The Toms River Police Department was established in 1933 by the Township of Dover, Toms River but only became the official police department of Toms River in 2006. The establishment of the police department enabled Toms River police officers to join the State Patrolman's Benevolent Association. In 1933 the department consisted of three regular officers and grew to 137 officers in the early 1990s. The FBI rated the Dover Township Police Department as the second best in the state in 1961. The police department building consists of administrative offices, locker rooms, a squad room, a training room and a gym.

The mission of the police department is  to educate the public, reduce safety hazards and solve problems. The Dove Township Police Department consists of the Detective Bureau, Traffic Safety, the Municipal Court, the Record Bureau, the Toms River Office of Emergency Management, Neighborhood Watch and the Toms River Police Foundation.