The Office of the Sheriff is divided into three divisions, each commanded by an Undersheriff:

Operations, Courts, and Administration.

 

The Operations Division has the following functions: the Detective Bureau, the Patrol Bureau, the Special Weapons And Tactics Team (SWAT), Hostage/Crisis Negotiators, B.C.I., and the Community Relations Unit. The Patrol Bureau works a Pittman Work Schedule, which has successfully provided for the policing of Hudson County's parks and county roads, traffic enforcement, special event functions, countywide emergencies, mutual aid mobilizations and assistance, and the Municipal Transportation Unit which transports municipal arrests countywide to the jail.  In addition to its investigative duties, the Detective Bureau oversees the operations of the Non-Support, Parental Abduction, and Warrants units. The Division also performs court-mandated transportation and extradition of prisoners, general investigations, the Bias Crime Unit, and oversees the operations of the Bureau of Criminal Identification. Sheriff Detectives are also assigned out for specialized assignments to other law enforcement agencies, which include the F.B.I., D.E.A., U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security, Secret Service, and the New Jersey State Police.  Life-saving emergency medical services is provided to all county facilities, roadways, and parks by specially-trained Sheriff's Officers who are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Other services and programs offered by the Sheriff’s Office include Project Medicine Drop, Senior I.D. Card issuance, and K-9 Teams.

 

The Court Division has three primary functions: Expanded court security, building security, and prisoner operations. Personnel are assigned to the Criminal, Family, and Civil courts; and to the perimeter and entry posts at the Administration Building, Brennan Courthouse, Hudson Plaza, Meadowview, and numerous external facilities. Security Guards are utilized in lower-profile security assignments where they can perform efficiently and effectively at lower operating costs. New Jersey Superior Court mandates have expanded Sheriff's Officer coverage to all civil courts, and the employment of additional bilingual Security Guards to effectively address community language barriers. Part-time Security Guards have been hired for weekend and holiday coverage to reduce the need for overtime. The Division also transports prisoners to and from the County Correctional Center, the Youth Detention Facility, and out-of-town & state pickups for court appearances.

 

The Administration Division incorporates 911 Public Safety Telecommunication, Security Guards, Business Office, and Public Safety Concerns. The Business Office is a multi-function office, which deals with civil court actions. The action of summonses and complaints received leads to the processing of writs of execution, which include wage and law executions and writs of possession and foreclosure. Law executions include bank, asset, rent, motor vehicle, and real estate levies. Process Bureau consists of Sheriff's Officers who serve notices on the aforementioned actions. Biweekly, the Business Office conducts an auction of properties that are sold as a result of foreclosure.

 

Public Safety Concerns has two units: Weights & Measures and The Medical Examiner Liaison Division.  The Weights & Measures Bureau has the duties and responsibilities of registering, proactively investigating, monitoring, and responding to citizen complaints with respect to all scales and measuring devices within Hudson County, including gasoline stations. Since its establishment, the unit's workload was substantially increased when the City of Jersey City disbanded its Weights & Measures Unit and relinquished its control and responsibilities to the County Bureau. The Medical Examiner Liaison Division provides various services to the County.  The scope of activities and operating costs associated with this division are regulated by the State of New Jersey.

 

The Sheriff's Office also provides a 24/7 countywide 911 alert system for nine municipalities. Upon receiving an emergency 911 call, local jurisdictions are immediately alerted and the caller is connected to its first responders. Jersey City, Bayonne, and Secaucus have 911 operations of their own but rely on the county operators for their continuity of operations backup. Many of the cell phone calls they receive are from Jersey City and surrounding local and New York area municipalities, placing an increased workload on the system and its operators.

 

The Internal Affairs Unit reports directly to the Sheriff due to the nature of their investigations.  The Recruitment and Training Unit is critical to maintaining a first-rate selection process and well-trained personnel, and must also report directly to the Sheriff.