PATROL DIVISION
The Patrol Division is the largest of the three divisions that make up the Greenbelt City Police Department (the other two being the Special Operations Division and the Support Services Division). The Patrol Division, when fully staffed, numbers 41 officers and civilians out of a total Department compliment approaching 75. It is led by a Patrol Division Commander who holds the rank of either Lieutenant or Captain. The Patrol Division comprises four 6 officer Patrol Squads totaling 24 officers, each led by a Sergeant and Corporal. A 4 officer Bike Unit, a Traffic Officer, a BWP Plaza Sub Station Officer, an Empirian Village Officer, and a Communications Unit made up of a Supervisor and 8 Communications Specialists also are located within the Patrol Division. Effective July 1st, 2005, the 4 Patrol Squad sergeants will report directly to the Division Commander while the remaining Units within the Patrol Division will report to a newly created Operations Sergeant.
The Communications Unit, comprised of dedicated civilian employees,
is led by Unit Supervisor Alicia Covile. Alicia is a former New York
City PD and Prince George’s County PD emergency dispatcher
who joined the Greenbelt City Police Department in 2004. The eight
full time Communications Unit Communications Specialists hold the
rank of either C/S I or C/S II, depending on performance and seniority.
A small cadre of part time dispatchers also assists in augmenting
Unit staffing when necessary.
The Bicycle Patrol Unit is an instrumental part of the Community
Oriented Policing philosophy. The bikes bring the officers closer
to the community. Bicycles are especially effective with Greenbelt’s
unique community design. There are many foot paths throughout the
neighborhoods. The unit is comprised of four full time officer and
a handful of other officers who are assigned to patrol squads
Writing tickets isn’t the only thing you will find the traffic
unit doing. The one full time member of the traffic unit is primarily
responsible for the enforcement of traffic laws and investigation
of crashes. Additional responsibilities include making presentation
before citizens groups, performing child safety seat inspections
and assisting with installation of safety seats. Another duty performed
is the teaching of traffic law, traffic stops and DWI enforcement
classes to the Citizens’Academy. Also responsible for assisting
City Code Enforcement and State Highway Administration with the
initiation of traffic safety measures.
Two part time specialty units are located within the Patrol Division
command - the Crash Accident Reconstruction Unit and the Honor Guard
Unit. Both Units are comprised of volunteer officers from other Units
and Divisions within the Police Department who are called out and
used on an as needed basis. While part time, both of these Units
require the member officers to undergo often intense specialized
training to serve in their respective areas of expertise and retraining
to maintain these skills.
The Honor Guard Unit is supervised by MPO John Michael Dewey. Eight
officers serve with distinction in this Unit. Member officers come
to the Unit both with and without prior military experience. All
are required to partake in often exhaustive training and their performance
must always be of the highest quality and standards. The Greenbelt
City Police Honor Guard Unit has served with great pride and reverence,
taking part in parades, funerals and special ceremonies across the
region. The Greenbelt Labor Day Parade, the American Legion Officer
and Firefighter of the Year Awards Banquet, the Memorial Day Service
in Roosevelt Center, Beltway Plaza Holiday Parade and the annual
Peace Officer’s Memorial Service in Washington D.C. are just
some of the yearly events the Honor Guard participates in. The Greenbelt
City Police Department Honor Guard Unit truly exemplifies the finest
of the fine.
The Crash Accident Reconstruction Unit (CARU) is supervised by
the Department’s current Traffic Officer, MPO Scott Kaiser.
The Unit is comprised of 6 officers when fully staffed and is called
out to all motor vehicle crashes where death or serious injury
with the possibility of a fatality occurs. These officers must
possess and maintain a high level of technical ability along with
superior investigative skills. The Unit has been recognized several
times by the County’s States Attorney’s office for
its outstanding work in the investigation and management of fatal
traffic incidents.
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