Patrol Division

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Welcome to the Rifle Police Department Patrol Division

The Rifle Police Department has 20 sworn personnel and 6 civilian personnel. The patrol division currently occupies 14 of those positions. The sworn patrol division includes two Sergeants, four Corporals, seven Patrol Officers and one School Resource Officer .

A look Inside the Rifle Police Department

In addition to regular patrol duties, officers are encouraged to partner with residents and proactively address crime and problems in our community. 

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Patrol Division Responsibilities
The Patrol Division is responsible for protecting the City of Rifle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is accomplished in a number of ways including some of the following:
   
  • Respond to emergency calls including: medical emergencies, crimes in progress, and motor vehicle accidents
  • Patrol the neighborhoods in the City of Rifle in a marked patrol vehicle.
  • Provide extra patrol in traffic hot spots, and school zones.
  • Proactively investigate and prevent crimes.
  • Write and serve search warrants. 
  • Issue summonses.
  • Make arrests for law violations and arrest warrants.
  • Write reports, and testify in court as needed.

K-9 Unit

The K9 Team works alongside officers to respond to calls for service with a focus on intervening during in-progress crimes. 

The Rifle Police Department has one police dog, K9 Chuck, assigned to Corporal Edgar Lara, working on patrol, for narcotics detection.  Aside from public safety activity, the K9 Team is active in community outreach events and also conducts private demonstrations for schools, youth programs, and other organizations.

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Police Officer Duties & Training
Patrol Officers have lateral duties and specialized training in areas such as:
  • The All Hazards Response Team
  • Bike Patrol
  • Field Training Officer (FTO)
  • Clandestine Laboratory response (Meth Labs)
  • Hazardous Materials response (Haz-Mat)
Several of the Patrol Officers have achieved an instructor status in Law Enforcement and Public Safety skills including:
  • First Aid/CPR
  • Defensive Tactics
  • Intermediate Weapons (such as Tasers and Batons)
  • Firearms Instructors
  • Driving Instructors
  • DUI Detection
  • Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST or Roadside Maneuvers)
  • Accident Investigation

Requirements

Requirements for Police Officers differ from State to State. Officers in Colorado are required to be P.O.S.T. Certified, meeting the standards of training set by the State of Colorado. The Peace Officer Standards and Training Academy prepares someone to be hired by a law enforcement agency but their training continues once hired by the agency they will work for.

In the City of Rifle, a new Officer will enter an intensive 16 week Field Training Program. This program teaches the Officer geographical layout of the city, Rifle Municipal Codes, Rifle Police Department policy and procedures and reinforces the skills learned in an academy. At the conclusion of the 16 weeks, an Officer in training must show proficiency in all categories before being released on their own.

Officers also typically attend several various training courses every year, some to maintain proficiency and others to learn new skills.