PLAYING IT SAFE!

Sheriff's Message

2010 promises to be a year of dynamic changes for law enforcement in general and for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office specifically.

As members of the larger law enforcement field we remain focused on working towards becoming a more integrated part of the overall community. We are continually adding and improving programs which enhance the lives of our constituents. Additionally we are utilizing intelligence gleaned from our investigations and from those incarcerated at the Bergen County Jail to deter as well as detect various forms of criminal activity. We remain cognizant of our role as the last line of defense in the ongoing struggle to protect our nation from the threat of terrorism. We are working with federal and state agencies as well as municipal police departments from around Bergen County to process and disseminate information in real-time. We are one team with one goal: keeping you safe.

This year promises to bring changes specific to the Sheriff’s Office as well.

The past 5 years have seen dramatic improvements to the agency’s methods of operation, technological infrastructure and relationship to the community. In so many ways the job has remained the same but we are finding new, more efficient ways of accomplishing our mission. The benefits have been twofold: a consistent increase in the quality of the services we deliver and a reduction in the cost of delivering them to the taxpayer.

With that in mind, the Sheriff’s Office recognizes the current economic climate. We are always looking for ways to reduce costs as well as secure new sources of revenue. In spite of the essentialness of the functions we perform, this agency has and will continue to do all it can to reduce the financial burden on the residents of Bergen County.

However, limits in our resources do not mean we must limit our level of innovation. The BCSO is currently utilizing its position in the criminal justice process to fundamentally change the likely outcome for offenders incarcerated at the Bergen County Jail.

The Sheriff’s Office is presently in the middle of developing a re-entry program relatively unlike anything seen in America today. It is bringing together members of the community, interested organizations and fellow agencies with the common goal of breaking the cycle of crime in Bergen County and reducing the likelihood that offenders will return to the life that landed them behind bars in the first place.

Whether you believe our corrections system should be focused on punishment or rehabilitation, I think we can all agree that fewer criminals on the street means fewer victims in distress.

This is only a small taste of what 2010 holds in store for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. We plan on making this the best year yet for an agency whose members already deliver an unparalleled level of service to our residents. We hope you will follow along as we face the challenges and enjoy the successes together.

Sheriff Leo P. McGuire

Sheriff Leo P. McGuire

Serving as Sheriff of Bergen County New Jersey,
Leo McGuire is responsible for administering the operations of the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, the county's premier law enforcement agency with more than 500 members and an annual budget of more than $50 million.

First elected to the Borough Council of Oakland, New Jersey in the fall of 2000, Sheriff McGuire has spent his life securing our communities and protecting us. Sheriff McGuire began his service in January of 1978 by enlisting in the United States Army at the age of 18.

During his tenure with the Army, he served as a member of the Military Police Corps, serving at various military installations as well as enforcing the codes of conduct for our armed forces. His military service took him to various locations around the globe, including Europe in the midst of the Cold War, as well as various places here in the United States.

After completing his obligation to the United States Army, Sheriff McGuire continued his commitment to protecting our communities when he was sworn in as a Police Officer with the Ridgefield Park Police Department August of 1985.

During his time with the Ridgefield Park Police Department Sheriff McGuire accrued more than 80 letters for meritus service in the line of duty, including an incident in which resulted in the removal of a child molester from our streets. For more than two decades Sheriff McGuire lent his courage and compassion to the citizens of Ridgefield Park to ensure that community remained one of the safest places in all of Bergen County.

When Sheriff McGuire assumed the duties of Councilman in the Borough of Oakland, he set about tackling the challenges of one of the county's fastest growing communities. He successfully balanced the needs of an expanding community with the safety concerns of Oakland's 12,000 residents, seniors and children. In his role as councilman, McGuire accrued a level of administrative experience that has served him well as sheriff.

Chosen in November of 2004 to serve the people of Bergen County in the highest elected law enforcement position in the state, Sheriff McGuire was re-elected overwhelmingly in November of 2007.

During his first term, Sheriff McGuire’s administration has reduced excess overtime and saved taxpayers more than $6 million. Additionally they overhauled security in the Bergen County Justice center and garnered national attention for the agency’s innovative use of cutting edge technology. They have also partnered with the Prosecutor’s Office and created the Multi-Agency Gang Task Force to gather intelligence on gang activity and share it with local police departments across all of Bergen’s 70 municipalities.

A resident of Oakland with his wife Trish and their two daughters Erin and Aileen, Sheriff McGuire’s commitment to the citizens of Bergen County is governed by his concern for family and community.

Across the nation, the face of law enforcement is changing. Under the leadership of Sheriff McGuire, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office continues to change with it.

© 2009 Bergen County Sheriff's Office