July 3 was a special day for the Barnegat Township Police Department: the 50th anniversary of the unit becoming a full-time force. In 1973, the municipality was known as Union Township. It changed to its current name in 1977.

That first police force consisted of Chief William Brazzel and patrol officers Kenneth Vogel and Harold Powell. At the time of its founding, the department patrolled the township from 8 a.m. to midnight, with the State Police working the overnight hours.