This article first appeared in the December 2006 edition of the township newsletter, Montclair Now.

At forty years old when appointed, David Sabagh not only became Montclair’s youngest police chief in memory, but he’s also the first to hold a Master’s degree. Sabagh was appointed chief by Township Manager Joseph Hartnett on May 14, 2004.

Chief Sabagh graduated from Seton Hall University in May of 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and by September of that year, after graduating as valedictorian of the Police Academy, began his career as a Montclair police officer. He continued his advanced studies and earned his Master’s degree from Seton Hall in 2002 in Human Resource Development.

The chief was born in Paterson, grew up in West Paterson, and currently resides in Cedar Grove with his wife Lisa and two young children. In addition to his university studies, Chief Sabagh graduated from the FBI National Academy in June of 2005. During his 21-year career, the chief has worked in every division of the Police Department, including commander of the detective and internal affairs divisions.

“Between his formal education and his law enforcement experience, Dave Sabagh may be the best qualified police chief we’ve ever had in Montclair,” says Township Manager Hartnett, adding “I was very proud to appoint him.”

“My first priority for the department,” Chief Sabagh said during a recent interview, “ is police-community relations. Our relationship with the community means everything to the department. The more of an understanding that the public has about what we do, and the more we understand our community, the more we can be a top functioning police department. If we do not have these things, we cannot be a top department, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.”

The Chief pointed out that he and the other members of the department are constantly meeting with residents in all neighborhoods of the community as part of the Department’s intense interest in community relations. Both the Chief and his senior officers also make it a point to be personally involved in the community, attending as many public events as possible – church dinners, school programs, pancake breakfasts (with the Chief often manning the spatula himself!), and other civic fund raisers and charitable events. “We try to make as many as we can,” the Chief said, “and often bring our families when applicable.”

He’s also a strong proponent of departmentally sponsored programs that proactively reach out to the community. One of the first programs he initiated as a new Chief was the Citizens Police Academy, which allows citizens to actively receive a mini-version of the same training that police officers receive in order to learn more about the department and what it is like to be a Police Officer. The Chief strongly supports DARE (“Drug Abuse Resistance Education”) which brings members of the department into the schools to work with young people in building self-esteem, leadership, and teamwork.

The Chief has also been pushing the “GREAT” program (Gang Resistance Education and Training), which is designed to build awareness about gangs and gang-related violence to help young people steer away from gang involvement.
In fact, Chief Sabagh lists fighting the linked challenges of drug use and gang activity as his second highest priority after community relations.

“We have to be aware of the fact that we are in an urban/suburban environment with proximity to major cities and this issue will continue to be a major focus of my tenure as Chief,” Sabagh said. He pointed out that in the past two years his department has stepped up investigations by 60 – 70% and has a “significantly greater success rate in capturing illegal drugs.”

Quality of life initiatives are also a high priority for the department. “Combatting things like graffiti, littering, and public intoxication, for example, may seem simple and trivial, but doing so has been proven to help with the overall crime rate and with giving people a better sense of community security,” he says.

In addition to time with family, the Chief is an FAA-certified private pilot and enjoys flying. “There isn’t much time for that anymore, but that’s secondary to family and to serving the people of Montclair, which I am thoroughly committed to every day,” the Chief says.

And not trivial at all, traffic calming and traffic control are critical factors in the Chief’s mind for improving the quality of life in Montclair.