The Operations Division consists largely of uniformed patrol and traffic officers who patrol the City daily. Their duties include responding to calls for service, taking reports regarding criminal offenses and traffic crashes, conducting proactive activities to reduce crime, and assisting residents and visitors to the City when the opportunity arises.
Operations is the largest division in the department and includes 98 full-time sworn officers and two civilian support personnel. The division is also responsible for the department’s Specialized Response Units, which include the Emergency Services Squad, Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit, Bicycle Unit, Crime Reduction Team, UAV (Drone) program, K-9 Unit and Mental Health Co-Responders.
Despite decreased calls suicidality continues to rise. To combat this the Crisis Intervention Team is researching resources.
The Traffic Safety Unit aims to reduce motor vehicle crashes and impaired driving by implementing traffic enforcement, education and roadway engineering solutions. The unit is comprised of one captain, two sergeants, seven officers and a parking control officer. It handles special events and four officers are certified to operate police motorcycles for increased effectiveness.
Fatality Accidents - 3 Injury Accidents - 507 Property Damage Only -1,439
Uniformed patrol officers staff 10 districts in the City and work a 12-hour day across three shifts. They are the first to arrive on the scene of calls for service and generally initiate all police investigations. In 2023, officers responded to or initiated 114,657 calls for service, a 29% increase over 88,642 in 2022.
Patrol officers are supervised by 12 sergeants, who are responsible for allocating resources as crime trends dictate, monitoring officer performance, answering questions, responding to the scene of critical incidents, approving reports and routing them for investigation.
The Crisis Intervention Team was formed in 2000 to enhance safety and positive outcomes during behavioral health interactions. Over half of all commissioned officers are certified as CIT officers and all officers receive yearly training on crisis intervention techniques and resources. The primary goal of crisis intervention is containment, communication and safety for all involved in a crisis. CIT officers are trained in tactical de-escalation and aim to safely end crisis calls and provide necessary help.
The Crisis Intervention Team is responsible for coordinating responses to crisis calls for service through the implementation and administration of the following programs:
The Crime Reduction Team was established in 2012. It is the department’s community-oriented proactive policing unit. Over the last 11 years, the scope of the team's involvement has expanded along with the number of personnel. Four officers were added this year under the supervision of one sergeant.
The Crime Reduction Team conducted numerous investigations which resulted in misdemeanor and felony charges. The team also worked on various crime-trend and intel-based details to reduce criminal activity and public disorder. It partnered with nearly every unit in the department to identify trends, create solutions and identify suspects. Many cases worked by the team involved cooperation with outside federal and local law enforcement agencies.
The K-9 Unit uses specially trained police dogs to aid in patrol and investigations. A dog's sense of smell and hearing is highly sensitive, making them valuable for detecting drugs, explosives and other contraband. Their keen sense of smell can be instrumental in searching for missing persons or tracking suspects. The department has two highly trained K-9 teams who assist patrol officers and other local agencies in detecting narcotics, building searches and locating missing persons. In 2023, officers received over 400 hours of training. A handler and K-9 team retired, allowing for replacements to be selected and trained.
Bicycles are used for proactive patrols addressing crime trends. Their ability to maneuver and approach potential crimes is a benefit to the department and community. Bicycles conduct high-visibility patrols, assist with special events and perform large area searches.
The Drone Program, consisting of 12 certified pilots, is a collateral duty for three divisions. The program is actively training more pilots to expand its availability. The fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles is versatile, suitable for indoor and outdoor flights, and nighttime and inclement weather. UAVs aid in area searches, construction site checks, surveillance and investigations. In 2023, the program logged 114 real-world deployments and assisted in the apprehension of 36 people, demonstrating its effectiveness in various missions.
The Emergency Services Squad is the department's critical incident response unit, responsible for high-risk operations like Search Warrant Service, High-Risk Apprehensions, Barricaded Suspect Resolution and Civil Disturbances.
The Emergency Services Squad includes the Entry, Cover and Negotiations Teams.
The Bomb Squad is part of a larger regional response effort in Missouri and Kansas. Three new technicians graduated from the FBI's Hazardous Device School in Huntsville, Alabama where they learned about explosives, IEDs and render safe procedures. Technicians train twice a month to maintain their skills in x-ray use, robot operations and hazardous device handling and disposal. The Bomb Squad is made up of four certified technicians and one assistant.