Its southern part, known as Eastwood (named in contrast to Westwood), became an independent borough in 1894, but was dissolved and re-absorbed into Washington Township in 1896.

[23] In 1967, a mass grave site was discovered in River Vale from an event in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War, the Baylor Massacre.

This became widely known due to a February 1968 report to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, "1778 – The Massacre of Baylor's Dragoons."

[28][29] A River Vale resident, Henry Hoffman, directed the scrapping of USS Enterprise in Kearny from 1958 to 1960.

Following Hoffman's death in 1965, the stern plate of the Enterprise was placed on a Little League baseball field as a memorial.

The issue was due to the number and scope of legal cases against the township, its employees and its governance, plus what David Grub, chief executive of the fund, called "a general environment of personal attack".

The fund urged the township to update employment practices and better train managers to avoid liabilities.

[1][2] The township is bordered by Montvale to the northwest, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake (a very small section) and Hillsdale to the west, Westwood to the southwest, a small section bordering Emerson to the south, Harrington Park to the southeast, Old Tappan to the east, and Pearl River, New York to the north.

[32][33][34][35] Its borders are defined by the Hackensack River to the east, which was dammed to form Lake Tappan, and Pascack Brook to the south.

The undeveloped areas are mostly wooded and are south and west of Lake Tappan, following the Cherry Brook and the Hackensack River watershed.

There is a small commercial district surrounding the intersection of Rivervale Road and Westwood Avenue in the southern portion of the township.

[50] The governing body is comprised of two separate and coequal power centers, each directly elected by voters, with the Mayor serving as Chief Executive, while the Council is the municipal legislature.

[7][51][52] As of 2023[update], the Mayor of River Vale is Republican Mark Bromberg, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[53][54][55][56][57] In February 2014, the Township Council selected John Donovan from among a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacancy of Noel Matos, who resigned from office in the previous month due to work commitments.

[60][61][62] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 5th congressional district is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff).

As of 2025[update], the county executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[67] Bergen County's Commissioners are: Thomas J. Sullivan Jr. (D, Montvale, 2025),[68] Chair Germaine M. Ortiz (D, Emerson, 2025),[69] Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee, 2026),[70] Vice Chair Mary J. Amoroso (D, Mahwah, 2025),[71] Rafael Marte (D, Bergenfield, 2026),[72] Steven A. Tanelli (D, North Arlington, 2027)[73] and Tracy Silna Zur (D, Franklin Lakes, 2027).

[74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81] Bergen County's constitutional officials are: Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale, 2026),[82][83] Sheriff Anthony Cureton (D, Englewood, 2027)[84][85] and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill, 2026).

[95] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 71.2% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 97.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

[107] The force is responsible for all aspects of policing in the township, including responding to fire and medical emergency calls.

Each patrol car is equipped with a first aid kit, oxygen tank, and an Automated external defibrillator.

Officers of the River Vale Police Department are members of Pascack Valley Local 206 of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association.

The North Firehouse is located at 620 Rivervale Road, and houses one pumper, Engine 56 and the Fire Prevention Bureau.

[110] Begun in 1956, and formally incorporated in 1957, the River Vale Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc. (RVVAC) is located at 333 Rivervale Road.

[111] The corps provides basic life support, and is staffed primarily by certified Emergency Medical Technicians.

The primary jurisdiction of the RVVAC is the Township of River Vale, but the corps also regularly responds to requests for mutual-aid from the neighboring First Aid Squads of Old Tappan, Emerson, Washington Township, Westwood, Hillsdale, and Tri-Boro (Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, and Montvale).

[128][129] While there is no rail transport in River Vale, the NJ Transit Pascack Valley Line is available in adjacent communities to the west.

Daily service is available to Hoboken and Secaucus Junction from the Montvale, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale and Westwood stations.