The Bergen County Regional SWAT Team was spotted on First Street in Dumont on Friday morning, October 2, with photos circulating on social media showing tactical officers at the scene. As of Friday morning, additional details surrounding the response were not immediately available, and it remains unclear what prompted the deployment.
Mike Haggerty shared photos of the SWAT team members on Facebook, offering the public's first glimpse of the response, according to Daily Voice, which first reported the story and noted that it reached out to officials for more information. The outlet's report remains labeled developing, and it is not yet known whether any weapons or suspects were involved, or how the situation was ultimately resolved.
A Familiar Address for Tactical Response
This is not the first time First Street in Dumont has drawn a SWAT presence. Back in August 2022, the same block was the site of a standoff after a 33-year-old resident called 911 and specifically requested SWAT and the FBI, the station's report from that time noted. A Dumont police dispatcher stayed on the line with the barricaded man for more than 20 minutes, ultimately talking him into surrendering peacefully, and he was evaluated at a local medical center without facing criminal charges, per the same account.
The earlier standoff ended peacefully after a Dumont police dispatcher spoke with the barricaded man. It is not known whether Chief Joyce has commented on Friday's response.
Why the County Team Handles Dumont's Standoffs
Dumont does not maintain its own tactical unit, which is why county resources are the ones showing up. Under Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Directive 2015-1, issued in February 2015, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office designated the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team as the primary tactical response unit for municipal agencies across the county that lack their own approved teams. The borough relies on county backup for high-risk incidents.
Dumont has previously had a barricade standoff on First Street, in August 2022.
SWAT Team Has Been Busy Across Bergen County
The regional unit has stayed active heading into October. On September 22, Hoodline reported that the same SWAT team mobilized alongside Hackensack police after hammer blows from a mall jewelry store smash-and-grab were mistaken for gunfire.
Dumont police have also leaned on neighboring departments outside of SWAT scenarios. In early September, Hoodline reported that six agencies converged on a brawl at a New Milford pool club, with Dumont officers assisting. For now, the cause of Friday's First Street response remains unconfirmed, and Hoodline will update this story as official information becomes available.
