The uniformed police officer is the most visible part of the police department and is the first responder to a variety of situations where the police department is called upon for information, assistance, or intervention. The uniformed police officer is often the factor whereby our entire agency is perceived by the citizenry due to their daily efforts within the community in marked vehicles wearing easily identifiable uniforms. The Uniformed Patrol Division consists of 37 officers dedicated to providing 24-hour coverage of the City, 365 days per year.
The Uniformed Patrol Division is subdivided into three patrol teams, Teams 2, 3, and 4, and the Traffic Safety Unit, Team 5. Each of the three patrol teams consists of eleven officers to include a Lieutenant (team supervisor), two Sergeants (assistant team supervisors), and ten patrol officers. Each team is divided into two squads and the squads work opposite each other on rotating days off. Patrol officers are responsible for answering calls for service, investigating criminal activity, and for the prevention of crime by way of proactive patrols and daily citizen interaction.
As a true “community oriented policing” agency, our patrol officers and specialized functions work diligently to build trust-based relationships with every citizen they encounter. Every call is important to our agency and the men and women in uniform stand ready to assist you in any way possible, any day or night of the week and on holidays.
Traffic Team
The traffic safety unit consists of seven officers to include a Lieutenant (team supervisor), a Sergeant (assistant team supervisor), and five officers. The traffic safety unit works independently of the patrol teams at times, days, and locations where traffic collision analysis has identified a problem. Traffic safety officers conduct various education programs in public forums and in schools, and cooperate with State initiated programs such as “Sober or Slammer” and Statewide seatbelt and child restraint initiatives. Traffic safety officers use a variety of electronic speed detection devices to include both hand-held and vehicle mounted RADAR units as well as LIDAR (laser).
The traffic safety unit is responsible for deployment and maintenance of the department’s RADAR display trailer that can be seen throughout the City at various locations. Traffic safety officers conduct traffic studies at particular locations where complaints of unlawful and/or unsafe traffic patterns have been reported and formulate effective, analysis- based enforcement responses to address the particular situation. The traffic safety unit is responsible for responding to and investigating all fatal traffic collisions that occur within the City, and for consultation on difficult or involved traffic collisions investigated by patrol officers. The objective of the traffic safety unit is to reduce the occurrence of traffic collisions and the severity of injuries sustained in those collisions that cannot be prevented by way of strict, fair, and impartial enforcement and through various public education initiatives.
K-9
The Uniformed Patrol Division has two K-9s that are assigned to handlers within a patrol team. The K-9s and their handlers are referred to as a “K-9 team.”
The K-9 team is an invaluable resource to patrol work due to the K-9’s ability to track and apprehend criminal offenders, search buildings, and detect illegal substances. The K-9 team trains weekly in conjunction with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. The K-9 Team is on-call when off duty and its services are often requested by surrounding agencies and provided on an availability basis.
Bike Patrols
The City of Goose Creek Police Department's Bike Patrol is a special program that operates on a part-time basis. The seven trained officers conduct bike patrols when their schedule permits, or when special circumstances dictate. For example, bicycle officers were patrolling school areas on the first day of school.
Bike Patrols can be extremely valuable in a number of situations. It is easier for an officer on bike to conduct surveillance and observe offenses such as drug and alcohol violations. These types of situations are difficult for officers in cars, because suspects will often get rid of or hide incriminating evidence when they see a patrol car approach. In addition, many citizens find police officers more approachable when they are on a bicycle. This increases the department’s ability to interact with the public.
The bicycles are custom designed for police work, and feature a much lighter frame than a standard bicycle. Saddlebags on the bike ensure that officers are fully equipped for duty.
In order to serve on the Bike Patrol, officers must attend 40 hours of training through the Law Enforcement Bicycle Association. The training instructs officers on tactical uses of the bikes in a variety of situations. They also learn safety skills, such as how to deal with different types of terrain.
