Professional Standards Bureau and Internal Affairs
In these days’ transparency is of utmost importance. The Hopewell Township Police Department is committed to providing high-quality, professional services to all members of the community.

Professional Standards Bureau
The Office of Professional Standards, run by Lieutenant Joseph Maccaquano, reports directly to the Chief of Police. The Office is charged with administering the investigative and disciplinary processes for the Hopewell Township Police Department. The primary mission of the Office of Professional Standards is to assure that the Department members meet the highest standards of integrity and ethical performance.

Internal Affairs Investigations
It is the policy of this agency to accept and fully and impartially investigate all complaints of alleged officer misconduct or wrongdoing from any person, including outside agencies, juveniles, persons under arrest or in custody, and anonymous sources. All complaints will be investigated as long as the complaint contains sufficient factual information to warrant an investigation. Following a thorough and impartial examination of the available factual information, the officer shall be either exonerated or held responsible for the alleged misconduct. Discipline shall be administered according to agency policy and procedures.

It is the policy of the Hopewell Township Police Department to accept and investigate all allegations of officer misconduct or wrongdoing from any citizen. It is the policy of this agency that all internal affairs functions and complaints will be conducted in compliance with the New Jersey Attorney General's Internal Affairs Policy and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office.

In order to fulfill that policy, located here are the necessary forms and information to answer any questions that a citizen may have regarding the process.

Complaint Process
Complaints can be dropped off in person at the police department, emailed to Lt. Joseph Maccaquano at jmaccaquano@hopewelltwp.org, or mailed to 201 Washington Crossing Pennington Road Titusville, NJ 08560. Complaints can also be made via telephone. Anonymous complaints will also be accepted and investigated.

• Your complaint will be sent to either a superior or specially trained internal affairs officer who will conduct a thorough and objective investigation.
• You will be asked to help in the investigation by giving a detailed statement about what happened or by providing other important information.
• All complaints against employees or the agency in general are thoroughly investigated. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of the investigation.
• If our investigation shows that a crime might have been committed, the county prosecutor will be notified. You might be asked to testify in court.
• If our investigation results in an employee being charged with a violation of department rules, you might be asked to testify in a departmental hearing.
• If our investigation shows that the complaint is unfounded or that the employee acted properly, the matter will be closed.
• All disciplinary hearings shall be closed to the public unless the defendant officer requests an open hearing.

If a person has concerns about making a report directly to the Hopewell Township Police Department about an officer, they may contact the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Internal Affairs Unit at 609-989-6351, via mail or in-person at 209 S. Broad Street Trenton, NJ 08650.

More Information
You may elect to telephone the Internal Affairs Officer, Lt. Joseph Maccaquano at 609-737-3100, ext. 5360 with any additional information or questions concerning the case.