In an attempt to provide a higher level of community oriented policing service to the City of Rockville, a Bicycle Patrol Team has been established. The primary effort of patrol is to concentrate on areas of the downtown business districts of the city, shopping centers, city parks and recreation areas, special events in which large crowds are in attendance, and designated target areas for enforcement which can be accomplished on a bicycle.
The Bicycle Patrol Team is a two officer team using mountain-type, two-wheeled bicycles. The team has been successful in gaining access to areas which are difficult to patrol in a regular patrol beat cruiser and impossible to cover adequately while on foot patrol. The team has use of a four-wheel drive marked patrol vehicle equipped with a dual bike carrier to transport bicycles to different parts of the city, special events or assignments and use during inclement weather.
The Bicycle Patrol Team is responsible for the same types of calls a motor vehicle patrol unit is assigned to. There is no deletion from the patrol force to accomplish this assignment. It merely reassigns patrol officers to a different mode of transportation.
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The Rockville City Police Department has initiated a Business Watch Program--this program is very similar in nature and theory to the Neighborhood Watch Programs practiced throughout the country.
The Business Watch Program encourages local businesses to form a close working relationship with each other and the public safety agencies. The Rockville City Police Department is committed to working with each and every business and neighborhood in our city to meet their police service needs.
Participating businesses are provided with crime watch pamphlets, informational tips, access to free of charge security surveys at their request, and a window sticker identifying their business as an active participant of the program.
The participating businesses fill out a confidential emergency information card which is kept on file in the communications center in the event of a situation arising which would require the business owner or representative being called after hours.
The program has been successful in involving the business community in a cooperative effort with the police department and the philosophy of neighborhood/community oriented policing. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Rockville City Police Department believes crime prevention is for kids too. This program allows parents to keep identification records for their children. The records are placed on a form provided by the police department which has an area for information such as fingerprints, current photograph, and a growth chart. With the increasing number of crimes being committed on juveniles, this is a valuable resource parents can take advantage of. The program is provided at local community events, during station tours, at civic groups, and upon request at the police station. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Rockville City Police Department has initiated a Directed Patrol system and a team of two police officers to address the ever increasing complaints of traffic enforcement in neighborhoods, vandalism, thefts, trespassers, etc. As the complaints are received, a weekly target list is prepared and given to each patrol team supervisor. The Directed Patrol team concentrates the majority of its patrol activities to addressing the targets.
At the end of the week, all sheets are submitted to the Directed Patrol coordinator for tabulation and a weekly statistic sheet is made from the results. The results sheet is distributed along with the new target sheet for the upcoming week. This gives the teams an opportunity to see the results and coordinate their patrol efforts accordingly.
The Directed Patrol assignments are normally about two weeks in duration. Complainants are forwarded a letter at the conclusion of the Directed Patrol assignment advising them of the results. A "hot spot" list is established and distributed to maintain an effort of attention and enforcement to previously identified locations.
The program has been very successful in reducing traffic violations and nuisance complaints. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Neighborhood Watch Program gives the residents of Rockville a feeling of ownership in the community and a better working relationship with their police department. Through this program we feel we can interact on a one-on-one relationship with the community to achieve our goal, which is a safer community and a better quality of life for all citizens of Rockville. This program has generated a tremendous response from the community, and new Neighborhood Watch Groups are constantly forming. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Community Services Officer is frequently invited to speak to various groups about personal and home safety. In the past, groups have included the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, elders, school children of all ages, and civic groups. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Rockville City Police Department has initiated a program in which a mannequin dressed as a Rockville City Police Officer is placed in the driver's position of a marked City police cruiser and placed at identified target locations throughout the city to deter speeding vehicles. The vehicle is equipped with a false radar antenna on the vehicle, which adds to the effectiveness of the unit. The cruiser with Officer Tuttle is parked for a particular time limit at the target location and is moved throughout the shift to different target locations. A manned radar equipped police unit is then placed in the locations vacated by Officer Tuttle for enforcement purposes.
A printed sign also is placed in the vehicle identifying the unit as "unmanned" with instructions to persons who might approach the unit for directions, assistance or emergency situations to contact the Police Department at either 911 or the non-emergency number for assistance or guidance.
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The Rockville City Police Department has established an "Open Garage Door" program. Based upon police experience and current crime statistics, an open garage door with no vehicles in sight can be an advertisement to a potential burglar or thief that no one is home.
As part of our service to the community, the patrol officers working their assigned neighborhoods, monitor and note any homes which meet this criteria. The information is documented and forwarded to the Community Services Officer. A letter is then mailed to the homeowner/occupant explaining the program along with the date, time, location, discovering officer, and an offer of a free home security survey.
This program has been successful in building our neighborhood oriented policing efforts through cooperation and service to the community.
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Operation Identification has been proven effective in deterring burglary, and in returning recovered property to the owner. The department makes available engraving tools to anyone wishing to participate in the program. This service allows everyone the opportunity to reduce the likelihood that their homes will be burglarized. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Rockville City Police and Montgomery County Police each provide a team of police officers who are assigned to work from a City owned police sub-station (old home) in the East Rockville community of Lincoln Park, which for years was an area plagued with open air drug dealing and usage. This cooperative effort works closely with the City and County government agencies addressing several issues of concern by the community - not always law enforcement oriented, but includes community beautification, family assistance, drug rehabilitation, drug education/awareness, and housing.
The Neighborhood-based approach to policing has greatly enhanced police visibility. The police sub-station has been well accepted in the community and has proven to be successful in reducing the frequency of drug dealing in the target communities. The community and the police share a feeling of belonging with one another.
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The security survey offers the opportunity for the department to assist the public in locating security weaknesses and identifying practical ways to correct them. Home and business security surveys are provided to any Rockville citizen upon request. Citizens find these surveys very informative. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Rockville City Police Department has initiated a program in which we utilize the eyes, ears, and contacts of fellow City employees, particularly those in the field such as Public Works, Inspection Services, Recreation and Parks, and Utilities. "Wanted" posters are duplicated on a small 5" x 7" flier and distributed to all City employees in the event they may see the targeted person(s) during the course of their duties or travel throughout the city. A warning is placed on the flier to not attempt to apprehend or intervene in the apprehension of the individual(s) but to notify the police department(s) that are looking for the wanted person.
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During the spring season, the Rockville City Police Department conducts a bi-weekly "Saturday in the Park" program. This is a program designed to allow police officers to become involved with high-risk children in an arts and crafts setting.
Young children between the ages of 5 and 13 meet with a police officer at the Lincoln Park Community Center for a two-hour period every other Saturday. Various arts and crafts programs are presented, with the police officer being an integral part of the program as an instructor and helpmate.
Some of the presentations have been: reading a story about flying an airplane, then building model airplanes and flying them; designing a personalized story, drawing the pictures to illustrate the story, and giving each participating child a copy of the completed story with illustrations; visiting the Police Station; the Neighborhood Services Officer (Animal Control) giving a demonstration; the children writing their own rap songs against drugs, videotaping for future use and play; the children learning to build and fly kites.
This program has been very successful in allowing both the children and the uniformed police officer to become involved with one another on a social and fun level.
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Drug and crime prevention displays are regularly set up upon request and at various locations in conjunction with community activities. The displays provide an opportunity to distribute crime prevention materials, educate citizens about controlled dangerous substances and paraphernalia, display seized weapons, and answer a variety of questions. The department's McGruff mascot makes frequent appearances and is a highlight for children. Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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The Rockville City Police Department has initiated a speed indicator program in which a large radar operated display board is placed on the front or rear of the marked police unit and the radar operator gives the approaching motorists an opportunity to see their speed displayed. This unit is primarily used as a deterrent and has proven to be beneficial to the department as a public relations tool. This, in effect, gives citizens a visual warning of their speed. Tickets are issued but only in situations of excessive speeds which are considered to be hazardous to community safety by the radar operator. The speed indicator is placed in targeted locations throughout the city, primarily in neighborhoods or communities where there have been complaints of speeding vehicles.
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The State's Attorney's Office has initiated a program of "Neighborhood Oriented Prosecution." As part of this effort, the team of attorneys who are assigned the Rockville District have begun periodically attending police roll calls.
The attorneys are assigned particular areas of the city/county for their "Neighborhood Oriented Prosecution" efforts. The City police officers are assigned in like fashion to a particular area of the city for their Neighborhood Oriented Policing efforts. The roll calls are designed as an opportunity for information and tactics exchange in prosecution and enforcement.
The Inspection Services Division of the City of Rockville government is also working in a similar fashion of neighborhood oriented enforcement and inspections. They likewise attend roll calls and coordinate their enforcement efforts.
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The Rockville City Police Department has initiated a program in which a citizen can report a vehicle for minor violations of the traffic code.
A citizen may call the Rockville City Police Department or complete an online form and with information given, such as date, time, location of occurrence, vehicle description, and briefly what offense took place--a letter is initiated to the owner of the vehicle describing the offense and urging compliance with the traffic code.
A motor vehicle tag listing is obtained. The letter is then sent to the owner with an explanation that the vehicle had been witnessed on a particular date, location, and time committing a particular violation. The letter is written diplomatically in hopes that the owner will either correct his driving habits if he was the operator, or in the event of someone else operating the owner's vehicle, address the situation appropriately. This program has been successful in the sense of comments made by the recipients - particularly parents of young drivers or business owners with employee drivers.
This program also gives the complainant an opportunity to have a complaint addressed without the burdensome application of the judicial process of warrant, District Court summons process and court appearances.Call 240-314-8910 for more information.
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For further information on any of these community-oriented programs contact:
T. N. Treschuk, Chief of Police
City of Rockville
111 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850-2364
240-314-8910
