Welcome to the El Centro Police Department Operations Division. Operations includes the Patrol Division, Investigations Division, Training and Recruitment and the Crisis Response Unit. Operations is the public safety component that is actively involved in serving and protecting our community on a day by day and hourly basis. Please scroll down to learn more about what we do.

The Patrol Division is dedicated to serving the community and is here to protect you “Every Hour Every Day“. To report an incident that is not an emergency call us at 760-352-2111. If you need to speak to a patrol sergeant or commander, contact us at the number listed above or you can search by specific sergeant or commander by clicking HERE. Remember, if you have an emergency, please call 911.

Our Crisis Response Unit (CRU) is comprised of the Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) and Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team. These units have been established to provide advanced and specialized support in handling critical field operations where intense negotiations and/or special tactical deployment methods beyond the capacity of field officers appear to be necessary.

SWAT

The El Centro Police Department’s Crisis Response Unit was established in 1993 and is comprised of two specialized teams: The Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) and the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT). The Crisis Response Unit’s primary mission is the preservation of life and the safe resolution of critical incidents.

The Crisis Response Unit is available to respond and resolve various highly volatile incidents such as barricaded suspect(s), hostage situations, active shooter situations, dignatary/site protection, and numerous high-risk or hazardous situations. Members of this unit receive highly intensive training and must pass physical agility tests and interviews prior to joining. Members yse the developed skills, tactics and specialized quipment/capabilities to save lives in our community and bring volatile situations to a peaceful  resolution.

K-9 Unit

The City of El Centro Police Department’s canine program started its K-9 Unit in 2015 and currently includes two active canines. Police canines provide a valuable service to the department by assisting in the location and apprehension of suspects and increasing officer safety. Using their keen sense of smell, police canines can not only detect human scent but also assist in the search for illegal narcotics.

Often, simply the presence of a highly trained police dog is enough to deter a suspect from attempting to flee, fight or hide. Currently, all of the departments dogs are Belgian Malinois. Canines train rigorously on a regular basis with their handler to maintain their skills. This training consists of a variety of scenarios that hone the skills of the canine teams and expose the teams to new environments they may encounter on the street.