Bernards Township Installs Call Box at Police Headquarters for After-Hours Access

Bernards Township installed a call box outside its police headquarters. Residents can now contact officers when the building closes. The device links users to the county communications center, which dispatches officers.

"This call box will connect you with our county communications center, which will then notify the Bernards Township Police Department, just as a normal phone call would," police said, according to Patch.

The equipment arrived after residents voiced concerns at the June 24, 2025, Township Committee meeting. People worried the station lobby shut down overnight without a phone or button to summon help.

Ana Duarte McCarthy serves as Mayor and Liaison to the Police. She promised to investigate. By November 2025, McCarthy announced the Township Committee had purchased the call box, and crews would mount it outside the main lobby door.

On Friday, the police department thanked officials for backing the upgrade.

Anyone needing police at headquarters after closing time can press a button for assistance. The box functions like a phone, sending requests through county dispatch.

Before this, visitors arriving outside business hours had no way to reach officers on duty. That gap pushed residents to raise the issue with township leaders.

The Township Committee greenlit the purchase in fall 2025. Installation wrapped up in recent weeks. The box now sits outside the main entrance, giving people round-the-clock access to police services.

Police headquarters in Basking Ridge operates as the department's main facility. Staff there answer calls and send officers throughout the township.