Piedmont Police Patrol
Overview
Patrol is the backbone of the Piedmont Police Department, providing the majority of direct service to the community. Patrol is the most visible section of the Piedmont Police Department, with 56% of the fulltime workforce of the Piedmont Police Department employed in patrol duties. The Sergeants and Officers assigned to patrol wear many hats in order to provide the highest level of service to the community. These ancillary assignments include, but are not limited to: Bicycle Patrol, Canine Officer, Computer Forensics, Neighborhood Watch, Crime Prevention, Traffic, Parking, Crime Scene/Evidence Technician, Training Manager, Field Training Officer, Background Investigator, Emergency Operations Center set-up, Recruiting Team member, Arson Investigator, Hostage Negotiator, Anti-terrorism Liaison, Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Reserve Officer Coordinator, and Police Explorer Advisor.
Patrol Officers take initial reports of all cases, from the simplest theft to a homicide. Typically, the patrol officer keeps responsibility for the case until it is no longer feasible to handle, at which time it is taken over by a Detective. All officers begin, and usually end, their careers in Patrol. Other assignments and duties such as Traffic Officer and Detective are considered special assignments and are not permanent.
To improve patrol effectiveness, Piedmont is divided into two patrol areas known as beats. The dividing line for the beats is Highland Avenue, with streets above (east of) Highland Avenue being in Beat 1 and streets below (west of) Highland Avenue being in Beat 2. Patrol Officers work 12-hour shifts on one of four patrol teams (two night teams and two day teams).
Anti-Terrorism Liaison
The Piedmont Police Department has specially trained officers who participate in regional efforts related to anti-terrorism response, information gathering and dissemination. Should you witness any suspicious activities, please report them to the Piedmont Police Department. An officer will evaluate the situation and take the appropriate action, which may include forwarding the information, via the Anti-Terrorism Liaison Officer, to the appropriate intelligence agency.
Bicycle Patrol
The Piedmont Police Department has several officers trained in the use of bicycles for patrol duty. The department has a small fleet of mountain bicycles that are used by these officers on an overtime basis to provide bicycle patrol services on an as-needed basis. You can usually see these officers in action during the Independence Day Parade and at the annual Bicycle Rodeo.
Canine
The Piedmont Police Department is authorized two police canines with specially trained Police Officers as their canine handlers. Depending upon their training, Police canines may be used for protection, searching, drug recognition, or explosives recognition.
Community Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS)
Under the COPPS philosophy, patrol officers are expected to use all available resources to identify and address the underlying problems resulting in police response. This demands that all employees work in teams to form partnerships with community members and other public and private service agencies. The COPPS Steering Committee meets to discuss service delivery options, organizational effectiveness, and problem solving training opportunities. Programs and procedures used by Piedmont Police are evaluated regularly to determine if they are meeting their stated goals and providing value to the community. Programs and procedures developed by other police departments are evaluated to determine if they may fill an unmet need for our community.
