Welcome to the Lakes Region of Western Minnesota
Residents and visitors are protected by
the DLPD - Detroit Lakes Police Department - 24 hours a day on every day
of the year. Our agency serves a modern and busy community of near 9000 residents with our summer-tourist population
being many times higher. We
consistently respond to about 11,0000 annual calls for service each
year.
As of 2011 - our
department presently consists of 15 full-time Police Officers and
two full-time civilians positions including a Secretary and Records
Technician. We are assisted in our duties by several other law
enforcement agencies that serve in the same area.
We also work very
closely with other Law Enforcement agencies in the area. It is this combination
of professionalism and teamwork along with the citizens of Detroit Lakes
that helps to make our community a safer and better place to live.
Despite economy concerns and the loss of state government aid and
funding, we have not reduced our services and still remain one of the few
Law Enforcement agencies in the region that provides a full range
of police assistance to our community from unlocking cars and funeral
escorts to responding to all
fire and medical emergencies. As
our city expands and our workload grows each year, we will continue to strive
updating our department with the personnel and resources needed to
ensure the same high commitment of quality and service to public safety
and security.
De
part
PATROL
The largest division in our department is the uniformed Patrol Division. It is the one most people are familiar with as uniformed Police Officers patrol in marked squad cars, investigate suspicious circumstances, enforce traffic laws, and respond to calls for service. We have eight Officers dedicated to Patrol duties and two Sergeants. There are usually at least two Officers on-duty at all times and more during peak-times of the day and evening.
A typical day in the life of a Detroit Lakes Patrol Officer can be dealing with the unexpected, facing critical situations, and experiencing a wide variety of situations in just one regular shift. An Officer can go from long hours without interruptions to a life or death situation in a heartbeat or handling what may seem like a routine call to something totally unexpected in seconds. Sometimes people think a smaller community like Detroit Lakes wouldn't have many high-risk or very stressful incidents but it is more common than most people realize.
All DLPD Officers are also sworn Deputies of Becker County and have full authority outside of city limits to assist other agencies as needed. We currently enjoy a excellent working relationship with several other Law Enforcement agencies in our area.
POLICE VEHICLES
While most patrol functions are carried out in a marked department squad
cars, there are certain situations that require special enforcement
efforts. DLPD Officers may use bicycles, snowmobiles, ATV's, unmarked
squad vehicles and 4 X 4 trucks, or foot patrols to assist them in these
situations.
Law
Enforcement or Rescue efforts that occur on Detroit Lake are handled
by the DNR and BCSO Boat & Water Division. The Sheriff's Office
also has a Dive Team for underwater search and rescue.
Our
agency's squad cars used by the Patrol staff have evolved
significantly over the years. The early 90's saw the use of the
popular Chevy Caprice Classic until that model was discontinued. Much
of the equipment back then wasn't as advanced as today and squad cars
didn't carry nearly as much emergency gear. But today's police vehicles
are outfitted with almost everything a Patrol Officer may need
including; Automated Emergency Defibrillators,
First Responder Medical Equipment, Lockout Tools, Fire Extinguishers,
Shotguns and AR-15 Patrol Rifles, "Stop-stick" Road Spikes, Bio-Hazard
Suits, and Digital Video/Audio Recording devices.es
Today's new Ford Police Interceptors are
often the emergency vehicle of choice for many law enforcement agencies.
They come standard with heavy duty suspensions, brakes, and skid plates
in addition to performance steering, anti-lock brakes, transmission
upgrades, and more powerful engines. All of our Officers attend high-speed pursuit training, advanced
emergency vehicle operations, and Pursuit Intervention Tactics every two years.
The inside of our patrol cars carry several controls for lights and
siren operations, front/rear Radar, plus the Officers personal equipment
bag which contains extra forms, citations, and other personal equipment.
2011 marks the last year of the
Ford Crown Victoria - a new police vehicle will be chosen for 2012.
INVESTIGATIONS
The Investigations Division is
responsible for handling major case investigations and follows up on
serious incidents from the Patrol Division. They also handle a busy
caseload of situations from processing crime scenes, dealing with forged
checks, and investigating various scams to conducing surveillance,
interviewing witnesses, and interrogating suspects.
There are
currently two Officers assigned to Investigations plus a Narcotics Agent
that works with the west Minnesota drug task force. The Narcotics Agent
position was created by a Federal Grant back in 2007 designed to help
smaller agencies counter the rising problems with illegal drugs in their
communities.
The
Investigations division has also come a long way since the earlier
years. Today's equipment and resources allow for advanced taking of
prints left at a crime scene, ultra-violet lights for detecting blood
even after it has been cleaned, fuming agents to detect fingerprints
long after the incident took place, computer programs to search
hard-drives for hidden information, and DNA identifications with the
assistance of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Our
Investigators drive unmarked squad cars that are fully equipped like
regular marked units with hidden emergency lights. Both vehicles are
civilian models and are in excellent condition. One of them is courtesy of Minnesota's Vehicle Forfeiture Laws and some very stupid criminals.
Our
civilian staff is made up of a records technician and a secretary.
They assist the Police Department with everything from records keeping
and processing paperwork to answering phones and entering information
into our computer network. They are a essential part of our team and
the department could not function without them.
Our office is located at 106
Holmes Street East and the station phone number is (218) 847-4222.
Regular business hours are weekdays
8am thru 5pm.
After-hours calls are taken by the Becker Co. dispatch center located at
the Courthouse on Lake Street.
Their phone number is (218) 847-2661.