GREENBELT POLICE

 

CALEA

Greenbelt Police Department
550 Crescent Road
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Non-Emergency:
301-474-7200
Emergency:
301-474-5454

 

 

SPECIAL OPERATIONS

The Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) was created in July 1987 to better manage the addition of specialized units and positions within the Department. Prior to the creation of the S.O.D., all sworn officers, including all of the patrol officers and specialized units, such as Criminal Investigations Unit, were under the Operations Division. When the S.O.D. was created and the specialized units moved to that Division, the Operations Division was renamed the Patrol Division.

Canine Unit

The Canine Unit was established in 1987.The Greenbelt Police Department's Canine Unit is staffed by four teams.  Each team consists of a canine handler and a dog. The current canines assigned to the unit are: Rocky, Rambo, Leon and Brett. The canine teams undergo a lot of training, both Departmentally, as well as attendance at USPCA (United States Police Canine Association) canine certification trials.

 

Criminal Investigation
This unit consists of five full time investigators, including a sergeant and a corporal. The detectives investigate all major crimes that happen in the City. These detectives also assist and co-ordinate with other agencies.
Evidence Unit
Although all officers receive basic training in dusting for fingerprints, sometimes an object or a crime scene requires more sophisticated processing. The station houses an evidence and digital photo lab and 2 full time Evidence Technicians and a handful of parttime Evidence Technicians. The Evidence Technicians handle latent fingerprint examinations, digital imaging, and the collection of evidence from major crime scenes.
School Resource Officers
As part of the Community Oriented Policing Program, two officers are stationed at Eleanor Roosevelt High School and provide service to the other schools in the City as well. These officers handle problems at the schools and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Most importantly, they interact with the student in a positive way. They act as role models and give many teens their only chance to interact with a police officer in a positive manner.  In addition to their positions at ERHS, one of the SROs teaches the D.A.R.E. program at the Greenbelt Elementary School, and teaches the G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training) program at the Greenbelt Middle school.
Programs Offered

The following programs offered to the community free of charge by the Greenbelt Police. For more information, please contact the Crime Prevention/Community Relations Unit at (240) 542-2116.

Programs for Children
Bicycle Safety Programs: Children of all ages learn about bicycle safety tips, riding skills and helmet laws (Program length, approximately 1 to 1½ hours).
‘Officer Friendly’ Presentation:Children of all ages learn about the responsibilities of a police officer and his/her functions in the community. The program also focuses on strangers, 911, seatbelts, school buses and gun safety (Program length, 30 minutes to one hour).
Holiday Safety Programs: Children of all ages learn different safety tips to be used throughout the year (Program length, 30 minutes to one hour).
Boy Scout/Girl Scout : Presentations: Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Cub Scouts and other youth organizations will receive training and education towards various badge advancements (Program length, approximately 1 to 1½ hours).
RadKid Program: The RadKID Program is a comprehensive, foundational safety education program for children aged 5-7 and 8-11 that focuses on seven core areas, including Home Safety, School Safety, Out-and-About Safety, Vehicle Safety, Stranger Tricks (Including Physical Defense against Abduction), Personal Safety (Including Good, Bad, and Uncomfortable Touch) and Self-Realization of Personal Power (Contact Mpo. Marty Parker at 301-397-2288 for more information).

Programs for Adults:
Building Tours:Building tours can be arranged for a ‘Behind the scenes’ look at how the Department operates on a daily basis (Program length, approximately 1 to 1½ hours).
Crime Prevention Seminars:Adults will learn how to protect themselves and their property from being victimized by crime (Program length, 30 minutes to one hour).
Senior Citizen Safety: Seniors will learn crime prevention tips geared towards specials concerns of senior citizens (Program length, 30 minutes to one hour).
Home Security Surveys:Have your home inspected by an officer certified in home security. The officer will show you how to ‘target harden’ your home to make it less attractive to criminals (Program length varies).
Safety Seat Installations:Have your safety seat/Child Restraint inspected and/or installed by a trained, certified Child Restraint Installer (Call to make an appointment).

Programs Offered to Civic Organizations and Community Groups:
Neighborhood Watch Training: Presentations will be given on how to start/maintain a Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood. The officer will become your liaison between your group and the Greenbelt Police Department, and will continue to update members of crime trends in your community and provides suggestions to reduce crime in your area (Program length varies).
Attendance at Civic Meetings:An officer will attend civic meetings to provide crime prevention tips, address community concerns and present up to date information concerning your Greenbelt Police Department (Program length varies).
Have a Greenbelt police cruiser at your next event:The Department will provide, when and if available, a marked police cruiser at your event, parade, etc.
Have a Community Breakfast at the Greenbelt Police Department:This program is available to civic organizations, church groups, merchants and other groups who would like to share ideas and concerns, or would just like to get to know the members of their Greenbelt Police Department.
“Secure-the-Call” Program: Provides 911 and #77 (traffic emergency)-only cell phones to the Greenbelt Police Department for distribution to the community. Secure-the-Call is a Greenbelt based non-profit volunteer organization that refurbishes donated phones for 911 use only. They are then provided free of charge to victims of domestic violence, senior citizens or any person with a disability to obtain emergency assistance (Contact Jackie Curley at 240-542-2106 for more information or to donate your old cellular telephones and chargers).

The Crisis Negotiations Unit
The Crisis Negotiations Unit (CNU) was established in 1998 and works in conjunction with the ERU during barricade situations.The members of both Units serve on a voluntary basis after passing a rigorous selection process. Both Units train on a regular basis and the members of the ERU must also maintain a certain level of physical fitness and firearms proficiency. 
Homeland Security Coordination Unit
The Homeland Security Coordination Unit is a four officer part-time unit supervised by a corporal.  It was created in 2004 in order to address the Department’s homeland security needs.  The Unit researches and applies for grant funding, and provides training to the rest of the Department.Click here for Emergency Preparedness Information.
Narcotics Task Force
The Department has a detective assigned full-time to a Maryland State Police Drug Task Force.  The Task Force was created in 1991 and investigates drug violations in Prince George ’s and Montgomery Counties . Having a detective assigned to a task force allows for more effective use of investigative resources. The Task Force is supervised by a State Police sergeant and, in addition to the Greenbelt detective, includes investigators from the State Police and the University of Maryland Department of Public Safety.
Crime Prevention/Media Relations
The Crime Prevention Unit conducts residential and commercials security surveys, provides training in Neighborhood Watch, also known as Crime Watch, training to communities and neighborhoods, and conducts both general and specialized crime prevention presentations to homeowners' associations, citizen and community groups, schools, and businesses upon request. The officer assigned to this Unit also prepares the Department's Weekly Activity Report, which is available to residents. In addition to being posted on the website, it is also printed in the "News Review"  and e-mailed to the media and interested citizens. This officer also teaches the D.A.R.E. program at the Springhill Lake Elementary School.
Emergency Response Unit
policePictured in front of the Department’s citizen rescue vehicle, are some of the members of the ERU (back row) and CNU (front row).






police2The Department's Citizen Rescue Vehicle






The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) was established in 1990 and consisted of officers trained to execute high risk warrants. The Unit was called the Tactical Unit at the time, but the name was changed several years ago to the Emergency Response Unit to reflect the additional types of operations the Unit will respond to as the size of the Unit and its capabilities increase. In addition to the sworn Greenbelt Police Officers who comprise the Unit, two civilian Tactical Medics trained in advanced life support volunteer their time and services to the Unit. They train with ERU and at least one of them, sometimes both, accompanies the Unit on almost every operation. 
The ERU has successfully completed more than 150 operations. Some of the more notable ones include assisting with security at the Pentagon after the September 11th terrorist attack. The ERU also assisted the University of Maryland Department of Public Safety with the security details for Nelson Mandella, November 2001, and Kofi Annan, November 2002, as well as civil disturbances following sporting events, including the NCAA basketball championship game in April 2002.