given the unenvious task of cutting departmental costs. As a cost-saving measure, the department’s in-house dispatching service was dismantled and is now provided by the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

The Fair Haven Police Department is currently under the command of Chief Joseph P. McGovern who has served in the position since 2016. Chief McGovern joined the Fair Haven Police Department as a dispatcher in 1987. He was hired as Special Officer in 1988 and sworn in as a Patrolman in 1991. Chief McGovern rose to the rank of Captain before becoming Chief in 2016. Chief McGovern is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy and LEEDS program. In 2018, Chief McGovern became accredited by the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police. He navigates the department in a time when school security is paramount. Chief McGovern has ensured that the members of the department are trained and equipped to manage a variety of tasks in an ever changing social climate.

The Fair Haven Police Department has occupied a number of locations, including Mechanics Hall on Fair Haven Road, which was shared with the fire department. Following the loss of the building due to a fire, they rented space in a storefront at 600 River Road. They once again shared space with the fire department in the new firehouse on River Road. In 1963, the department moved into the new borough hall where they remained until July 1983. The former Fisk Street School was remodeled following a period of vacancy to include the Youth Center and the new location for the Fair Haven Police. This has been their department headquarters since that time.

The Department is staffed by 13 full-time police officers, two part-time civilian records clerks and six crossing guards. The department is supplemented by part-time Class I and Class II special officers who are assigned patrol, traffic enforcement, crowd control and special duties as needed. Accredited by the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fair Haven Police Department and its top-quality police officers, both past and present, are a crucial reason that the Borough of Fair Haven has maintained its status as one of the safest communities in all of New Jersey.