Safety Programs for Public

The mission of the Croton-on-Hudson Police Department to preserve the rights, security and quality of life in our Village for all residents through the impartial enforcement of the law, prevention of crime, pursuit of violators of the law, and the maintenance of order in public places.  The Department has many programs and initiatives to prevent crime and increase safety for all village residents and visitors. Here are highlights of some of these programs:

• 24-Hour Tip Information Hotline: Call 914-271-0706 to leave information about a crime or incident that happens in the Village that you feel may require police follow-up. Callers may leave a message on the Hot Line answering machine and may remain anonymous if they so desire. The detective division will review all calls. Do not call this phone for emergencies. Dial 911 instead.
• Special Needs Registry: Do you or does someone your family/household need special assistance in an emergency? Are you disabled or have any special needs? If you answered “yes” then please consider signing up for our voluntary Special Needs Database, a confidential residential listing of people with special needs. The database will be used by Croton Public Safety Agencies (Police, Fire and EMS) as a way to help you during emergency situations. The Croton Police Department will use this information, which remains confidential, to better assist residents with special needs. It allows officers to better understand the needs of our diverse community and respond appropriately but sensitively. This could include a variety of things from needing assistance with ambulation to not using a siren, if possible, if someone with special needs would become agitated by the sound.  Click here, https://croton.seamlessdocs.com/f/specialneedsdatabase , to add information to the database.
• Dark House: If you are going on vacation or will be away from home for a period of time, call the department at 914-271-5177 and let us know.  Officers will periodically check your property while you are away.
• Surveillance Camera Registration: The Croton-on-Hudson Police Department is committed to utilizing every resource to prevent and solve crimes and to protect citizens and their property.  Many residents and businesses are now utilizing surveillance cameras and these cameras may capture persons and events without the owner’s knowledge and this captured information may help the police department solve crimes and help keep the village safe. The Croton-on-Hudson Police Department is asking residents and businesses to voluntarily register their privately-owned surveillance camera systems.  As our officers respond to reports of criminal activity in our community, they may be able to use the information or footage captured on these security cameras to assist in the apprehension and prosecution of the criminals involved.
  • By registering with the Croton-on-Hudson Police Department, officers can quickly identify nearby cameras that may have captured criminal activity.
  • After registering your camera, you would only be contacted by the Police Department if there is a criminal incident in the vicinity of your security camera. Police personnel, if necessary, may request to view your camera footage in order to assist in the investigation.  You are not obligated to comply with this request, it is at your discretion to be used only as a tool to aid the investigation.
  • Attempts to contact the registrant via phone and/or email will be done during reasonable hours of the day. Information provided to the Croton-on-Hudson Police Department regarding your camera system will be for official use only. Register your surveillance camera by clicking here
• Child Safety Seat Program: The Croton-on-Hudson Police Department, in conjunction with the National Highway Safety Administration, offers child safety seat installations and safety checks on an appointment basis. The Department has four certified car seat technicians on staff. Our Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will assist with the proper installation of child safety seats. Our technicians will look for improperly installed, broken or recalled safety seats and will demonstrate and explain to parents and caregivers about the proper selection, installation, and use of car seats, booster seats, and proper use of seatbelts. To schedule an appointment, please contact the Croton Police Department at: 914-271-5177.

This article was written by members of the Police Advisory Committee as part of the Community Information Project.