A driver was arrested outside Fort Lee School No. 2 on Tuesday morning after a police officer interacted with someone in a vehicle near the elementary campus, and officers said the school day continued as scheduled with no known threat to students or staff.
The incident began around 8:15 a.m., when Fort Lee police officers were assisting with traffic flow near the school, according to Daily Voice. Police have not disclosed what prompted the interaction or what charges the driver ultimately faced, though the department confirmed the encounter ended with an arrest. The investigation was still continuing as of Tuesday morning, per the same report.
Police Chief Matthew Hintze was in direct contact with Superintendent Diane Collazo as the situation unfolded, the outlet's report notes. Collazo, who has served in the district for 20 years, has a personal history with School No. 2 — she previously worked as a second-grade teacher. School No. 2, located at 2047 Jones Road under Principal John Brennan, serves more than 360 students in Pre-K through fourth grade, per Niche.
Increased Police Presence Expected Near Campus
Families were warned they could see an increased police presence around School No. 2 in the coming days, the department said, according to the same account. The heightened visibility comes just days after the district's first day of school on September 3, and school officials reiterated there was no known threat to students or staff even as the investigation into Tuesday's arrest continued.
Fort Lee is a compact, 2.5-square-mile borough where the George Washington Bridge is a major source of traffic congestion. Chief Hintze has led the department since June 2019, according to Patch. Under New Jersey law, N.J.S.A. 39:4-98 provides for a 25-mile-per-hour limit during recess when children are visible and around school opening or closing hours.
A Second Fort Lee Case Involving a Child in a Vehicle
This is not the only recent Fort Lee case involving police intervention and a vehicle near a child. Hoodline previously reported that on August 25, police arrested a local woman on child endangerment charges after her 6-year-old wandered through a parking lot while she was found passed out drunk in her vehicle. In that case, as in any police matter involving potential child neglect or endangerment, New Jersey law under N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10 requires an immediate report to the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency.
It remains unclear whether Tuesday's arrest outside School No. 2 involved a parent or guardian dropping off a child, a bystander, or another circumstance entirely, since police have not released those details. The Fort Lee Public School District operates four numbered elementary schools along with intermediate, middle, and high school campuses, per Fort Lee Public Schools, and school zone incidents tend to draw close attention from both district leadership and borough police given the volume of families moving through drop-off lines each morning.
Department Has Handled Complex Cases Before
The Fort Lee Police Department has shown it can escalate routine interactions into larger investigations when warranted. In July 2026, an armed-robbery case involving Fort Lee led to charges and indictments, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. Borough officials, police leadership, and emergency-services representatives also participated in a public town hall with residents.
For now, the central facts remain limited: a driver was arrested outside an elementary school serving young children, the campus stayed secure, and the school day proceeded without disruption. Police have not said when more details about the charges or the circumstances behind the arrest will be released.
