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The Patrol Division falls under the command of the Division Chief. The
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
Lieutenant or Sergeant, the Patrol Officers function as the eyes and
ears of the Police Department. They, in partnership with our community
and other city, township, state, and federal agencies, enhance the
quality of life for the citizens it serves.
The City is divided into two primary patrol areas, or beats, that are
supplemented by additional sub-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.
The Patrol Officer is the initial responder to the 15,000+ police
service calls per year ranging from violent crime to house watches. The
Patrol Division is further responsible for vehicle and pedestrian
traffic, law enforcement, and crash investigation. In addition,
utilizing crash data, officers monitor specific sites with high crash
rates, address traffic-related complaints (speeding, traffic light
violations, etc.) and 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 three primary patrol shifts or watches, with additional power cars
and specialty cars assigned during peak hours to maximize coverage.
Specialization Officers are selected and trained from the patrol ranks
to supplement the overall operation of the Division. These sub units
include the School Resource Officer, D.A.R.E., Evidence Technician
Program, Field Training Officer Program, and Canine Program.
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 3:00
p.m. and 9:00 p.m. A Patrol Lieutenant or 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
Administrative Desk at (708) 924-7300. |
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