Uniformed police officers have general law enforcement duties, including maintaining regular patrols and responding to calls for service. They may direct traffic at the scene of an accident, investigate a burglary, or give first aid to an accident victim. The city is organized into geographic districts, with uniformed officers assigned to patrol a specific area. While on patrol, officers attempt to become thoroughly familiar with their patrol area and remain alert for anything unusual. Suspicious circumstances and hazards to public safety are investigated or noted and officers are generally dispatched to individual calls for assistance within their area.
The La Habra Police Department's minimum field coverage consists of four officers, a field supervisor and a watch commander for each shift. There are currently 27 officers, 8 sergeants and 2 lieutenants assigned to patrol. Two officers are assigned to patrol the west end of the city, while the other two are assigned to the east side of the city. Officers responded to 44,736 calls for service in 2014.
These men and women patrol our streets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Patrol officers work a 3/12.5 schedule, three 12.5 hour shifts per week with one additional 10-hour day a month. Their duties are many, but generally include:
- Response to emergency, in progress crimes
- Conduct on scene investigations, including fingerprinting, photography, interviewing and interrogation
- Write crime reports documenting incidents
- Arrest and book criminal offenders
- Stop traffic violators and warn or issue the driver a citation
- Patrol their assigned area, checking residential and commercial areas for illegal activity
The La Habra Police Department implemented the Crime Reduction Strategy (CRS) service model in 2013. The CRS objective is to address crime issues, improve quality of life through accountability, professional responsibility, and strategic utilization of our police resources and crime analysis. CRS is designed to work in partnership with community members to resolve community issues.
Officers are assigned to specific areas for at least 4 months at a time. They are expected to know the following:
- The streets, residents and businesses in their area
- The criminal element and problem locations within their areas
- Be proactive and become involved in community activities and events
When incidents are not solved by traditional means, officers are encouraged to use unconventional problem-solving techniques, such as counseling or referrals to outside agencies. Our goal is to work with members of the community to make La Habra a safe, enjoyable and fun place to live and work.
