Auxiliary Police Officer Fred Chase is a life-long resident of Haddonfield, NJ.  On many Monday evenings Auxiliary Officer Chase dons his police uniform and proudly pins on a special gold badge that is engraved, “50 years service”, and does duty as bailiff for the Haddonfield Municipal Court.  Fred’s avocation as an auxiliary officer began as a Civil Defense volunteer during WWII.  Whenever the air-raid sirens wailed, it was Fred’s job to ride his bicycle to Haddonfield High School, where he climbed a tower and looked toward the sky for enemy aircraft.  The Haddonfield Police Reserve, as it was known then, operated under the authority of the federal Office of Civil Defense and assisted the regular police with war-time duties by acting as air-raid wardens and maintaining black-outs.

After WWII, the Reserve Police Department became a supplement to the regular police department.  In December 1980 the authority for the Reserve Police was transferred to the newly established NJ Office of Emergency Management, a division of the New Jersey State Police, and the official name was changed to Auxiliary Police.  The Haddonfield Auxiliary Police is under the immediate command of the Chief of Police and their mission is to augment the regular police.  Over the years, many Haddonfield residents have served in the Police Auxiliary.  Several of the Auxiliary Officers have moved on to full-time police work, and some remain as honorary members.

Today, your neighbors make up the ranks of the Haddonfield Auxiliary Police. They include moms and dads, real estate agents, accountants, business owners, executives and others who are committed to doing their part to make Haddonfield a safer community.  In 2005 the Auxiliary Police established a bicycle patrol, and in 2007 the Auxiliary Police was honored with the Alfred E. Driscoll Award for outstanding community service.  Each year the Auxiliary Police provides almost 1,000 hours of volunteer assistance to Haddonfield. 

*Badge picture courtesty of SymbolArts

Various training seminars are conducted by qualified members of the Haddonfield Police Department. Some officers take optional classes at the Camden County Police Academy. All officers are instructed in basic law enforcement protocol, radio communications, police vehicle operations, and safe traffic control.  Officers are also taught self defense, and police baton and pepper spray tactics.  Officers also remain current with first-aid and CPR certifications. 

Officers taking CPR/AED certification examination.