Patrol Division
The San Juan Patrol Division is managed by one Patrol Captain and Three Patrol Sergeants with the assistance of three Patrol Corporals. The patrol officers work 10 hour shifts. There are 33 uniformed officers that comprise the patrol division which is divided into patrol units, a Traffic Unit, a Warrant Officer, Two Student Resource Officers and one Community Policing Officer..
The Patrol Division’s responsibilities include patrolling the city in marked police cruisers, and occasionally on foot patrol and bicycle patrol. The objective being to promote a better quality of life for San Juan citizens and visitors by creating a safe environment for the community to enjoy. The bulk of a patrol officer’s time is spent on patrolling the city, on responding to self initiated and dispatched calls for service, and the subsequent report writing for arrests, incidents, and accidents.
Patrol Officers work in conjunction with the other department divisions and units as well as other City agencies and other law enforcement agencies. The Patrol Division is also an integral part of the overall Homeland Security protection plan for our local area.
A Patrol Officer’s duties and responsibilities are to be aware of, to observe, report on, and take appropriate police action when being aware of any situation requiring police intervention. An Officer’s duties could vary each day as they normally are the first responders to any emergency situation in the City. As an officer starts their day, they have to be prepared to handle any contingency until other officers or other services arrive. This could be anything from a civil intervention for a neighborhood quality of life concern, to a criminal felony in progress, to performing emergency first aid or CPR.
Officers are vested by law with powers of arrest and seizure and to intervene in an emergency situation. To prepare for this, an officer goes through a very selective recruiting and selection process which is followed by a written Civil Service Written Exam, an extensive background too include a physical, medical, and psychological screening. After a further selection process, including a personal interview and a rating, the officer is sent to the police academy for a 6 month paramilitary training program. If successful, the officer then goes through a 12 week department field training program before being allowed to patrol on their own. The officer is then closely monitored for the remainder of a year or a year 1/2 before becoming a fully accredited officer with the San Juan Police Department.
The Patrol Division handles the vast majority of the department’s calls for service (CFS) along with a vast majority of its accidents, arrests, and investigations. Most situations are handled without an arrest or citation, those incidents where that is not the case, a patrol officer would handle the case from the initial call to the extent that he/she is able to during their shift. That case then, depending on its severity, would generally go to a detective or other specialized unit.
Patrol Division:
Captain Rey Casarez
Sgt. Jose Robles
Sgt. Albino Rodriguez
Sgt. Rolando Garcia
Corporals:
Jose Trevino
Mike Martinez
Ralph Gonzalez
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