Police Department

Westville Police Department

Contact Information

Chief of Police: William Whinna, IV
bwhinna@westville-nj.com

Deputy Chief of Police: Michael Packer
mpacker@westville-nj.com

Emergency Calls: 9-1-1

Police Service: 856-456-0028 (call this number to have a Police Officer dispatched for non-emergency issues)

Police Department Administrative Assistant: 856-456-9444. (The Police Administrative Assistant is in the office Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Fridays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. excluding holidays.)

Location
Police Department – Borough of Westville
167 Broadway
Westville, NJ 08093

The Westville Police Department was established in 1914 and is a full time department that provides 24 hour police service seven (7) days a week. The department provides a D.A.R.E program at Parkview Elementary School that is conducted by one of our police officers specializing in drug awareness and juvenile problems. Parents should also be aware that the Borough of Westville has a curfew for juveniles under age of 18 that is enforced from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. by the police department.

“Frequently Asked Questions”

How do I obtain a police report if the police lobby window is not open or during non-business hours?

The general public can make an online request for a police report at reports@westville-nj.com. Provide your name, the date of the incident, and a copy of your driver’s license or proper identification. The police clerk or police administration will respond to your request. Patrol Officers are not permitted to give reports to the general public.

If I want to speak to a police officer or make a report and the police lobby window is not open, who should I contact?

Inside the police lobby by the window is a phone. Please call the non-emergency number 856-456-0028 and tell the dispatcher you need to speak to a police officer.

If I want to sign a complaint against another person, what should I do?

To sign a complaint, contact the Westville Court Office at 856-456-0066. (Be advised, Police Officer’s cannot sign citizen complaints.) If you need a statute number for the complaint, please use the Police lobby phone and call 856-456-0028 and advise the dispatcher that you need to speak to a Westville Police Officer in reference to signing a complaint.

Body Cameras

Members of the Westville Police Department wear body cameras on the front of their police vest. If you have any questions about the use of cameras, please contact Chief William Whinna.

“Meet Up Park Spot”

To assist residents with online exchanges and child custody arrangements, the Police Department has put up a “Meet Up” parking spot. The parking spot is under 24-hour surveillance and is located in the parking lot of the Police Department by the fence line where the police vehicles are located. This spot can be used by people who make online purchases and are looking for a safe spot to meet. Questions can be directed to the Westville Police Department at 856-456-9444.

“Do Not Knock”

On March 2, 2020, the Borough of Westville Governing Body adopted Ordinance 2-2020 that enables the Police Department to establish a “Do Not Knock Registry”. Residents who sign up for the Registry will be able to restrict peddlers and solicitors from coming to their homes. (Please note that representatives of religious or political organizations, who are distributing information, are not subject the requirements of the local law.) The Registry will be kept by the Police Department and will be made available to anyone that requests it, the list will also be given to all solicitors that register with the Clerk’s office to go door to door. The Registry will advise the solicitor of the properties who do not wish to receive uninvited guests, thus stopping them from knocking on your door, prior to entering onto you property.

What to do if a Solicitor knocks on your door …here are two flyers from the State of New Jersey regarding door-to-door solicitation, “Don’t Open the Door to Fraud” and “Common Door-to-Door Scams“.

Be advised if you open the door to a Solicitor, the first thing you should ask them is to see a copy of their current year, Solicitor badge, that was issued by the Borough of Westville. If they cannot provide the badge, it means they did not seek approval from the Borough and did not go through the vetting process with the Police Department. You have the right to call the Police dispatch at 856-456-0028 to report unauthorized solicitors.

More information about Solicitors will be posted but in the meantime, if you would like to add your name to the “Do Not Knock Registry”, please complete the Do Not Knock form.

Home Security Check Request

Taking a trip or leaving your home for a short period of time? As a service to the Westville community, a Police Officer will visit your home while you are away to be sure all is well with your property. To avail yourself of this service, complete the “Home Security Check Request” form and submit it to the Westville Police Department.

Voluntary Camera Registration

The Borough of Westville Police Department is implementing a voluntary business and residential camera registration project. This project encourages the community to register their home or business surveillance cameras with the Police Department in an effect to easily locate a crime that may have been captured by one.

Why Register
Deter Criminals….having continuous surveillance that police can use to locate crimes is an invaluable tool that only helps to deter criminals.

Assist Police…the registration information collected through this program will allow for investigators and officers to know locations of cameras so they can have a point of contact to retrieve crime related videos.

Protect Your Community…by registering a camera, you are helping to protect both your community and neighborhood by providing invaluable information that will likely solve and reduce crime.

An individual’s personal information will be kept confidential by the Borough of Westville unless subject to disclosure by court order. Your information will only be accessed by law enforcement personnel who are investigating a crime in the vicinity of where your camera is located. Police personnel, if necessary, may request a copy of any video captured by your camera, which may assist in the investigation of a crime.

If you are interested in participating in this program, please complete the Camera Registration Form. If you have any questions about this project, contact Lt. Packer at 856-456-9444, extension 302 or send an email.

Firearms ID Card and Handgun Permit

Step 1:
Visit the New Jersey State Police Firearms Application & Registration System page

Step 2:
Enter the ORI # for the Westville Police Department: NJ0082100

Step 3:
Complete the online application. You may complete the application using a smartphone, mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer. When completing the application, you will need the email address of two (2) reputable references.

Step 4:
You must appear at the Westville Police Department to pay for your initial FID card and/or Pistol Purchase Permits. Fees must be paid by cash, check or money order. Payments should be submitted with your FARS confirmation number. Your application will not be processed until you have paid for the FID Card/Pistol Permits. All fees are non-refundable and need to be collected prior to completing background and issuing FID Cards/Permits as per NJAC 13:54-1.4

Be advised:

You will be receiving automated email updates throughout the process.
Once your application is complete, a station representative will contact you to retrieve your FID card and/or pistol purchase permit documents.
Please advise your references that the FARS system will email them the reference questions to be answered. Your references can complete the questions using a smartphone, mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer. Please advise them to complete the questions immediately to progress your background investigation.
The online application is applicant driven. Please ensure that you have entered the best phone numbers for yourself and references as well as the best email addresses for yourself and references.
It is highly encouraged that you include a social security number (SSN) where indicated. Failure to include a SSN could significantly delay processing of the application.

Download the Firearms instructions

Request a Copy of a Report

The law specifically governs what information can be released to the public. The cost of a report is $5.00. If you need a copy of a police report, contact:
Westville Police Department
167 Broadway
Westville, NJ 08093

The Administrative Office is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Fridays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. excluding holidays. Call 856-456-9444 if you have questions.

Project Medicine Drop

Project Medicine Drop is a program designed to allow Borough residents to properly and safely dispose of their unwanted or expired household medications.

Residents can bring their unwanted or expired household medications, placed in a zip lock or similar type plastic bag to the Police Department 24 hours a day and place the medication into the Project Medicine Drop box which is located in the lobby of the Police Department (enter main lobby and go to the door on the right that’s identified as “Police Department”). The medications will then safety and properly be destroyed. Download the Project Medicine Drop pamphlet for additional information.

Firearms

For information on registering a Firearm, contact the Administrative Office at 856-456-9444

Report a Community Concern

A community concern is anything that you would like to be brought to the attention of the Westville Police Department. It can be quality of life or neighborhood issues or a suggestion for the police department to identify concerns and develop problem solving strategies to ultimately enhance the quality of life for the residents we serve. By working together, the police and community can foster positive relationships while gaining an understanding of the issues in the community.

Community Concern Form
The information requested on the Community Concern Form will assist the Westville Police Department in addressing your concerns. By providing your name, phone number and email address, we will be able to provide you with updates on the issue. If you need immediate police assistance dial 911. For non-emergencies, please call 856-456-0028.

Open the Community Concern Form and provide a description of the issue. Photos can also be attached to the form.

Annual Major Discipline Report Form

This form is used by the Police Department to report issues with members of the Department. When opening this link, you’ll see that there were no major discipline issues during the timeframe June 15, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

Internal Affairs Report Form – Complaint Police

The members of the Westville Police Department are committed to providing law enforcement services that are fair, effective and impartially applied. It is in the best interest of everyone that your complaint about the inappropriate performance of an individual officer is resolved both fairly and promptly. The Westville Police Department has formal procedures for investigating your complaint. These procedures ensure fairness and protect the rights of both citizens and police officers.

The Internal Affairs function is governed by State of New Jersey law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:-181.
The Attorney General of the State of New Jersey has issued guidelines for police departments to follow in matters of internal police investigations.
Because of the nature of administrative personnel investigations the Internal Affairs process takes time.
All Internal Affairs matters are kept confidential

Registering a Complaint. Complaints may be registered at the police department by completing a complaint form. Complainants are asked to complete a complaint form, which includes a sworn statement of the facts known to the person at that time. Complaint forms may be found at the Westville Police Department or you may also download the form below.

Your complaint will be sent to a superior officer or a specially trained internal affairs officer who will conduct a through and objective investigation.
You may be asked to help in the investigation by giving a detailed statement about what happened or providing other important information.
All complaints against police officers are thoroughly investigated. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of the investigation.
If our investigation shows that a crime might have been committed, the county prosecutor will be notified. You may be asked to testify in court.
If our investigation results in an officer being charged with a violation of department rules, you may 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.
Disciplinary hearings are closed to the public unless the defendant officer requests an open hearing.

Civilian Complaint Information Sheet

Civilian Complaint Report Form