Operations Bureau
Uniform Patrol
Uniform Patrol is comprised of five patrol teams that provide police services to the Town of Cary. The primary mission of each team is to protect life, property and the prevention of crime. Uniform officers are responsible for patrolling nearly 51 miles and providing effective law enforcement services to 118,854 residents and visitors.
In 2006, a Department re-organization occurred reinforcing the focus of available resources and personnel to the citizens of Cary. To achieve more balanced and uniformed coverage, the Town of Cary changed from three patrol districts to two, with each district having five patrol sectors. This changed has allowed for more efficient use of agency supervisory resources. Officers continue to focus their attention on their assigned geographical areas. This has resulted in officers becoming more familiar with their sectors, its population and crime trends. Addition benefits have been increased officer availability during peak times and an increase in the volume of in-service training. The division is commanded by Captain Don Hamilton.
Officers are assigned to a specific sector within a district of town. The assignments are made for the long term to strengthen each officer's commitment to his or her area of the community. Field supervisors spend time interacting with their team and providing guidance with daily operations. Officers are encouraged to implement problem-solving techniques in cooperation with co-workers and with citizens.
The department has been using Community Based District Offices for several years. Four District Offices are currently in operation throughout the Town:
Office #4 serves as workspace for the IMPACT Team and as a resource center for the Hispanic community. As the community continues to grow, more District Offices will become reality.
Patrol Shifts: The department's five patrol teams operate on a permanent schedule. The shifts are as follows: Tuesday through Friday, 10 hours; Saturday through Monday, 12.5 hours. Officers on the Saturday through Monday schedule also work eight hours every other Tuesday.
Permanent Sector Assignments: Because officers work in the same sector of Town each day for the same time frame, they have the opportunity to become more familiar with activity in their area. This helps facilitate enhanced communication between members of the Department and citizens. As officers become familiar with issues affecting their sector, they are able to take a more proactive approach toward problem solving problems. This is part of the Department's commitment to community policing.
Deployment of Personnel: Having five patrol teams with a shift overlap allows the Department the ability to deploy patrol officers more efficiently and helps reduce response times to calls for service.
Supervision: Each patrol team is supervised by a watch commander (Lieutenant) and two Sergeants (one per district) and two Corporals (one per district). This arrangement ensures that supervisors are in the field throughout the shift and keeps the Watch Commander available for administrative tasks.
Training: The schedule has an eight hour block for mandatory training every month. Officers are required to receive in-service training on a variety of topics (i.e. firearms, driver training, defensive tactics, legal updates, etc.). Officers assigned to Third and Fifth Platoons conduct most of their in-service training in a one-week period during the summer months.
Special Operations
Implementing Methods of Policing Against Crime Trends (IMPACT) Team
IMPACT has been a function of the Department since 1994. Originally, a Bicycle Team, IMPACT has expanded it focus to combat crime trends while still providing bicycle patrol services where needed. IMPACT has several distinct advantages over traditional foot or vehicular patrol. IMPACT can quickly shift its personnel to areas were crime trends are occurring. These officers are able to cover areas not easily accessible to vehicular traffic such as parks and greenways. These advantages allow IMPACT officers a greater likelihood of detecting criminal activity and take appropriate action. Their continued use of bicycles also allow these officers to interact with the public in a more personal and approachable manner.
The IMPACT Team is comprised of nine officers and a sergeant. This includes one K-9 officer (Max) They primarily work late afternoon to early morning 11.5 hr shift. IMPACT is a group that can rapidly be deployed to address crime/disorder problems throughout the Town. Their unique patrol qualities make them especially useful in helping conduct surveillance or respond to crimes in progress. Additionally, the IMPACT patrols shopping centers during the holiday season. Sergeant Toni Dezomits supervise the IMPACT Team.
Traffic Safety Team (TST)
The Department continues to maintain an ongoing commitment to traffic safety and motorist education. Traffic safety has historically been one of the most significant issues identified in citizen surveys over the years. The Traffic Safety Team was formed in the late 80's to help address these concerns, making our roadways safer for all.
Traffic Safety Team members are responsible for the investigation of major crashes, traffic complaints, traffic enforcement, safety programs, and training. Ten officers (four of which are motorcycle officers) and a Lieutenant are assigned to the team. Officers analyze crash data, and respond to citizen complaints to identify hazardous locations and focus on enforcing violations that contribute to crashes. Uniformed patrol officers also assist in enforcing violations of traffic laws throughout Town.
Traffic Safety Team members have three additional enforcement priorities: 1. Driving While Impaired detection and apprehension; 2. Speeding; 3. Occupant Protection, Usage and Enforcement (seatbelts and child restraints). A mobile traffic radar trailer is used to increase motorist awareness of speeding, and helps promote voluntary compliance with speed limits. A traffic monitoring system is used to identify complaint areas according to traffic volume, day of the week, time of the day and speed of vehicles. The data allows the unit to deploy their resources accordingly. Officers also conduct checkpoints for DWI and seatbelt/child safety seat violations. Each traffic vehicle has a RADAR unit, Time/Distance computer, MDC, and portable breath-testing device.
Other responsibilities include investigation of violations reported by school bus drivers, school zone, speed enforcement, and traffic direction/control at special events. Traffic Safety Team members make presentations and prepare traffic safety displays for groups of all ages. Lt. Mark Parker 469-4338 supervises the Traffic Safety Team.
Special Projects Team
The Special Projects Team is made up with the Special Events Coordinator and the Reserve Police Officers. The Special Events Coordinator works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Special Events Coordinator works with citizens, as well as other Town of Cary staff to facilitate police services for special events that happen in the Town of Cary like Lazy Daze, 4th of July, Pops in the Park, Booth Amphitheatre Events/Concerts, SAS Soccer Park and SAS Senior PGA Championship. In addition, this position also arranges police services for hire by individuals or corporations that have a special event or other needs where there is a benefit for police services, but not appropriate for the Town of Cary to pay for that service. Examples of this are weddings, private parties and traffic direction for private businesses.
Our Reserve program began with a mission to aide the fulltime officers by supplementing our police services with part-time officers. The Reserve Officer Program is managed by a Reserve Sergeant. Reserve officers have the same training and equipment as fulltime officers. While Reserve Officers could work in most areas of the police department, a significant benefit of having Reserve Officers is the staffing role they fill at special events throughout the Town of Cary. By filling this role, it lessens the burden of fulltime officers having to work special events around town after spending their week working their fulltime duties as a Cary Police Officer.
For more information, contact Sgt. Jerry McCormick at (919) 460-4901.
FAQ
How do I hire a police officer for my special event?
Contact the Special Events Coordinator at (919) 460-4901. There is a predetermined rate of pay for the officer and the officer will have a minimum of three hours per event. When appropriate you can request the officer have a patrol car with them for an additional fee.
What can a police officer do if hired for a special event?
A police officer can be hired to do similar jobs that an officer can do when working for the Town of Cary. Some examples of jobs officers are hired for are concerts, crowd control, direct traffic, weddings, executive protection, employee terminations or general security. Officers are prohibited from doing jobs outside of the scope of their job description with the Town of Cary Police Department. Please contact the Special Events Coordinator at (919) 460-4901 for more information.
Why are officers working at private businesses like the mall or movie theatre when they are Town of Cary employees?
Those officers are hired through the police department by the business owner/manager to be at that specific business. Police services for private businesses are arranged by the Special Events Coordinator at a flat rate per hour paid by the business directly to the officer. The business owner/manager enters into an agreement with the police department for this service. A police officer can be hired to do similar jobs that an officer can do when working for the Town of Cary. Officers are prohibited from doing jobs outside the scope of their job description with the Town of Cary Police Department.