The Uniform Patrol Division is often called “the backbone of the police department”. This is primarily due to the necessary and critical functions that the officers assigned to this division handle on a daily basis. These officers work in every type of weather imaginable, every day of the year, every hour of the day. They are on the front line and wear easily identifiable uniforms and drive marked police cars so the citizens they serve can identify them in a moment’s notice. These officers are often the first to arrive on the scene of any 911 call and through proactive patrol techniques, they routinely discover criminal activities in progress. They must gather facts and conduct detailed investigations that will be critical for the case to move forward to a successful prosecution or closure.
The Uniformed Patrol Division is commanded by Lieutenant Brian Hunt, who is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the division. Lieutenant Hunt currently has 31 years of law enforcement service, with 22 of those years having been served with the Acworth Police Department. Lieutenant Hunt has held many positions with Acworth including, Jail Administrator, Community Relations Liaison, Patrol Supervisor, and most recently Training Division Supervisor.
The Uniform Patrol Division is an operational component of the Acworth Police Department and is the largest division of our department. Its main function is to provide all law enforcement patrol and related duties to the citizens of Acworth twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. The division operates with four Patrol Shifts staffed with a sufficient number of patrol officers who work twelve-hour shifts. Each patrol shift is supervised by a sergeant and an assistant supervisor/FTO that holds the rank of corporal. Each patrol officer is assigned a vehicle equipped with the latest law enforcement technology with digital in-car video cameras and laptop computers. The computers enable officers to receive dispatch calls for service, complete reports while remaining visible, complete warrant checks though GCIC and NCIC, and check vehicle and driver’s license status. The digital in-car cameras are the latest technology with pre-event recording and crash activation.
The functional responsibilities of the Uniform Patrol Division include, but are not limited to:
- Provide Community Oriented Policing at the highest level
- Protection of life and property
- Enforcement of all laws and ordinances
- Preservation of the peace and public order
- Identification of criminal offenders and criminal activity
- Apprehension of offenders
- General traffic services and enforcement
The Uniform Patrol Division Commander reports directly to the Field Operations Commander and the Chief of Police.