New Jersey State SPCA Humane Police

The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NJSPCA) Law Enforcement Divison was created in 1868 to prevent animal cruelty and investigate cases of animal cruelty in New Jersey. The agents of the NJSPCA were established as law enforcement officers in charge of investigating and prosecuting all persons involved in animal abuse and neglect. The NJSPCA is the second oldest SPCA in the country, behind the ASPCA in New York. The New Jersey State SPCA Humane Police focused on humane law enforcement and investigations of animal cruelty throughout New Jersey. The agency is one of just a few law enforcement agencies in the state that have statewide authority. The agency hired both sworn officers that carry firearms, as well as unarmed investigators. In January of 2018, Governor Chris Christie signed a bill intended to dissolve the organization and transfer animal cruelty law enforcement to county prosecutors, municipalities, and county SPCA agencies. The NJSPCA will cease law enforcement operations by August 1, 2018.