Established in 1799, the Essex County Sheriffs Department is a law enforcement agency that enforces the laws of the nation, state, county and local jurisdictions, including the handling of civil matters and operations of the county jail. It makes several arrests related to family court offenses and felony charges, issues uniform traffic tickets and investigates vehicular accidents. The Essex County Sheriffs Department operates a communication center that responds to more than 4,000 dispatch calls for assistance, including ambulances, fire, police and other calls. The department supports Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), which is an international education program that seeks to prevent the usage of illegal drugs, gang activities and violent behavior.