Patrol Division
The City of Dunn is divided into four districts. Patrol officers are assigned to a district, he/she is required to respond to calls for service within that district and encouraged to form "partnerships" with citizens in their district. This coincides with the Community Policing philosophy that an officer who is readily accessible to the general public is much more functional and productive to the district he or she serves. Citizens get to know the officer on a one-to-one basis (like the old beat cop). This has proven to be a win-win situation for the Police Department and citizens alike.
Officers are also required to "Problem Solve" within their respective districts. If there is a problem in a particular district, the officer assigned to that area is required to work, solve, and eradicate the problem as soon as possible. Sometimes these concerns are expressed to the officer by citizens themselves, the officer then addresses the problem by using the SARA (Scan, Analyze, Respond, and Assess) method. Often the citizen works with the officer to solve problems in their respective areas. Citizens become empowered and have a "stake" in seeing that the selected solution is successful.
Each squad's Lieutenant (watch commander) is responsible for making command decisions and overseeing activities on their squad. The Sergeant assists the Lieutenant in running the everyday functions of the squad. The two supervisors work closely together, making decisions that affect their squad. In the absence of the Lieutenant, the Sergeant assumes the watch commander duties and carries out all required job functions of that position. The officers work their assigned zones answering calls for service, effecting vehicle stops, working traffic accidents and other general duties of a law enforcement officer. When appropriate or necessary, the Sergeant and/or Lieutenant provide back-up to patrol officers on calls.
