Portland Police Department | 109 Middle Street | Portland, Maine 04101 | (207) 874-8479
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department divisions

Uniformed Operations Group

Criminal Investigations Division

Administrative
The Portland Police Department is an organization of three main workgroups: Uniformed Operations Group (which includes the Patrol Division, the Community Services section, the Traffic Unit, Island Services, and Homeland Security), Criminal Investigations Division, and Administration.

UNIFORM OPERATIONS GROUP

The Patrol division is the backbone of the Department with the most recognizable division members in the city.  Officers assigned to the patrol division are assigned to one of six teams and provide around the clock service to Portland residents, employees, and visitors.  All of the patrol teams are comprised of proactive officers that have a strong desire to serve the community.  The dedication of these officers to serve the community is not only demonstrated in their daily responsibilities but in their desire to be involved in one of the Department's specialty assignments.

PATROL SERVICES

Directed Patrol

The Portland Police Department has both day and evening directed patrol teams. These teams are staffed by individuals with a strong commitment to proactive policing, crime prevention, and working with the community. Members of these teams regularly conduct warrant and bail checks, knock and talks, undercover drug operations, and prostitution stings. Officers on these teams may be in uniform or plain clothes and seek to target and eliminate specific crime problems. These officers work to combat crime throughout the city wherever, and whenever, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Although you may see these dedicated officers in your area, they are not your beat officer and will only remain in your neighborhood until a crime problem is eliminated.

Traffic Unit

Officers assigned to the traffic unit are responsible for enforcing traffic laws throughout the city but specifically targeting traffic problems as they arise. For example, it is not unusual to see an officer from the traffic unit following school buses in the fall due to the number of people that will pass a stopped school bus as children are boarding or crossing the street to go home at the end of the day.  These officers are also involved in investigating all hit and run accidents and serious accidents including fatal accidents that occur in the city.

Is speeding an issue on your street? Do people fail to stop at the stop sign at the corner?  We want to know! Click here  to email the traffic sergeant or call the traffic unit at 874-8532 so an officer can respond to your concerns.

Jetport

Officers assigned to the Jetport work with TSA to ensure the security of flights in and out of the Jetport. One of the Portland Police Department's K9 teams primary assignments is to the Jetport because of the canine's ability to detect explosives. In addition, officers also  enforce local laws and assist people in distress.

Island services

The Island services unit provides police patrol services to Peaks Island and is the only island in Casco Bay to receive 24 hour service. Due to the distinctive characteristics of island living officers that are assigned to Peaks Island also have some unique characteristics. Not only are the men and women assigned to the island trained police officers, but also as firefighters and emergency medical technicians. Peaks Island officers are well-equipped to deal with all types of emergencies but engaged in prevention techniques and building relationships with residents in hopes to prevent those emergencies from occurring.

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION (CID)

After patrol officers respond to a crime scene, they forward their preliminary investigation findings to the members of the CID. This division contains 32 personnel and is divided into six specialty areas: crimes against people, crimes against property, intelligence, forensics, narcotics and vice, and court services. The detective will work with the victim and witnesses in an effort to develop information that may lead to the identification of the suspect. The detective works with other members of the PPD, surrounding agencies, and evidence technicians to bring the case to a successful resolution. With its highly-trained evidence technicians, Portland’s CID is one of only two in the state that conducts its own homicide investigations.

SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENTS

SRT team

The Department is fortunate to have a highly skilled group of officers that volunteer to be a part of the Portland Police Special Reaction Team. The team was formed in 1984 and has evolved from a small unit of 8 individuals to a 27 member team composed of negotiators, paramedics and a counter sniper unit.  This team is assigned to some of the most dangerous situations in which officer assistance is required.   Although members are in top physical condition and trained to use a variety of weapons, these officers are just as skilled at methods of communication designed to de-escalate problems to ensure a safe resolution to any crisis.

K9 Unit

The Portland Police Department's canines are trained in all facets of patrol work to include: tracking criminals, missing persons, narcotics detection, evidence recovery, and explosive detection.  The Department's dogs are extremely loyal and valuable partners with additional training to fiercely protect their handlers. The mere presence of a police dog at a scene not  only prevents crimes but also makes the job of policing that much easier for all of Portland's officers.   Occasionally. an offender may out run an officer but they don't out run the Department's police dogs.

Meet our  K9 units

Officer Stickney & Taz
Officer Cole & Kaine
Officer Coyne & Tony
Officer Reagan and Trixie
Officer Hawley & Dustin
Officer Small & Quincy

Hazardous Devices Unit

The Hazardous Devices Unit was started in 2005 with the assistance of federal grants. The HDU has 6 members consisting of a Captain, Lieutenant and four patrol officers.  All of the members are FBI certified bomb technicians. This team is  equipped with advanced technology and trained to remove and/or render safe suspected explosive material, improvised explosive devices (IED's), incendiary devices and ordinance. The team has responded to more than two dozen suspicious and/or actual explosive calls for service to include look-a-like devices, chemical bombs, hand grenades and pipe bombs. Under the mutual aid agreement amongst area communities, the HDU team responds to any requests for service within and around the greater Portland area.


Dive Team

The Portland Police Department maintains a highly specialized Public Safety
Dive Team established in 1989. This Unit is comprised of five officers, a
supervisor and a civilian trainer/dive safety officer. Since its inception,
Portland’s Public Safety Dive Team has responded to any situation requiring
underwater search and recovery capability, often in conjunction with federal and
state agencies. These activities have resulted in the recovery of bodies,
vehicles, safes, weapons and other evidence used by the Department to meet its
mission.

Each diving member of the team has complete hundreds of hours of specialized
training and received certifications in areas of SCUBA Rescue, Search and
Recovery Diving, Public Safety Diving and Law Enforcement Diving. Each diving
member of the team undergoes monthly training in various aspects of underwater
activities and is evaluated on their aquatic capability to respond to
underwater missions. With Portland’s waterfront location, this team is of vital
importance to the Department and the City of Portland.

Training-Body Recovery
Training-Weapon Recovery
Scooter Training

 

ADMINISTRATION

The Administrative Division is comprised of the Department’s command staff and the Chief’s civilian management team who all ensure that the Department is operating efficiently, meeting goals, and proactively targeting problems. These key roles work with the Chief to ensure that the needs of residents, business owners, community leaders and patrol officers are addressed. The administration includes internal affairs, risk management, legal services, planning and research, human resources, and finance. This group of personnel reports directly to the Chief of Police and works closely to keep the command staff up-to-date on developments within each division of the Department.