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About the Department
The St. Clair Shores Police Department has an authorized strength of 84 sworn officers and six civilian employees.
These personnel are organized into seven bureaus within the Department. Each of the bureaus have functions and responsibilities that relate specifically to their training and expertise.
- Criminal Investigations
- Juvenile
- Narcotics
- Operational Support Services & Records
- Patrol
- Special Investigations
- Traffic
About the Criminal Investigation Division
The Criminal Investigation Division is responsible for following up and prosecuting criminal complaints. The bureau consists of one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, five Detectives, a Community Resource Officer, and a secretary.
Processing Complaints
Once the Patrol Officer creates a criminal incident complaint, it is assigned to the Detective Bureau, and the assigned detective performs the follow-up investigation.
Those complaints that are found to be with merit are taken to either the city attorney or county prosecutor for criminal prosecution. The detective works closely with the complaining parties, involved officers, prosecutors,s and courts to follow through to completion.
Coordination Efforts
The Community Resource Officer coordinates the St Clair Shores Police Department Crime Watch Program, including Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch, and Marine Watch programs.
About the Juvenile Bureau
The Juvenile Bureau is a specialized unit within the Detective Bureau that works with those under the age of 18, which Michigan law considers to be a juvenile.
Juvenile criminal violations are handled separately from adults. The Juvenile Bureau consists of three officers, each of which has been trained in the procedures and laws pertaining to juveniles and Juvenile Court. Each officer is assigned to one of the school systems within the city and handles the incidents involving those students.
Fighting Drug Problems
Unfortunately, we live in a society where drug problems invade all aspects of society. To counter these threats, the St. Clair Shores Police Department has a bureau that specializes in detecting and apprehending those involved in distributing and using illegal drugs. This bureau works closely with other agencies, local, county, state, and federal, that are also involved in the fight against those that provide and use illegal drugs.
About the Operational Support Services & Records Bureau
The OSS provides support and services and keeps the archives and records for the department. They handle resident record requests, from copies of incident reports to fingerprinting.
About the Patrol Division
The Patrol Division is the largest bureau and is considered the backbone of the department. Patrol consists of three Lieutenants, six Sergeants, and 43 Patrol Officers. Two of those officers are also K-9 handlers. They are scheduled on three shifts to provide 24-hour coverage.
Responsibilities
Officers in the Patrol Division respond to all calls for service. These calls range from minor public service assists to responding to the scene of homicides and every type of call imaginable. They are first responders and handle these calls as necessary. They create the initial incident report, which is turned over to the appropriate follow-up division.
About the Special Investigations Bureau
The Special Investigation Bureau handles investigations involving all liquor licenses in our city. These include background investigations of all persons that have or are applying for a state liquor license and premise checks to ensure that state and local liquor laws are being observed.
This bureau also handles any complaints against Police Officers. Any complaint against an officer of this department is thoroughly investigated.
About the Traffic Bureau
The Traffic Bureau is responsible for all matters involving vehicles on the streets and highways within the city. This includes vehicle crashes and vehicle law enforcement. The bureau consists of one Lieutenant, five officers, and 18 school crossing guards.
Officer Responsibilities
Responsibilities are split between one officer handling court proceedings and three primarily assigned to residential street enforcement. Street enforcement work to reduce the speeds of vehicles driving through residential neighborhoods and prevent accidents involving our children.
One officer is assigned as Weigh Master/Motor Carrier Officer. His primary duty is to enforce laws regulating trucks that use our roads. Areas of concern are overweight vehicles that damage the roads and safety violations that create hazards for others that use the roads.
Several officers in the bureau also are trained in traffic crash investigation. They investigate all serious traffic crashes and follow through with prosecutions.