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north plainfield police

Mission Statement

The mission of the North Plainfield Police Department is to enhance the quality of life in North Plainfield by working together with the community to enforce the law, preserve peace, protect the people, reduce fear, and maintain order.

Our goal is to serve as guardians of the North Plainfield community by enforcing the law, maintaining order, and protecting the lives, property, and rights of all people, as guided by the Constitution. We shall carry out our duties with a reverence for human life in partnership with members of our community through professionalism, respect, integrity, dedication and excellence in policing.

The North Plainfield Police Department strives to foster a safe and fair community by incorporating Community Policing into all areas of the Department, and solve the problems that create crime through an interdependent relationship between the people and its police.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to work as a team to accomplish excellence in our service to the community, to achieve employee fulfillment, and to set an example for others to follow. We hold the welfare of our citizens paramount and carry out the affairs of our agency with transparency. We are responsible to the community for our performance and remain accessible to the citizens at all times.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are accountable for our actions as individuals and as an organization. We place high value on honesty and upholding the public trust. NPPD employees recognize the importance of each person as an individual and as a team member. We always maintain our self-respect and find satisfaction in our achievements. We devote our full energy and talents to our organizational mission and vision.

Message from Chief Alan McKay

The North Plainfield Police Department is proud to employ some of the finest law enforcement professionals in the State of New Jersey. Each officer is sworn to protect life and property through the enforcement of the laws of the State of New Jersey and by upholding the state and federal Constitution.

My commitment to the men and women of the North Plainfield Police Department is to be fair in my judgment and clear in my expectation; to always be open to new ideas; to work relentlessly to provide them the tools, training, equipment, and leadership that will allow this department to efficiently and safely protect the people of this proud community; to challenge you constantly to improve yourself and to improve the policing that you provide to our residents; and to make you proud when you say, “I am a North Plainfield Police Officer.”

Chief of Police: Alan McKay
Captain/Executive Officer: Edward Ciempola
Administrative Assistant: Jen Bartholomew

On February 1, 2025, Alan F. McKay became the thirteenth person appointed as the Chief of Police of the North Plainfield Police Department. As Chief, he is responsible for establishing and enforcing the Rules and Regulations of the department, as well as the policies and procedures vital to successfully managing the daily operations of the police department. He is also responsible for preparing the annual budget and establishing the department’s internal organization and structure to ensure adequate manpower necessary to safely serve the residents of the Borough of North Plainfield.

Chief McKay began his career in law enforcement with the Livingston Police Department in 1991 after attending the Essex County Police Academy. Chief McKay later attended the Somerset County Police Academy and began his career with the North Plainfield Police Department in 1996. He spent ten years in the Patrol Division until his assignment in 2006 to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Organized Crime & Narcotics Task Force. In 2008, and for the next seven years, he was assigned as a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division. In 2015 Chief McKay was promoted to the rank of Detective Sergeant where he supervised the detective bureau. In 2018, he was promoted to the rank of Detective Lieutenant and was placed in the position of commander of the Criminal Investigation Unit & Internal Affairs Unit, which is the department’s lead unit investigating all citizen complaints of alleged misconduct. Chief McKay served in this position for the next two years. In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Captain / Executive Officer and was given operational control over the department. Chief McKay was responsible for oversight of all administrative and operational functions of the Police Department. Chief McKay served as Captain / Executive Officer for the next five years. In February of 2025 Chief McKay was promoted to the rank of Chief of police for the North Plainfield Police Department. He is committed to continued organizational improvement and seeking the highest levels of professionalism in the workforce.

It is my honor and privilege to serve as Chief of Police for North Plainfield. Our police department employs some of the finest and best trained people in law enforcement today. My goal is to make North Plainfield the safest place to live, work and visit. I thank Mayor Lawrence La Ronde for having the trust and confidence in me to lead this great agency and I promise to do my best in serving the residents of North Plainfield and the members of this department.

I remain committed to constantly improving the relationship between our community and our officers. I will strive for continued transparency and open communication.

Sincerely,

Chief Alan F. McKay