Administration 

The Administrative Services Division is made up of the Chief’s Office, Property and Evidence, the Communications Dispatch Center and the Community Services Unit (CSU). CSU’s responsibilities include Neighborhood Watch, Crime Prevention, Permits and School Services such as DARE, School Resource Officers and Crossing Guards.

Often thought of as everything that is not related to Field Operations (Patrol) or Investigations, the Administrative Services Division is responsible for many critical functions that are necessary for the Santa Clara Police Department to be an effective law enforcement agency.

These functions range from managing the Communications Dispatch Center, recruiting and training new employees, internal affairs, the storing of evidence and property and several specialized units, such as Community Response Team, Team 200 and Community Services. Additionally, members of this division provide a myriad of services to the community, including Crime Prevention, School Services, the Police Activities League (PAL), Alarms, Permits and Fingerprinting.

Communications Dispatch Center

The Communications Division is the primary 9-1-1 public safety answering point for the City of Santa Clara. The Division has an authorized staffing level of 22 Public Safety Dispatchers who are trained to receive, evaluate and dispatch Police, Fire and medical calls for service 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. The Communications Center Manager leads the technical and administrative aspects of providing this critical service to those who require it.

This work unit acts as a coordination point for all emergency situations that take place in Santa Clara, focusing on the City's public safety resources. These trained professionals are able to expand their responsibilities when handling requests for immediate and planned public safety assistance on a more regional basis. In addition to this primary function, this same work group also classifies, documents and records a wide-range of internal and external non-emergency requests; dispatching most to City resources, but also referring callers to other agencies when appropriate.

Public Safety Dispatchers utilize legacy technologies to accomplish a variety of tasks and responsibilities while finding ways to incorporate newer and constantly evolving technologies such as Next-Gen 911, improvements in caller location accuracy and telematics associated with Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) systems which are more readily available in newer model automobiles.

Public Safety Dispatchers are certified by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch as Emergency Medical Dispatchers. This program provides a systematic process for documenting and dispatching requests for emergent and urgent medical assistance.  Dispatch personnel are trained to triage and classify these requests, providing for the delivery of detailed instructions for medical emergencies, including but not limited to basic first aid, CPR and childbirth, until additional assistance arrives.

Community Services

The Community Services Unit (CSU) is directly responsible for all the "Community Outreach" programs offered by the Police Department aimed to serve youths and adults. Aside from offering a several programs for our citizenry, the Santa Clara Police Department offers additional information pertaining to safety and opportunities to engage in community events.

• Permits
• Crime Prevention
• Fingerprinting Services
• Identity Theft
• PAL (Police Athletics League)
• School Services

Community Response Team (CRT)

The Community Response Team (CRT) manages a caseload pertaining mainly to "quality of life" issues and offenses. CRT cases are quite varied, usually involve neighborhood complaints or disputes, and have included such issues as drug dealing, offensive animals, and chronically loud parties or music.

The CRT works with the community to solve problems, utilizing both traditional and non-traditional means. Traditional methods include arrests and citations while non-traditional tactics can include administrative fines or mediation. In many instances, the CRT uses state and/or City public nuisance laws and regulations to hold property owners accountable for unresolved problems. The CRT works very closely with other Santa Clara Police units and City Departments, allied law enforcement agencies, State agencies, and Federal agencies to creatively and effectively solve problems.

Property & Evidence

The evidence program is one of the most essential programs within the Department.  The handling of evidence is of paramount importance to the mission of the Police Department.

In October, 2019, DB Consulting conducted an audit of the SCPD evidence program. We are delighted to report that our Property Room was rated as being in the top 1% of property rooms in the state of California. During the audit, particular attention was paid to the areas of weapons, cash, and narcotics. Issues in these areas may expose an agency to problems if they are not handled properly. 

The evidence is organized and tracked in our evidence tracking software program.  The Property Officer, using a Palm OS device, scans the barcode on the property tag as each item comes into and leaves the evidence room. This gives a detailed tracking report for each piece of evidence.

Property Release

Property is released by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, call 408-615-4727. Appointments are available Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm excluding weekends and holidays. The owner of property must provide a valid ID at the time of the appointment in order to claim items.

Property booked as Safekeeping will be held for 60 days. Safekeeping property not claimed within 60 days will be disposed of in accordance with California Civil Code. Found property items will be held for 90 days. Property booked as evidence is not available for release until 60 days after court adjudication of the case. A court order may be required to obtain property items in some cases.

Pharmaceutical Disposal Program

The Pharmaceutical Disposal Program is designed to help the citizens of the City of Santa Clara to safely dispose their unused, and/or expired medications. This program not only prevents the diversion, misuse, and abuse of such medications, but also keeps them from entering our environment and waterways.

Pharmaceuticals can be deposited in the receptacle located in the lobby of the Santa Clara Police Department during normal business hours. Syringes, lancets, medical devices, non-prescription grooming products, insect repellant, cleaning products, or batteries are not accepted.

Team 200

The Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD) makes safety around Santa Clara University (SCU) a priority. By assigning a dedicated task force to patrol the area around campus on weekend nights, and making contact with students and faculty, SCPD is making a presence and a commitment to student safety. The task force is called Team 200 and is made up of two to six officers.

At the beginning of the school year, Team 200 meets with SCU student government leaders and walks through the residential neighborhood around the University to discuss expectations and concerns.  During these visits, informational items are distributed stressing the idea that SCU students are part of the broader community and should be aware of how their actions impact fellow residents. Students also receive information on first response notices, Santa Clara Municipal Codes and University's "Guide to Living Off Campus."

Field Operations

The Field Operations Division (Patrol) responds to the vast majority of calls for service and is made up of patrol teams, a motorcycle traffic unit, traffic and hit-and-run investigators and parking control and abandoned vehicle abatement personnel.

The Field Operations Division has the most contact with our community. The heart and soul of the Field Operations Division is the uniformed police officer who is responsible for providing the round-the-clock “first responder” capability of the Police Department. Many of these officers work nights, weekends, and holidays, in good weather and in bad. The officers of the Field Operations Division respond to all types of calls, from parking complaints to homicides. When not answering calls for service, officers are responsible for self-initiated activity in either enforcing our laws or preventing crime through their interaction with the public.

The Field Operations Division includes many specialized units that address a wide variety of policing problems such as the Traffic Unit, Special Response Team (SRT), the Temporary Holding Facility (THF), the Canine Unite, the Honor Guard, and Reserve Operations Unit.

Canine (K9) Team

Each team partners a Police Officer with a highly-trained canine. This specialized unit has the primary task of drug interdiction and tracking, locating and apprehending fleeing criminals or missing persons and patrolling streets and the community at large. The K-9's also locate explosives or bomb materials. Generally, K-9 officers spend their shift in Patrol, assisting in calls for service and making traffic stops until their specialized skills are needed. K-9 officers also participate in demonstrations and civic events. SCPD Officers maintain 24-hour control over their canines.

Cheryl Walsh, President of the Sean M. Walsh K-9 Memorial Foundation, has been instrumental in funding the Santa Clara Police Department's K-9 program.

Honor Guard

The City's Honor Guard is made up of Police and Fire Department employees who represent the agency at formal and solemn occasions, such as groundbreaking ceremonies, the All-City Picnic, funerals of Police Officers killed in the line of duty and the Peace Officers Memorial Tribute, held in Sacramento each May.

To invite the Honor Guard to participate in your event, contact the Santa Clara Police Department at 408-615-4700.

Special Response Team

The Special Response Team (SRT) consists of two units with a goal of preserving life. 

The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team participates in specialized training that allows them to respond anywhere in Santa Clara to assist with all types of tactical emergencies. SWAT operators also provide up-to-date and professional training for other members of the Department.

The Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) consists of officers who are highly skilled and trained in the art of critical event negotiations. Negotiators are continually honing their skills by attending numerous courses and participating in scenario training.

SWAT and HNT respond to all critical events as one unit and come together throughout the year for joint training.

Temporary Holding Facility

The Santa Clara Police Department operates two Temporary Holding Facilities; one at the Police Building and another at Levi's Stadium (on event days). This allows Police Officers to process and temporarily house individuals that have been arrested, instead of booking them at the Santa Clara County Jail. The Temporary Holding Facility is regularly inspected by a number of controlling agencies.

The Temporary Holding Facilities are staffed by civilian Jail Service Officers (JSO). JSO’s manage the Temporary Holding Facility, fingerprint and photograph arrestees in the booking process, conduct searches and inventory of property, maintain all detention records, monitor building security, participate in facility inspections and audits, release prisoners, lead tours and support the customer services needs at the front desk.

Approximately, 2,700 adults and 100 juvenile offenders are processed annually. 

Traffic Unit

The Santa Clara Police Department Traffic Unit is part of the Field Operations Division. The primary goal of the Traffic Unit is to reduce injury collisions through engineering, education and enforcement.

The Traffic Unit has authorized staffing of one Sergeant, ten Motorcycle Officers, one Traffic Investigator and two Community Service Officers. Their primary duties are to respond to enforce traffic laws, respond to collisions, investigate major injury accidents and fatalities. The Community Services Officers are responsible for the enforcement of parking violations. This team works closely with the City's Traffic Engineering Department to solve traffic issues.

Report citizen traffic issues.

Detective Bureau

The Investigations Division (Detective Bureau) is responsible for the majority of follow up investigations, especially for major crimes. Investigators are assigned by type of crime, which includes homicide, assaults, robbery, theft, burglary, financial crimes, arson and juvenile crimes. The Records Unit is also part of the Investigations Division.

The primary function of the Investigations Division (Detective Bureau) is to conduct the follow-up investigation after a crime has been reported. The goal is to identify the perpetrators of the crime to assist the District Attorney's Office in the successful prosecution of the suspect(s). The Records Unit is also part of the Investigations Division.

The Investigations Division also provides support to victims of crimes during the course of an investigation. The crime victims and the community both benefit from the prosecution and punishment of criminals.

Many investigations can be completed in a matter of weeks, whereas other investigations may take years before they are solved.

Every attempt is made to prioritize their work so that cases involving injured persons, threat to personal safety or significant property loss receive the most immediate attention.

Crime Analysis

The Crime Analysis Unit (CAU) provides support for all divisions within the Santa Clara Police Department, offering information on patterns and trends so that deployment of the appropriate resources can be done in a timely and effective manner.  Analytical support within the Department is offered in three forms: strategic, tactical and administrative.

The CAU provides strategic analysis to the Patrol Division by directing enforcement to areas that experience higher crime rates, minimizing the opportunity for continued criminal activity. Ongoing crime trends are presented to the Investigations Bureau, to develop a tactical plan for identifying and apprehending suspects and addressing immediate and high level threats of criminal activity, such as: murders, robberies, rape and abduction. Administrative support is offered to the command staff of the Santa Clara Police Department through summaries of findings, providing a bridge in communication between the Patrol Division, the Investigations Bureau and the Administrative staff. 

The CAU partners with the community to facilitate Community Engagement Meetings providing detailed information about crime prevention. Residents also have the ability to access LexisNexis to access a summary of crime activity in their neighborhood.

Crime Against Persons

Detectives assigned to Person Crimes are responsible for investigating all homicides, robberies, rape, assaults, arsons and domestic violence. Although capable of investigating any crime, Person Crimes detectives focus on developing an expertise in their respective field(s). This specialized training and experience have become instrumental toward solving numerous cases. In partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, Persons Crimes Detectives work to successfully prosecute criminals.

Citizen assistance, crime analysis and networking with allied agencies allows Detectives to develop suspect profiles and potentially predict their future criminal behavior. This information can assist in effective crime suppression and/or apprehension efforts.

Being the victim of any crime can be unsettling, however being the victim of a Person Crime(s) can be even more traumatic. Detectives also provide valuable information to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence victims and work closely with victim advocacy groups.

Property Crime 

Detectives assigned to Property Crimes are responsible for investigating all types of property thefts including auto theft, burglary, vandalism and fraud, identity and/or financial crimes. Property Detectives receive specialized training and develop an expertise in their respective field(s).

Through the use of crime analysis, networking with allied agencies, or with the help of citizen information, profiles can be developed to potentially identify suspects or predict their future criminal behavior. This information can assist in effective crime suppression and/or apprehension efforts.

With an increase in Identity Theft nationwide, the Police Department offers the community an insightful look at how to protect yourself from Fraud/Identity Theft.

Records Unit

The Records Unit operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This unit has an authorized staffing level of 12 Records Specialists and three Records Supervisors. The Records Unit has four main functions: process, maintain, and release police reports; provide radio support to patrol officers; provide support to all Department personnel; and assist members of the public.

The Records Unit processes the crime reports written by police officers and ensures that the reports are routed to appropriate locations such as the Bureau for further investigation and the District Attorney's Office for prosecution. The Records Unit processes requests for police reports or other crime data from a wide variety of requestors including other law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, crime victims, the press, and members of the public.

The Records Unit assists the public at the front counter and over the phone. Employees also support Department personnel by conducting prisoner searches on female prisoners. The Records Specialists utilize radios to provide officers with information necessary to affect an arrest or conduct an investigation. The Records Specialists must use a number of different databases to search for information on vehicles and persons stopped by law enforcement. Records personnel provide officers with valuable information on subjects, vehicles, and property to assist officers in determining if a person is wanted or if property is stolen. Their responsibilities require them to have the ability to do several tasks at once in a quick and efficient manner.

• Request a Police Record
• Municipal Code

Special Enforcement Team (SET)

The SET directs its efforts towards special problems or patterns of criminal activity that cannot be adequately handled by a traditional patrol response. Officers work in "plain clothes" and drive unmarked vehicles while on duty. Although based out of the Investigations Division, SET provides assistance to all areas of the Department.

SET takes a proactive approach to targeting some of the City's most difficult crime-related problems. Team members make a concerted effort to stay abreast of emerging crime trends in order to combat problems at the earliest opportunity. Some of SET's goals include targeting felony-related offenses, the apprehension of offenders who have violated the condition of their probation or parole, providing technical assistance and intelligence to other units, dignitary protection, and the supervision of "decoy" operations. SET also tracks gang members and activity in the City of Santa Clara.

Special Operations

The Special Operations Division serves as the liaison between the City and outside agencies for special event permits (e.g. walk/run, parade, festival, dignitary visit, etc.), provides security support for dignitary visits and demonstrations, and develops operational orders for the law enforcement, traffic and neighborhood protection needs associated with Levi's Stadium. This unit coordinates with homeland security to develop and review plans for large events.

Intelligence

Our Intelligence Officer maintains direct contact with the local, state and federal intelligence community to coordinates responses to the following:

• Threats to public officials
• Protests and civil disobedience
• Counterfeiting
• Organized crime
• Dignitary visits