Police Department - Patrol

The Patrol Division is supervised by the Deputy Chief and is responsible for prompt, competent response in all emergency situations as well as effective first response and follow-up investigation of all criminal and traffic violations.  

A total of 12 uniformed Officers are assigned to the division. Four teams, each led by a Sergeant, work 12 hour shifts and rotate every two months to provide 24-hour coverage. In addition, patrol division officers have other assignments such as the Community School Resource Officer Program, Mt. Bike Patrol Unit and Canine Handler.  

SERVICES 

  • School Resource Officer 
  • Mountain Bike Patrol Unit 
  •  Patrol Officer

School Resource Officers:   The School Resource Officer is a community-oriented policing program which treats the local High School as a distinct neighborhood with a police officer assigned to the school "beat." It is a cooperative effort on the part of the police department and the school district to make the police officer more available and responsive to the "community" of the school population. The officer is also there to help prevent problems, which detract from the schools primary goal of educating youth.  

The program has five main objectives:

  •  Assistance and support to students and faculty during times of stress and crisis  
  •  Education of youth regarding the role of laws, courts, and the police in society  
  •  A safe environment for youth in the school with protection from trespassers  
  •  Prevention of crime and delinquent behavior in the school  
  •  Investigation of criminal cases involving juveniles and use of effective alternatives to charges whenever possible  

Mountain Bike Patrol Unit:       In 1988, Seattle Police Officer Paul Grady and his partner rolled out of Police Headquarters in downtown Seattle on their Raleigh Mountain Bikes to begin the first police mountain bike patrol. In 1990, Sergeant Grady came to Ketchikan to train the first mountain bike patrol unit in the State of Alaska, the team of the Ketchikan Police Department. Six of the original eight members of Ketchikan's unit rode Raleigh Instincts that they had purchased themselves. 

Since the unit began in 1990, each member has personally purchased his or her own bicycle as well as most of the other specialized equipment required for the unit. The only equipment purchased with tax dollars has been helmets, tires, and equipment.