Patrol

The Patrol Division consists of uniformed police officers, community service officers, sergeants and captains under the command of the Assistant Chief.


The Patrol Division

  • Conducts preliminary investigations of most crimes, and the complete investigation of others
  • Engages in aggressive patrol and crime prevention
  • Prepares reports relating to crimes or incidents and makes arrests accordingly
  • Provides a variety of services to the public, and generally functions as a guardian of public peace
Patrol officers are also called upon to respond to mutual aid requests from other communities. In addition to their daily duties, Patrol Division personnel perform a variety of specialty functions which contributes to the overall mission effectiveness of the department.

Evidence Technicians

Specially trained officers serve as evidence technicians. They are responsible for the preservation and collection of physical evidence at crime scenes. Additionally, evidence technicians identify and inventory physical evidence; take photographs and measurements, draw rough sketches of the scene, and complete reports relative to the crime or accident scene. Evidence Technicians receive extensive classroom and hands-on training in photography, latent fingerprint collection, physical evidence identification, preservation and collection and overall crime scene processing.

Field Training Officers

A Field Training Officer (FTO) is a patrol officer who has been trained as an FTO and is recognized for his or her experience, proficiency, and training. The FTO is responsible for the training and evaluation of the probationary officers assigned to them. The FTO is required to submit daily observation reports to the program supervisor on the progress of the probationary officer.

Technical Accident Investigators


Technical Accident Investigators are patrol officers who received extensive training in traffic accident investigation, accident reconstruction and vehicle dynamics. These investigators receive their training from organizations such as the Traffic Institute of Northwestern University and the Wisconsin State Patrol. Accident Investigators are responsible for the investigation, measurement and diagramming of serious motor vehicle crashes.