The office of the Chief of Police provides administrative direction to the department through the various Divisions. The Chief determines departmental objectives and goals and then ensures that police operations are planned and coordinated toward the attainment of those directives.

The Chief serves as a liaison to the community by providing the City Manager and Council with recommendations and proposals, establishing working relationships with other agencies in the criminal justice system, and directly meeting with the public on a one-to-one basis.

The Administration division consists of the following special units:

• Communications
• Records
• Cops on Campus/School Resource Officers
• Crime Prevention

Communications

The Communications Center serves as the hub of the day to day operations of the Police Department. During emergency situations communications becomes the center of activity for both police and fire.

The communications staff is primarily responsible for five emergency 911 lines, one seven digit emergency line, two police channels, one fire channel, one direct line to Tulare District Hospital and one direct line to the California Department of Forestry. They additionally monitor local government, Tulare County Sheriff's department, California Highway Patrol and intercity radios for traffic.

In addition to these primary responsibilities Communications enters and retrieves data from NCIC/CII and the Tulare County Automated Warrant System. Besides this they meet the general public monitor a CB radio, city alarms and keep check on security monitors.

Records

The Records unit, continues to provide essential services to the officers of the department, the general public and allied agencies.

In addition to providing service to the public at the front counter of the Police Department, Police Records Specialists also answer police business lines. The Records Specialists provide clerical services to Investigations, Patrol and Administration. After transcribing reports dictated by officer the appropriate copies are made and distributed. Complete case packages are then prepared for submission to the District Attorney's Office for the consideration of filing criminal complaints.

Reports are sold, various fees are collected and processed, filing, taking messages, correspondence, giving directions and answering a wide variety of questions are all part of the duties of the Police Records Specialists.

Crime Prevention