Administration 

The Administrative Services Division includes the Chief’s Office, Property and Evidence, Communications Dispatch Center and Community Services Unit (CSU).

The Administrative Services Division is responsible for many critical functions that support the entire Police Department. The division manages the Communications Dispatch Center, recruitment, hiring, and training of employees. It oversees internal affairs, evidence, and specialized units like Community Response Team, Team 200 and Community Services. Staff in the division provide many services to the community including Crime Prevention, School Services, Police Activities League (PAL), alarm 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. A Communications Center Manager oversees the technical and administrative work needed to provide this critical service.

This division coordinates all emergency situations in the city. Dispatchers focus on managing public-safety resources and support larger regional emergencies when needed. This team also handles non-emergency calls, making sure they are recorded and sent to the right City department or another agency when appropriate. 

Public Safety Dispatchers are certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers through the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch. They follow a structured process to classify medical calls and give step-by-step instructions, such as basic first aid, CPR, and childbirth, until help arrives.

Community Services Unit

The Community Services Unit (CSU) runs all of the Police Department's community outreach programs for both youth and adults. Along with offering several programs for residents, the Police Department also provides safety information and opportunities for people to take part 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) handles cases related to “quality of life” problems in neighborhoods. These can include things like drug activity, animal complaints, and loud parties or music.

The CRT works with residents to fix these problems, using a variety of methods that include making arrests, issuing citations or mediation. The team also uses state and city nuisance laws to hold property owners responsible when issues are not resolved. CRT works closely with Santa Clara Police units, city departments, and other agencies to solve problems effectively.

Evidence

The evidence program is one of the most important parts of the Police Department because proper handling of evidence is critical to our work.  We use special software to organize and track all evidence, creating a detailed record for each item.

Property Release

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

Property booked as Safekeeping will be held for 60 days and disposed of in accordance with California Civil Code if not claimed. Found property items will be held for 90 days. Evidence items cannot be released until 60 days after the case is finished in court, and some items may require a court order.

Pharmaceutical Disposal Program

The Pharmaceutical Disposal Program helps Santa Clara residents safely get rid of unused or expired medications. This prevents misuse and keeps harmful drugs out of the environment.

Medications can be dropped off in the disposal bin in the Police Department lobby during normal business hours. Sharps, medical devices, non-prescription grooming products, insect repellant, cleaning supplies, or batteries are not accepted.

Team 200

The Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD) makes safety around Santa Clara University (SCU) a priority. A special patrol called Team 200, made up of two to six officers, patrols the neighborhood around campus on weekend nights and regularly checks in with students and staff.

At the start of each school year, Team 200 meets with student leaders and walks through nearby neighborhoods to discuss expectations and concerns. They share information reminding students that they are part of the larger community and must respect their neighbors. Students also receive details about first response notices, city rules, and the University’s “Guide to Living Off Campus.”

Field Operations

The Field Operations Division handles most calls for service and has patrol teams, traffic investigators, and parking enforcement staff. Officers are the department’s “first responders,” working nights, weekends, and holidays in all kinds of weather. They respond to everything from parking issues to serious crimes and also work to prevent crime through public engagement.

Specialized units within the division address specific needs, including the Traffic Unit, Special Response Team (SRT), Temporary Holding Facility (THF), Canine Unit, Honor Guard, and Reserve Operations Unit.

Canine (K9) Team

Each patrol team has police officer with a highly trained K9. The dogs help find drugs, track suspects, locate missing people, patrol neighborhoods, and some can detect explosives. Officers handle calls and traffic stops until their K9’s special skills are needed. They also participate in community events and care for their K9 around the clock. Cheryl Walsh, president of the Sean M. Walsh K-9 Memorial Foundation, has been key in funding the Santa Clara Police Department’s K9 program.

Honor Guard

The City’s Honor Guard, made up of Police and Fire Department members, represents the department at ceremonies, memorials, and special events. To request their participation, call 408-615-4700.

Special Response Team

The Special Response Team (SRT) is made up of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and the Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), both focused on saving lives. SWAT handles high-risk tactical emergencies and trains other officers, while HNT specializes in critical event negotiations. The two units respond together to all major incidents and train jointly throughout the year to stay prepared for any situation.

Temporary Holding Facility

The Santa Clara Police Department operates two Temporary Holding Facilities, one at the Police Building, and one at Levi's Stadium on event days. These facilities allow officers to process and temporarily hold arrestees, instead of booking them at the county jail. They are regularly inspected by oversight agencies.

The Temporary Holding Facilities are staffed by civilian Jail Service Officers (JSOs) who manage operations, process arrestees, maintain records, monitor building security, participate in facility inspections, and assist the public.

Traffic Unit

The Santa Clara Police Department’s Traffic Unit is dedicated to reducing injury-related collisions through engineering, education, and enforcement. The Unit is staffed with several Motorcycle Officers, a Traffic Investigator and Community Service Officers. Their core responsibilities include enforcing traffic laws, responding to collisions, and investigating major injury and fatal accidents. Community Services Officers primarily handle the enforcement of parking regulations. This team works closely with the City's Traffic Engineering Department to address and resolve traffic related concerns throughout the community.

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