Chelsea Police Department 2012 Annual Report | Page 21

Patrol Division
The Chelsea Police Patrol Division consists of one (1) Captain, three (3) Lieutenants, nine (9) Sergeants, and approximately forty seven (47) Patrol Officers. Patrol shifts are nonrotating and consist of three eight-hour shifts, and one 10 ½ hour impact shift. The eight hour shifts consist of the Day Shift, the First Half Shift and the Last Half Shift. Each shift is comprised of one Lieutenant, three Sergeants and three squads of patrol officers. A Lieutenant commands each shift and each squad is lead by a Sergeant. The Fourth shift is known as the Impact Shift, which covers the period of 5:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., when service calls are at the highest. The Patrol Division is the largest division in the Department. It operates year-round, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. The function of the Patrol Division is to provide uniformed patrol coverage to all areas of the City. Officers conduct patrols on foot, bicycle, and in motor vehicles. They respond to emergencies such as crimes in progress, motor vehicle accidents, injuries, illness, and fires. They routinely investigate citizen complaints; arrest offenders; appear in court; provide traffic control and enforcement; and attend community based meetings. The primary goal of the Patrol Division is the prevention of crime and disorder by adhering to the Community Policing Philosophy; as adopted by the Department over fifteen years ago. Under this philosophy, officers are assigned to designated areas of the City, called Sectors. Each officer has the responsibility of addressing concerns in their area . The Patrol Division also provides service by responding to emergency 911 calls on a daily basis. Annually the Chelsea Police Department handles 35,000 calls for service. Of the 35,000 calls, approximately 5,500 are documented as incidents requiring reports. We also investigate approximately 700 motor vehicle accidents per year and arrest approximately 2,000 individuals annually. Chelsea Patrol Officers share many different roles and specialized skills in addition to patrolling the streets. Some officers are bilingual, hold community meetings, serve as mentors for the youth, conduct demonstrations, assist newcomers, and aid in investigations such as arson, vice, hostage negotiations, and insurance fraud.

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