Patrol Division
The
"backbone" of any police department is its Patrol Division.
These are the officers that normally handle day-to-day operations but
also are called on to support the specialty units to achieve their particular
goals. While specialty unit officers focus on a specific segment of
law enforcement, the patrol officers need to know a lot about all segments
of police work.
The patrol officer is the "first responders" to all medical
calls, motor vehicle accidents, burglar alarms, fires, domestic disputes,
assaults and a myriad of other calls. Additionally, these are the officers
that first come in contact with crime scenes, recognize potential evidence
and secure the crime scene for evidence collection officers and crime
scene teams. They are required to always be vigilant in the performance
of their duties, yet most of the time, their duties are routine and
may in fact be monotonous.
They are constantly reminded that the way they approach a seemingly minor situation may be the difference between successfully prosecuting an important criminal case or possibly losing their life. The patrol officer is also the most likely member of the police department to be injured or killed in the line of duty.
After the officer
responds to the incident, they may investigate the incident as far as
possible and then determine if the detectives should investigate it
further. In many cases, the patrol officers may solve the cases and
file reports and charges against the accused parties. After all initial
investigations, reports must be filed. Officers may also file reports
for missing people or property as well as documentation reports used
by the insurance industry to validate a claimant's loss.
Currently, the Hopewell Township Police Department has twenty-two
patrol officers assigned to its "Patrol Division" which consists
of four squads with a patrol sergeant leading each. A lieutenant oversees
the entire "Patrol Division" as well as the "Community
Action Response Team" (a specialized unit).