ADMINISTRATION DIVISION
The Administration Division is
staffed by four full-time civilian clerks. This division processes all incident reports, accident
reports, arrest and booking reports, traffic citations and
warnings, court dockets and warrants. They are also responsible
for all entries made into the National Crime Information Center,
(NCIC) network which includes arrest warrants, stolen vehicles
and boats, stolen firearms, stolen serial-numbered articles, and
missing persons.
All of our police reports are
computer generated. Entry and documentation of these reports are
conducted on a daily basis. Correspondence to proper County and
State Agencies are compiled each week and distributed. Such
correspondence will include validation of NCIC records,
forwarding accident reports to Department of Public Safety,
Court records to State and Superior Courts of Chatham County,
and preparing the Uniformed Crime Statistics.
Municipal Court is held every
Tuesday (baring a Holiday) at 3:00
P.M. This court hears preliminary hearings on felony cases,
warrant hearings, motion hearings, traffic and misdemeanor
cases, as well as City Ordinance violations.
Monthly records are kept of all
persons arrested, suspension notices to the Department of Public
Safety, probation records, incident reports, crime statistics,
traffic citations, vehicle impoundments, NCIC files, field
interview cards, daily activity logs, and criminal warrants.
Inquiries can be made to the
Administration Division at (912) 964-4360 Monday through Friday
from 08:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Top
INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION
The investigative division is
staffed by two criminal investigators and one drug investigator.
They are responsible for conducting criminal investigations into
all crimes reported within the jurisdiction of the City of Port
Wentworth. This will include crimes against persons, property
crimes, missing persons, juvenile crimes, undercover
investigations, drug investigations, and city ordinance
violations as well as assisting patrol units in their day-to-day
operations. Detectives receive required training to enhance
their ability to successfully investigate and document criminal
cases. This unit's credentials are a Nationally Certified child
abuse investigator, two State Certified Identification Technicians
(Crime Scene Investigators),
a State Certified Marijuana Expert, and a computerized voice
stress annalist.
We utilize current knowledge of
State and Federal Laws, conduct interviews and interrogations,
obtain and document witness statements, prepare and update
criminal case files, execute search warrants when applicable,
obtain subpoena's for required information, perform background
and criminal history checks, obtain criminal warrants, and
effect arrests of persons suspected of committing crimes, both
felonious and misdemeanor in nature.
In addition, this division
performs all forensic investigations, to include latent print
lifting and identification, as well as utilizing the Automated
Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) when applicable, trace
evidence collection, photographic (to include 35 MM, and
digital), and video tape documentation, sketching, inventory,
and processing of crime scenes. Attendance of medical procedures
as necessary, and transportation of evidence to the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab when necessary, as well as
obtaining technical evidence which may require the assistance of
experts.
Finally, providing all
documentation required to complete the criminal case file, and
forwarding that file to the designated authority as prescribed
by law. Top
PATROL DIVISION
The Patrol Division is the
largest division within the police department. The primary
mission of the Patrol Division is crime suppression and criminal
apprehension. Although certain officers have specialized
training, each officer is expected to patrol their assigned
areas in order to be visible to prevent crimes and to reassure
the public by their presence. Officers assigned to the Patrol
Division are responsible for the investigation of suspicious
persons and activities, responding to calls for service, and
investigation of less-than-serious traffic collisions.
While they are the primary
responding officers to crime scenes and are charged with
collecting the initial information and determining if more
specialized units need to be contacted, patrol officers may
complete most investigations themselves if they wish.
The Patrol Division currently
has twelve officers, each assigned to one of four "watches".
Each watch works 12 hour shifts that rotate every 28 days.
Watches are commanded by an officer ranking Sergeant or higher
and consist also of a Corporal and a Patrolman. Each Watch
commander reports directly to the Chief of Police.
Officers are initially assigned
to the Patrol Division but may be reassigned based upon the
needs of the department as defined by the Chief of Police, and
that officer's specific training and general aptitude. Every
officer attends a minimum of 20 hours training each year at one
of the regional police academies or at the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center but they may attend additional training.
Each officer is issued a
primary firearm (Glock Model 21, .45 caliber, semi-automatic
pistol and three high capacity (13 round) magazines, a 12 gauge
pump-action shotgun, pepper spray, and if properly trained, a
baton. Each watch has one high powered rifle (M-14, 7.62mm,
semi-automatic rifle with three, 20 round magazines) that is
issued to an officer that has received special training. Each
watch also has one officer that has been issued a special
shotgun that is used to deploy "bean bag" rounds or other
less-lethal ammunition.
Every officer has an assigned
patrol vehicle that is equipped with a radar unit, mobile
radios, an in-car video monitoring system, and any other
necessary emergency equipment. The department has a "take-home"
policy regarding the officer's assigned vehicle that allows for
greater visibility in the community as well as helping the
department maintain a larger base of officers to draw from in
the event of an emergency.
The department tries to
maintain at least two officers per watch that are trained and
certified to operate the breath alcohol testing equipment and
one officer that is trained as a Child Safety Seat Practitioner
and has one officer that is a Child Passenger Safety
Technician/Traffic Occupant Protection Strategies Instructor.
Every officer is also sent to all training classes required to
achieve and Advanced Certification. The department has two
Traffic Accident Reconstructionists, five Field Training
Officers, three P.I.T. instructors, several General Instructors
and a firearms instructor.
Every officer is also extensively trained in the Pursuit
Intervention Technique, P.I.T., and every vehicle is equipped
with a special front bumper that allows the application of this
technique during a high speed pursuit to minimize damage to the
patrol vehicle. Top
Code Enforcement and Community
Services
The department has one Police Officer
assigned to Code Enforcement and Community Services which
includes Community Watch and Crime Prevention. Code Enforcement
notices are given by Door Knockers as a Courtesy Notice,
Followed up by letters issued to violators and in some cases by
subpoena to Municipal Court for persons that do not comply with
City Ordinance Codes.
The mission of Code Enforcement is Pubic Health, Safety and
Welfare for all and to Enforcement of Property Maintenance
Codes. Top
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