Editing Middletown Township, New Jersey (section)

====Police====
The Middletown Township Police Department is the largest police force in Monmouth County, with 112 sworn officers.<ref>[https://www.middletownnj.org/713/Police-Department Police Department], Middletown Township. Accessed January 30, 2025.</ref> The department was formed on May 15, 1928, with the hiring of its first full-time police officer, Earl N. Hoyer. His appointment read Patrolman / Chief of Police, at an annual salary of $125.00.<ref>Finck, Adam. [https://www.middletownnj.org/283/Police-History Police Department History], Middletown Township. Accessed January 30, 2025.</ref>

The Rude Awakening Program educates the youth and their parents about alcohol abuse and its position as a gateway drug to further and harsher drugs and substance abuse. The program is specifically designed to educate the student in the life altering ramifications of drinking and driving.<ref>[http://middletownnj.org/Police/rudeAwakening.asp Middletown Township – Police Department Rude Awakening Program] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103151051/http://middletownnj.org/Police/rudeAwakening.asp |date=November 3, 2010 }}</ref> The program is mainly backed by the police department and has later encompassed EMS and fire into the program for vehicle extrication demonstrations.