JPD Patrol
The Patrol Division is responsible for providing police services 24/7 to people working, visiting or living in Juneau. Patrol officers are the traditional uniformed first-responders to calls-for-service and emergencies, and, as a result, they need to be law enforcement “Jack of All Trades”.
Patrol officers are best described as “Professional Problem Solvers.” Each day brings a myriad of new problems for officers to resolve. Most issues that arise just require good, common sense and professional skills and knowledge. However, some problems require a considerable amount of emotional self-control and restraint from officers, especially when faced with tragedies that would debilitate the average person. Patrol is where the “rubber meets the road” and where officers traditionally start their careers. As they gain experience, most officers will eventually move on to other specialized fields within the department. However, some of our most seasoned officers enjoy the excitement of patrol their entire careers.
In addition to being responsive to all requests for service from the public, the Patrol Division is committed to community-oriented policing and intelligence-led decision-making philosophies while conducting proactive enforcement efforts or addressing community concerns and problems.
When you are at special events like the July 4th parade or just downtown on a summer evening, you might see JPD officers on bicycles. Bicycles can be very helpful when working high density areas. JPD has also had an officer use a bicycle with great results when investigating burglaries, enjoying the benefits associated with a bicycle, the ability to be both fast and quiet while gathering information.
The Accident Investigation Unit is comprised of officers who are trained in accident investigations and reconstruction. These officers respond to major traffic accidents in Juneau and lend their expertise to challenges like determining speed by measuring crush depth associated with vehicle damage. These specialized officers coordinate with out-of-town experts when necessary to put together a professional case to be presented in court.
Sometimes impaired drivers have consumed substances other than alcohol. When that happens, JPD calls out officers trained to analyze human response to a variety of drugs. Those officers often apply for search warrants and arrange for lab analysis of bodily fluids during those investigations. Since marijuana is now legal in Alaska, some of the same training provided to the DRE officers is being given to patrol officers specifically to address marijuana-impaired driving.
The Juneau Police Department’s Fleet Division is responsible for strategic planning, acquisition and maintenance of Department vehicles. This includes vehicles ranging from the patrol vehicles seen out on the street daily to the mobile incident command center used during special events. JPD has one Fleet Mechanic who completes all the maintenance and management of the fleet. The Fleet Mechanic is a civilian employee working under the supervision of the Deputy Chief of Police. The Fleet Mechanic is responsible for performing and overseeing all maintenance and repair of departmental vehicles and related equipment. He maintains the entire fleet of vehicles for the department working closely with various vendors and service providers through the completion of work.