Fair Lawn Has A New Police Chief And He's A Lifelong Borough Resident

The Fair Lawn Police Department has officially promoted Joseph J. Dawicki to serve as its ninth police chief since the department was founded in 1930, authorities said.

Chief Dawicki with Mayor Cutrone, Deputy Mayors Reinitz and Rottenstrich, Councilmembers Salinas and Krause, and his wife Deanna Dawicki.
Photo Credit: *Fair Lawn PD*

Chief Dawicki after graduating from the FBI National Academy.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy of Fair Lawn PD*

Cecilia Levine

06/24/2025 4:51 p.m.

Dawicki, a lifelong borough resident, was sworn in this week, taking over for former chief Glen Cauwels, who retired earlier this year.

Dawicki graduated from Fair Lawn High School in 1996 and from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2000. He joined the department full-time in 2001, after serving in the Fair Lawn Auxiliary Police for three years starting in 1998.

In 2024, Dawicki was selected to attend the 289th Session of the FBI National Academy, a program reserved for the top 1% of police executives worldwide, the department said.

He earned his master's degree in sublic Safety from the University of Virginia in May 2025, and has held roles across patrol, the detective bureau, community policing, and training functions, the release said.

“I’m working to build the next generation of leaders in the Fair Lawn Police Department,” Dawicki said.

He added that he’s excited to bring “21st century police management theory and practices” to the agency, and looks forward to engaging with the community in what he called the “co-production of police services” in the town he calls home.

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