The Tactical Patrol Force is comprised of one sergeant and four officers.  These personnel are a versatile and flexible unit that works special problem areas in the city.  They vary their work schedules and deployment tactics based on the problems they are assigned to resolve.

In March of 1983 the Street Crimes Task Force was formed to address complaints arising from the downtown area.  These complaints ranged from public intoxication and panhandling to drug dealing and assaults.  Later the unit changed its name to the Tactical Patrol Force. 

The primary responsibility of the Tactical Patrol Force is street crime in the central and beachfront business districts.  These officers are not assigned calls for service in order to allow them time to proactively address specific street crime and nuisance issues such as public intoxication, aggressive panhandling, and drug use and sales.  The mission of the Tactical Patrol Force is to make the downtown area safe not only in reality but also in perception.

In addition to enforcing the law, Tactical Patrol Force officers work closely with the downtown community to find long term solutions to problems.  Under the philosophy of Community Oriented Problem Solving (C.O.P.S.), the Tactical Patrol Force has developed a partnership with the downtown community to keep our downtown area alive and vital.  Our success downtown is directly related to this relationship.  We now know that security downtown is not simply identified as the statistical probability of being victimized.  It is also a subjective feeling that can be produced by eliminating the signs of crime and by establishing consistent, reliable, personalized police service to citizens.  Enhancing this sense of security is the key to successful policing.

To this end, in March of 1992 the Tactical Patrol Force began using bicycles as a means of increasing our visibility and presenting ourselves as police officers who are approachable, thus encouraging interaction with downtown citizens.  This high level of approachability rivals that of the traditional foot patrol officer.  Tactical Patrol Force officers pride themselves on knowing everyone on their beat from the merchants to the lowest down and out transients.  The enthusiastic acceptance of bicycle patrol by the community has made it an invaluable police program. 
 

As many violators of the law have discovered, the bicycles’ fast and silent operation provides police dealing with street crime with an element of surprise.  Since the officers began using bicycles, the Tactical Patrol Force has become one of the highest producing units of the Police Department in the number of citations issued and the number of violators arrested.  Bicycle patrol has been so successful that Tactical Patrol Force officers now use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. 

Although uniformed bicycle patrol is their standard method of operation, the Tactical Patrol Force also utilizes uniformed foot patrol and plainclothes tactics to accomplish its mission.

The Department has made a major commitment to the utilization of bicycle and foot patrol as a regular deployment method.  Bicycle patrol has been a positive public relations program as well as a very effective enforcement tool.  Foot and bicycle patrol officers are deployed in the central business district and beachfront area on a regular basis and are used for special events (parades, athletic events, etc.) and selective enforcement operations.  The Department has developed a State approved bicycle patrol training program and uses specially equipped professional quality bicycles.

For additional information about the Tactical Patrol Force or issues in our downtown corridor, please contact the Tactical Patrol Force Supervisor at 897-3721.