Patrol Division

The Patrol Division is the largest and most visible element of the Police Department. Its members, mostly uniformed officers, patrol the City's streets around the clock. Under the direct supervision of a Patrol Sergeant, the Patrol Officers function as the eyes and ears of the Police Department and enhance the quality of life for the citizens they serve.

Patrol Areas

The City is divided into four primary patrol areas, or beats. Officers with specialized training based on emerging crime trends and patterns provide a strategic response to effectively prevent and detect crime and to apprehend and prosecute criminals.  You can view our current Beat Map, which includes information on contacting the relevant Beat Coordinator.

Officers

The Patrol Officer is the initial responder to the 10,000+ police service calls per year ranging from violent crime to medical calls. The Patrol Division is further responsible for vehicle and pedestrian traffic, law enforcement, and crash investigation. In addition they periodically conduct selective enforcement in high pedestrian traffic areas such as schools and parks.

The Patrol Division is staffed twenty-four hours a day and broken down into four primary patrol shifts.

Specialized Officers are selected and trained from the patrol ranks to supplement the overall operation of the Division. These sub units include the Bicycle Patrol, Drug Recognition Experts, Field Training Officer Program, and Canine Program.

Operations

Our average daily calls for service are consistent each day of the week, and our department's peak hours of service calls are often between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. A Patrol Sergeant in the capacity of Watch Commander oversees the daily operations of the watches and is available to explain police operations and mediate citizen complaints or inquires. The Watch Commander can be reached by calling the Police Dispatch Center at 805-986-6530.