The Patrol Division is the largest of the three divisions that make up the Greenbelt City Police Department (the other two being the Special Operations Division and the Support Services Division). The Patrol Division, when fully staffed, numbers 41 officers and civilians out of a total department compliment approaching 75. It is led by a Patrol Division commander who holds the rank of either lieutenant or captain.

Division Structure

The Patrol Division comprises four six officer patrol squads totaling 24 officers, each led by a sergeant and corporal in addition to a traffic officer and a Franklin Park Community Officer. The four patrol squad sergeants will report directly to the division commander while the remaining units within the Patrol Division will report to an operations sergeant.

Traffic Unit

Writing tickets isn’t the only thing you will find the traffic unit doing. The one full time member of the traffic unit is primarily responsible for the enforcement of traffic laws and investigation of crashes.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Assisting city code enforcement and the State Highway Administration with the initiation of traffic safety measures
• Making presentations before citizens groups
• Performing child safety seat inspections and assisting with installation of safety seats
• Teaching of traffic law, traffic stops, and DWI enforcement classes to the Citizens' Academy

Specialty Units

Two part-time specialty units are located within the Patrol Division command - the Crash Accident Reconstruction Unit and the Honor Guard Unit. Both units are comprised of volunteer officers from other units and divisions within the Police Department who are called out and used on an as-needed basis.

While part time, both of these units require the member officers to undergo often intense specialized training to serve in their respective areas of expertise and retraining to maintain these skills.

Honor Guard

The Honor Guard Unit is supervised by MPO John Michael Dewey. Eight officers serve with distinction in this unit. Member officers come to the unit both with and without prior military experience. All are required to partake in often exhaustive training and their performance must always be of the highest quality and standards.

The Greenbelt City Police Honor Guard Unit has served with great pride and reverence, taking part in parades, funerals, and special ceremonies across the region. The Honor Guard also participates in yearly events, such as:

• Beltway Plaza Holiday Parade
• Firefighter of the Year Awards Banquet
• Greenbelt Labor Day Parade
• Peace Officer's Memorial Service in Washington D.C.
• The American Legion Officer
• The Memorial Day Service in Roosevelt Center

The Greenbelt City Police Department Honor Guard Unit truly exemplifies the finest of the fine.

Crash Accident Reconstruction Unit

The Crash Accident Reconstruction Unit (CARU) is supervised by the department’s current traffic officer, MPO Scott Kaiser. The unit is comprised of six officers when fully staffed and is called out to all motor vehicle crashes where death or serious injury with the possibility of a fatality occurs.

These officers must possess and maintain a high level of technical ability along with superior investigative skills. The unit has been recognized several times by the County’s States Attorney’s office for its outstanding work in the investigation and management of fatal traffic incidents.