Fair Lawn Police to Add 2 Officers

Two new police officers will join the next week, Chief Erik Rose said.

Juan Rodriguez and Luke Hintzen will be sworn in as Fair Lawn police officers at and begin their duties either Tuesday or Wednesday morning next week.

Both men worked previously for the Paterson Police Department.

The hires will bring the police force levels to 56, although Rose said the effective number will be 55 temporarily until a replacement for an officer who retired earlier this month is found.

As recently as late 2009, the had 64 officers, but layoffs and retirements have reduced the staff in recent years.

A state police study that used staffing data from late 2009, found that Fair Lawn’s police force was understaffed in comparison to other police departments in Bergen County and across the state.

Despite the layoffs, .