Police
About The Department
The Arcata Police Department is an efficient and professional organization with two major divisions, Operations and Youth and Family Services. The Police Department staff and volunteers take great pride in being an innovative organization with a community oriented, problem-solving approach to policing.
The Operations Division is led by a Police Lieutenant. The Operations Division consists of Uniformed Patrol, Investigations, Park Rangers, Parking Enforcement, and the Citizen Volunteer Patrol Program.
Police officers provide patrol coverage 24 hours-a-day/365 days-a-year. Patrol officers respond to approximately 30,000 calls for service a year. Nearly 40% of those calls occur within the downtown area of Arcata. Crimes involving the abuse of alcohol and drugs make up the majority of these offenses.
The Detective Unit is responsible for supporting patrol with major case investigation and follow-up. The Detective Unit is comprised of one Detective Sergeant and one Detective. They coordinate the Sexual Assault Response Team and are members of the Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team.
The Park Ranger program consists of two sworn police officers responsible for patrolling City parks including the Arcata Plaza, the Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, and the City owned Community Forests. Park Rangers routinely patrol on foot, bicycle, 4x4 vehicle or ATV. The Arcata Police Department recently added a Teryx utility vehicle to our fleet. This vehicle will provide greater access for our Park Rangers to remote areas of Redwood Park and the Arcata Marsh. It will be utilized for removal of abandonded camp debris, quick access to persons lost or in distress in our parks and general patrol.
The Dispatch Center is the nerve-center of the police department. Dispatchers are responsible for answering all incoming calls for police service on fifteen different phone lines including 9-1-1. In 2009, APD dispatchers answered 44,548 phone calls (both emergency and non-emergency) and 5,010 "9-1-1" calls. The normal staffing is one dispatcher on duty during each shift. When staffing permits, we try to staff two dispatchers. Please be patient when you call the Police Department and reach a dispatcher, as they are often required to handle multiple calls at the same time. Dispatchers use a state-of-the-art computer aided dispatching (CAD) computer system which helps them efficiently send officers where they need to be.
The Records Unit is responsible for all police-related records. The Records Unit handles many requests for copies of crime reports, incident verifications, and traffic collisions as well as subpoenas for records. The Records Unit utilizes a state of the art document imaging system for the storage and retrieval of records.
The volunteer program is a huge success for the Arcata Police Department. If all of the volunteers suddenly decided to leave, the Police Department would not be able to fully function! Volunteers perform a vast array of duties including: crime prevention patrols, vacation house checks, subpoena services, courier services, guarding crime scenes, staffing open houses and public events, and clerical duties in the office. Volunteers routinely perform in excess of 3,000 hours of work for the Arcata Police Department each year.
Employment Opportunities
Law Enforcement is a very demanding and rewarding career. If you are interested in a position with the City of Arcata consult our Job Opportunities page. The College of the Redwoods has a Police Academy for those interested in training for a career in law enforcement.