The Patrol Division is considered the backbone of the Surfside Police Department.  The Patrol Division is the most visible section of the police department, providing around the clock service to the citizens and visitors to Surfside.  They are the uniformed Officers who provide the first line of defense for the public's safety.  Each law enforcement patrol officer works to protect life & property, uphold the civil rights of individuals, preserve public peace, provide citizen assistance, enforce criminal and motor vehicle laws, and respond to emergency situations.  These are dedicated and committed professionals who place their lives and well being in jeopardy for the citizens of Surfside on a daily basis.  Almost daily these proud professionals face danger and perform acts of heroism and kindness in our community.  This is their job.  This is what they do.   

The men and women of the Patrol Division are responsible for enforcing state and municipal laws and regulations designed to protect life and property.  They:

• patrol the city to preserve the peace and prevent crime
• take criminal reports and interview witnesses and suspects
• apprehend fugitives and criminals 
• collect evidence
• give testimony in court
• conduct investigations for all misdemeanor and many felony cases
• direct traffic and issue traffic tickets
• investigate accidents
• make arrests 
• participate in crime prevention, public information and safety programs 

Patrol officers maintain close contact with the public; more than any other section of the police department. 

The men and women of the Surfside Police Department’s Patrol Division take great pride in serving the citizens of Surfside.  Patrol officers handle a mind-boggling mix of calls during their shift.  Within a week's tour of duty a single officer might be dispatched to burglaries, robberies, assaults, deranged-disoriented or suicidal persons, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, sex assault, medical emergencies, crowd control, noise complaints, prowlers, traffic accidents, drunk drivers, and intrusion alarms both real and false.  This crazy quilt constitutes the fabric of patrol work.  It is important to realize that in a split second, the most inconsequential and routine activity can develop into a potentially hazardous situation.  Patrol officers experience periods of boredom punctuated by moments of trepidation and danger.

Annually officers receive regular training and certification in firearms, arrest control and self-defense techniques, crowd (riot) control, pursuit and emergency driving, less than lethal weaponry, and physical fitness. 

The Surfside Police Department is committed to hiring the "Best and the Brightest" police officer candidates. To that end, the department employs an intense and thorough recruitment, screening and testing process, when hiring potential police officers.  Police recruits are required to complete an intense multi-phased "Field Training Program" under the guidance of veteran field training officers.  Recruits are required to pass each phase of the field training program.  We believe this process has produced a police department the citizens of Surfside can be proud of.    

DID YOU KNOW
More than 15,000 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty. (Over 7,500 officers killed since 1960).
Every year between 150 and 165 law enforcement officers are killed in the line of duty. (Over 300 children of police officers will need assistance in dealing with the grief of losing a parent.)
Every 57 hours somewhere in America a law enforcement officer dies in service to their community.
Two police officers are shot every day in the United States.
Most officers are killed during arrest situations, disturbances and car crashes.
Most officers are killed between 4:01 P.M. and Midnight 25% of officers killed are killed with their own weapon.
Most officers are killed within 60 seconds of contact with suspect.
40% of the time the officer is alone or has no backup available.
More than 189 police officers are assaulted every day in the U.S. (68,985 assaulted yearly) and rising (that is one out of every nine).
The FBI reports that on yearly average: 380 officers are the targets of unprovoked attacks by ambush, resulting in 21 law enforcement deaths.
We are very confident in saying that if a city manager, mayor, councilperson, judge, senator or congressman was killed every 57 hours, or 69,000 of them were assaulted annually, laws would be enacted overnight to severely penalize the offenders. It is a sad fact that in the majority of states, assaulting a police officer is only a misdemeanor offense.