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Rockwall Police Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Rockwall Police Department is to provide a safe and secure city. Through community partnerships, fair and impartial enforcement of the laws, and by maintaining standards of excellence; this department demands the highest levels of integrity, honesty, and trust in keeping with the traditions of our city. We as professionals will always be responsive to the needs of our citizens and visitors and are committed to providing this service with distinction.
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Message from the Chief
On behalf of all the dedicated men and women of the Rockwall Police Department, I am pleased to present our 2009 Annual Report.
Our mission as an organization is to provide outstanding police services, thereby ensuring that Rockwall is a safe and secure city for our residents and visitors. Along with the hard work of the members of this department, the successes we enjoy from our community support and partnerships contribute to a very high quality of life.
Some of our 2009 accomplishments: Crime Rate: In 2008 we experienced a small decrease in total crime, but also a small increase in violent crime. In 2009, the trend was reversed with a 3% increase in total crime, but violent crime was reduced significantly (15%) even though our population and commercial area of the city increased. This is especially notable since we experienced another increase (8.95%) in the number of calls for police service. CAD/RMS: In September we completed a revolutionary change in our contract structure with New World Systems for the purchase and maintenance of a complete upgrade to our Computer Aided Dispatch/Records Management System. A lump sum payment, that was initially required, would have been over $535,000, with additional annual maintenance fees of about $100,000 per year. With our seven year lease contract, and five additional years of guaranteed and set maintenance costs, we will actually save enough money over the next 12 years to cover the cost of the lease and maintenance. Grants: During 2009, we were able to obtain over $24,000 in federal and local grants that paid for a new audio/video recording system for our CID interview rooms, two fully equipped patrol bicycles, a specially trained narcotics patrol dog, and a license plate scanning camera that searches the data base for stolen vehicles and wanted persons. We invite you to join us in keeping Rockwall a safe community by participating in programs like a neighborhood crime watch, the Citizens or Business Police Academy, or any other program conducted by the Community Services Division. We are committed to serving this community. Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions or concerns.
Mark C. Moeller Chief of Police
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Police Administration
The Command Staff of the Rockwall Police Department is under the direction of the Chief of Police and consists of the following personnel: Assistant Chief of Police, three Lieutenants, and an Executive Secretary. The responsibilities of the command staff are to maintain high standards of departmental excellence through instruction and leadership. Typical activities of the Command Staff include: coordinating departmental operations, strategic planning, monitoring the progress of special projects, attending community meetings, coordinating available resources, and developing and implementing policies and procedures. Additionally, the Command Staff manages departmental finances by monitoring and approving expenditures, reviewing and submitting payroll, and conducting annual budget planning and preparation.
Chief of Police
Asst. Chief of Police
Executive Secretary
Patrol Division Criminal Investigations Administrative Services Lieutenant of Police Lieutenant of Police Lieutenant of Police
Sergeant 7 Officers Investigations Special Crimes Communications
Sergeant 7 Officers Sergeant Sergeant Supervisor Sergeant 7 Officers PSO 4 Detectives 1 Detectives 11 Operators Sergeant 7 Officers Property Room Sergeant 6 Officers Property Technician Records & Sergeant 6 Officers Information Technology Warrants Computer Manager
2 Officers Crime Analyst 3 Records Clerks
Community Services
Sergeant
6 Officers
Number of Personnel per Division: Administration 6 Patrol 49 CID 9 Community Services 6 Warrants 3 Records 5 Communications 12 Total 90
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Administrative Services Division
The Administrative Service Division of the police department is managed by a lieutenant and consists of the following units: Communications, Information Technology, Crime Analysis and Records. The Administrative Lieutenant’s duties include overseeing the various units in the division, budgeting, and recruiting of new employees for the police department.
Communications
The communications unit of the police department answers all non-emergency and emergency 911 calls for the Rockwall Police Department, Fire Department and the City of Heath Department of Public Safety. There are eleven non-sworn communication specialists and one non-sworn supervisor assigned to this unit.
2009 Calls for Service:
Rockwall Police Department 31,460 Rockwall Fire Department 799 Heath Police Department 3,234
Total Calls Dispatched 35,493
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Calls for Service 2009
3234 9% 799 2%
31460 89%
Rockwall Police Rockwall Fire Heath DPS
Calls for Service 2005 - 2009 Comparison*
35000 7% inc. 26% inc. 6% inc. 31460 28875 30000 16% inc. 27157
25000 21121 17915 20000
15000
10000
5000 2668 2955 3386 3398 3234 793 744 802 923 799 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Rockwall Police Rockwall Fire Heath DPS * % increase includes yearly totals
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Information Technology
The goal of the Information Technology Unit is to provide and maintain state-of-the-art computer hardware and software to assist members of the Rockwall Police Department. This technology provides our personnel with the needed tools to perform their duties in a more efficient and safe manner.
Laptop computers are mounted in all marked police vehicles providing officers on the street immediate access to vital information such as; motor vehicle, driver’s license and wanted person checks. Workstations and laptop computers are utilized throughout the department in assisting personnel to manage case reports, conduct statistical analysis, access organizational databases, and manage the volumes of information a modern police department is faced with every day.
In 2009 the City of Rockwall extended the Police Department’s contract with New World Systems to provide the latest upgrade to our Records Management System. This upgrade includes; records management, computer aided dispatch (CAD), and mobile software. The upgrade will shift us from an antiquated system to a more user friendly Microsoft Windows platform making training quicker and easier. The target date to go “live” with the new software is September of 2010.
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Crime Analysis
Crime Analysis is a precise method of providing crime patterns, trends and statistical information. The Rockwall Police Department has one full time crime analyst who also doubles as a Computer Technician. The Crime Analyst performs data analysis and reports crime statistics, trends, and patterns. The Crime Analyst is also responsible for suspect-crime correlation, profiles and other police research.
The duties of the crime analyst include but are not limited to: Assisting police officers and detectives in the investigative process; Providing statistical information to the Command Staff; Providing statistical information for the citizens of Rockwall and other interested agencies; Detecting and mapping out current crime trends and patterns; and Alerting officers about criminal activity through the use of crime bulletins and maps.
Each year we analyze and compare our crime rate by utilizing the crime index. The crime index is calculated by taking the number of crimes in any type of category and comparing those numbers to the estimated population for that year. To make a more accurate comparison from year to year we further break it down based on crimes reported per 1,000 residents.
The Part 1 offenses of the Uniformed Crime Reports (UCR) is the category we use in comparing our crime index. Part 1 offenses are those crimes that must be reported to the FBI by every police agency in the country. They consist of the total numbers of all murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, thefts, and motor vehicle thefts occurring within that agency’s jurisdiction.
The following table compares 2009 with the previous four years:
Crime Index vs Population 2005 - 2009
34.0 40,000 33.1 33.0 34,700 35,000 32.0 30,867 31,800 30,000 31.0 29,458 28,173 30.8 25,000 30.0 29.6 29.9 29.0 20,000
28.0 15,000 Population Values Population
Crime Index Values Index Crime 27.6 27.0 10,000 26.0 5,000 25.0
24.0 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Crime Index Population
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Violent Crime Index vs Population 2007 - 2009
1.2 35,000 34,700
34,000 1 1.0
33,000 0.8 0.81 0.75 32,000 31,800 0.6
31,000 30,867 Population Values 0.4 Violent Crime Index Values 30,000
0.2 29,000
0 28,000 2007 2008 2009
Violent Crime Index Population
Property Crime Index vs Population 2007 - 2009
41 35,000 34,700 40 39.7 34,000 39
38 33,000
37 32,000 31,800 36 35.9 31,000 35 30,867 Population Values
Property Crime Index Values 34 33.9 30,000
33 29,000 32
31 28,000 2007 2008 2009
Property Crime Index Population
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Records
The records unit is responsible for handling all reports generated by the Rockwall Police Department.
This unit controls and maintains the integrity of the Rockwall Police Department by providing and preserving the storage of police records under strict guidelines of confidentiality. Personnel assigned to this unit perform an extensive amount of data entry into the New World records management system, entering accident and arrest reports along with compiling misdemeanor and felony cases for filing with the District Attorney’s Office. Other services provided by the records unit include processing the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and Uniformed Crime Reports (UCR) to the Texas Department of Public Safety and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Solicitor Permits.
The records unit is staffed with one sworn supervisor (the Computer Manager), and three Records Clerks. This has allowed for more efficient responses to both the public and internal customer service by coordinating assigned duties as an essential function in providing 100% satisfaction in customer service to both our internal and external customers.
In 2009 the Records Unit processed the following:
Cases Filed with District Attorney’s Office: 1,088 Accident Reports: 580 Arrest Reports: 1,541 Solicitor Permits Issued: 75
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Patrol Division
The Patrol Division is the primary provider of police services to the community. This service is comprised of traditional law enforcement activities and innovative, proactive strategies based on Community Policing and Problem solving models. The many functions of the Patrol Division include; enforcement of city ordinances and state laws, crime detection and suppression, traffic enforcement and education, accident and crime investigation, and response to calls for service.
As the most visible members of the Police Department, the “beat officers” are the first responders to calls for service while patrolling the streets of Rockwall. Specialized units such as Traffic and K-9 also offer support to the Patrol Officers in answering calls for service.
Patrol: The patrol division is the largest division in the police department, with strength comprised of one lieutenant, six sergeants and forty-one officers. The patrol division is responsible for the preliminary investigation of calls for service, traffic enforcement, and accident investigation. The patrol division is made up of the following units: Patrol, Traffic, and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT.)
Traffic Unit: The traffic unit consists of four officers, two motorcycle officers and two officers assigned to special traffic vehicles. The primary duties of the traffic unit are enforcement, advanced accident reconstruction, and escort functions. “To Save Lives” is the Traffic Unit’s primary objective. By aggressively enforcing the most serious moving violations (i.e. speeding, running stop signs and red lights, etc.) and seat belt violations, officers strive to influence the driving behavior of individuals which will result in fewer accident and injuries.
580 Reported Accidents 13,294 Traffic Citations 86 Handicap Parking Violations 4,136 STEP Violations
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Special Programs
STEP- (Selective Traffic Enforcement Program) In 2009, the police department continued participating in the STEP program. The purpose of this special program is the reduction of traffic complaints, traffic related fatalities and in- juries. The objective is to influence the driving behavior of individuals within the commu- nity.
State of Texas “Click it or Ticket” Program The Rockwall Police Department participates in the “Click it or Ticket” program during the Memorial Day and Labor Day holiday weekends. This intensive program has been instru- mental in having citizens remember to buckle their seat belts. It has been attributed to saving lives nationwide.
Bicycle Patrol Unit The bicycle patrol unit is a special unit that is utilized during special events and in patrol- ling of the Harbor District. All officers assigned to the bicycle unit have been properly trained and certified on bike patrol techniques.
% of Sworn Officers Assigned to Patrol Division 2005 - 2009 (This includes officers and sergeants) 49 49 46 50 43 45 38
40
35
30 70.4% 70.5% 71.9% 73.1% 71.0% 25
20
15
10
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0 2005 (54) 2006 (61) 2007 (64) 2008 (67) 2009 (69)
(Total Departmental Officers)
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Officer to Population Ratio (Authorized strength at the end of the budget year)
2.15
2.11 35,000 2.07 34,700 2.07 2.10 31,800 30,000
28,173 2.05 29,458 30,867 25,000 2.00
20,000 1.99 Ratio
1.95
Population 15,000 1.92 1.90
10,000 1.85
5,000 1.80
0 2005 (54) 2006 (61) 2007 (64) 2008 (67) 2009 (69) (Total Departmental Officers)
Officer to Population Ratio (Actual strength at the end of the budget year)
2.15
35,000 34,700 2.10 31,800 30,000 30,867 29,458 28,173 2.05
25,000 2.00 2.01
20,000 2.00 Ratio
1.94 1.95
Population 15,000 1.93 1.90
10,000 1.88 1.85
5,000 1.80
0 2005 (53) 2006 (59) 2007 (60) 2008 (64) 2009 (67) (Total Departmental Officers)
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Officer Ellis conducting a training exercise with K-9 Cezar.
K-9 Unit: This component consists of one officer, or handler, whose responsibility is investigating calls for service, drug interdiction and search and seizures.
SWAT Unit: The Rockwall SWAT Team consists of fifteen (15) members, twelve (12) unit members, two (2) Team Leaders and one (1) Commander. Additionally, the unit includes six (6) hostage negotiators who assist during crisis situations. These officers work in assignments throughout the department and are “called out” from their primary duties.
Historically, utilizing a highly trained, highly skilled police tactical unit has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of injury or loss of life to citizens, police officers and suspects. It is the intent of the Rockwall SWAT Team to provide a highly trained and skilled tactical team as a resource for the Rockwall Police Department in the handling of critical incidents.
The mission of the Rockwall SWAT Team is to support the Rockwall Police Department and any other requesting law enforcement agency with a tactical response to critical incidents.
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Criminal Investigation Division
The Criminal Investigative Division is organized into the following units: Investigative, Special Crimes, Community Services, Crime Scene, Warrant, and Property/Evidence.
The division consists of twelve sworn and two non-sworn employees supervised by a lieutenant and three sergeants. The Special Crimes unit includes a Deputy from the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Department. Additionally, a sworn officer is assigned to the division for a 6 month period through the Officer Enrichment Program.
Investigative Unit – This unit is responsible for the follow-up investigation of offenses reported to the Rockwall Police Department and those referred by other law enforcement agencies or judicial entities. The Investigative unit is also responsible for registering, de- registering, and tracking sex offenders who reside within the city limits. The unit is staffed by a Sergeant and four Detectives.
In 2009:
1,595 criminal offenses were referred to the investigative unit.
27.33% of cases assigned were cleared.
185 cases were filed with the District Attorney’s office.
There were 17 sex offenders registered.
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Property/Evidence Unit
This unit is responsible for the processing and safekeeping of all items of evidence and found property submitted to the police department. Additionally, the unit is responsible for the creation and submission of all court ordered evidence destruction documents and the maintenance of property/evidence records. The unit is staffed by one non-sworn property/evidence technician and supervised by the CID Sergeant. In 2009:
4,835 pieces of evidence and property were received and processed by this unit.
Crime Scene Unit – This unit is responsible for the processing of all major crime scenes, fingerprint development and comparisons and submitting pieces of evidence to other law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the unit is responsible for the maintenance of the patrol fleet and taking walk-in reports for service as the need arises. The unit is staffed by one non-sworn Public Safety Officer and supervised by the CID Sergeant. In 2009:
18 crime scenes were processed for evidence. 256 pieces of forensic evidence were submitted to other agencies for processing and comparison.
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Community Services Unit – This unit serves to provide crime prevention education presentations, supervise Neighborhood Watch programs, provide home security inspections, and conduct other crime prevention activities. Additionally, unit personnel act as School Resource Officers (SRO) at all secondary public schools within the city limits of Rockwall. Rockwall County Crime Stoppers, Inc. is managed by this unit.
The unit is staffed by one Sergeant, one Crime Prevention Officer, and four School Resource Officers.
In 2009 the following programs were presented with the listed results:
2009
Crime Prevention Presentations 166
Crime Stoppers Arrests 76 Offenses Cleared 89
Number of Rewards Paid 100
Amount of Total Rewards $8,905.00
The Community Services Unit also coordinates the National Night Out (NNO) program which was created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and introduced in 1984 as “America’s Night Out Against Crime”. It is a chance for neighbors to turn off the television sets and gather as a community to show criminals the strength of numbers and that we stand together as neighbors against crime. NNO was held on October 13, 2009. Rockwall became involved in the program in 1997 and has been recognized with national awards 10 out of the 11 years in which we have been participating.
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Special Crimes Unit (SCU)
Photograph of approximately 135 pounds of marijuana seized from a Tornado Bus Line stopped at a local truck stop. 135 pounds that never made it to the streets.
This unit is responsible for the investigation of narcotic related offenses and other major crimes in the County of Rockwall. Additionally, unit personnel assist other law enforcement agencies in narcotic related investigations where a nexus to Rockwall County exists.
The unit is staffed by one Sergeant and two sworn Officers, one of which is a Rockwall County Sheriff’s Deputy and paid by Rockwall County.
The following table lists the major seizures that were made in 2009:
2009 Cash seizures $20,290 Marijuana seized 226.1 lbs Cocaine seized 46 g Heroin seized 14 g Methamphetamine seized 117.15 g Xanax seized 38.7 g Ecstasy seized 15 g Firearms seized 4
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Warrant Unit – This unit is responsible for the serving of outstanding warrants of arrest, set- ting up and processing payment plans for violators, the service of subpoenas and parental summons, and for serving as bailiff during court times. In 2009, Warrant Officers served as bailiffs approximately 21% of their available duty time. The unit is staffed by two sworn police officers, one clerk who also works with other Municipal Court staff and is supervised by the CID Sergeant.
In 2009: $168,785.24 in outstanding warrants were cleared. 584 arrests were made for non-payment of warrants.
Rockwall Police Department Helpful Numbers
Administration 972-771-7714 Administration Fax 972-772-6394 Chief’s Office 972-772-6454 Records 972-771-7725 Records Fax 972-771-7726 Dispatch Non-Emergency 972-771-7721 Dispatch Fax 972-771-7749 DPS—Driver’s License 972-204-7300 Criminal Investigations (CID) 972-771-7715 Detectives 972-771-7716 Community Services 972-771-7769 Municipal Court 972-771-7788 Municipal Court—Warrants 972-772-6425 Rockwall Co Sheriff’s Office 972-204-7100 Rockwall County Jail 972-204-7108
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