Patrol Division
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The men and women within the Patrol Division are committed to preventing and combating crime by providing quality customer service based upon a community oriented policing and problem solving (COPPS) philosophy. All Division members are highly trained and adept in responding to emergency and other calls for service, and are committed to a mission of preserving the peace and protecting the public.
The individuals assigned to this important function are divided into four districts within two geographical sectors. Command officers provide oversight in each sector, and dayshift and nightshift lieutenants participate in daily operational decisions.
Officers are assigned to the same patrol area for extended periods of time, often working one sector for a year or longer. With strong neighborhood association committee participation, and the support of the community at large, this district assignment philosophy allows officers to assume an integral role in solving problems and addressing livability issues within the city.
Officers continue to use neighborhood resource centers as workspace and citizen contact locations away from the main police station. This allows officers to maximize their time and maintain a constant presence within their district.
Aside from responding to dispatched calls for service, officers are encouraged and held accountable for true problem solving efforts - initiatives that make a significant impact upon the community. These efforts are tracked by project sheets, evaluation reports and, perhaps more importantly, citizen response cards.
Officers are committed to the COPPS philosophy which is evident in the high-rate of self-initiated calls for service. The department proactively initiates saturation patrols and special enforcement details. Such details include prostitution, tobacco, and alcohol stings, theft from vehicle surveillance, sex offender registration/address change operations, driving while under the influence enforcement, and curfew roundups.
The Patrol Division continues to focus on the criminal cycle involving theft, fraud, and narcotics related issues. It utilizes educational strategies to raise the awareness of citizens and businesses, coupled with selective and proactive enforcement actions, to impact and reduce such crimes.
As in years past, all efforts are aimed at providing the highest quality service to citizens.
