ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
DIVISION COMMANDER: CAPTAIN Anthony Maurer
The Coppell Police Department’s Administrative Division is comprised of three distinct sections: Administrative, Communications, and Animal Services. There are twenty three people in the division with five assigned to the Administrative Section, thirteen assigned to Communications, and five assigned to Animal Services.
The Administrative Section is responsible for a variety of different functions for the department including fleet operations, hiring, recruiting, training, field training, crime prevention, public information and media relations, victim’s assistance, grants, internal affairs, operation of the SafeLight Coppell program, and quartermaster. The section facilitates the department’s National Night Out program, which has been recognized as one of the best programs in the nation on numerous occasions. The section is currently engaged in the best practices certification process to be recognized by the Texas Police Chief’s Association Texas Law Enforcement Recognition Program.
The Communications Section is a Public Safety Answering Point (911 call center) responsible for maintaining communications for the police, fire, paramedic, and emergency management functions of the city of Coppell. The section is staffed and in operation twenty four hours a day, seven days a week year round. Members of the Communications Section answer calls for service from citizens, businesses, and other law enforcement agencies, ultimately dispatching via radio and computer the appropriate public safety agency resources to respond to routine and emergency calls for assistance.
The Animal Services Section is responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for the citizens of Coppell and their pets. The personnel of the section are responsible for the operation of the city’s Animal Shelter where pets can be adopted, stray pets are kept, and animals can be held in quarantine if required. The Animal Services staff also takes a proactive approach to patrol the city to address violations of the city’s ordinance concerning safe and responsible pet ownership, taking enforcement action as is necessary.
PATROL DIVISION
DIVISION COMMANDER: CAPTAIN Eric Debus
The Patrol Division consists of thirty-five sworn officers with two supervisors (one Sergeant and one Corporal) assigned to each shift. Manpower is then further divided into four twelve-hour patrol shifts. In addition to these assignments, the division also utilizes a five-member Traffic Unit, whose primary focus is the enforcement of local/state traffic laws and investigating accidents. Duties performed by the patrol division include:
Responding to 911 calls for service (assaults in progress, criminal mischiefs, burglary of habitation, alarms including business and residential, loud noise disturbance, family violence, reckless driving ...).
Initial investigation of crime scenes.
Traffic Enforcement and Accident Investigation.
DWI enforcement.
Preparation of written incident and information reports.
Preparation of Case Reports for submission to the District Attorney.
Testimony before County Grand Juries, County Criminal Courts, Municipal Courts and Family Law Courts (on occasion).
High visibility beat patrol (the City of Coppell is divided into four "beats", each beat has an assigned Police Officer).
Vacation House Watch checks.
Preventive Maintenance checks on Police Equipment.
Operation of Police Department radio and computer mobile data systems.
Operation of departmental intoxilyzer.
Maintaining a current knowledge of State and Local criminal statutes.
Maintaining a current knowledge of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
Maintaining a current knowledge Departmental and City Written Directives.
Crime Prevention checks of business and residential properties.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
DIVISION COMMANDER: CAPTAIN BILL KNACK
The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is comprised of eighteen personnel. These officers staff the Detective Unit, the Special Investigations Unit, the School Resource Officer Unit, the Crime Analysis Unit, and the Property/Evidence Unit. CID personnel also handle the registration of convicted sex offenders, provide coordination for the local Crime Stoppers program, lead the department's Honor Guard detail, and manage the department's Police Explorer Post.
For comments or concerns, please contact Sergeant John Rebman at 972-304-3598.
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Submit a tip! You will remain anonymous.
Special Investigations Unit Phone Number: 972-304-7009
Mission: To provide the citizens of Coppell a proactive resource in combating the distribution and sale of illegal narcotics. To develop information that identifies narcotics offenders with ties to Coppell. To provide a resource to the Criminal Investigations Division for episodic or extreme criminal activity.To utilize proactive measures to arrest and prosecute offenders.
SCOPE OF ENFORCEMENT
Major thoroughfares such as IH 635 and SH 121 bring thousands of people through our community on a daily basis. While all of the cases investigated by our SIU have some formal or informal tie to Coppell, investigative leads do require detectives to leave the borders of our city in order to surveil, arrest and successfully prosecute criminal narcotics offenders. This "global" approach allows Coppell to minimize the direct impact on our community while continuing to hold offenders accountable, no matter where they live or work. In addition to narcotics enforcement, the SIU assists the Criminal Investigations Division concerning episodic crimes and conducts checks of community businesses that sell alcohol and tobacco (thus limiting the illegal sale of these products to our youth). Provided below are Unit statistics from 2012. These statistics are compiled quarterly and presented directly to the City Manager's Office and the Coppell City Council.
DETECTIVE UNIT
Sergeant Bill Camp who reviews, evaluates and prioritizes all criminal cases within the City of Coppell. These cases are then assigned to one of the unit detectives. Typical duties for Police Detectives include:
contacting and interviewing Complainants on assigned cases.
determining the identity of criminal suspects.
preparing probable cause affidavits for arrest and search warrants.
executing arrest and search warrants for Coppell offenders when possible.
preparing case reports for the district attorneys office.
testifying before Grand Jury's and Criminal Courts of Law.
locating and returning Complainant property.
assisting other law enforcement agencies when required.
assisting crime victims with understanding the judicial process.
In addition to Unit detectives, a crime analyst provides investigative support through statistical analysis and criminal intelligence gathering and dissemination. Another detective is assigned to manage all property and evidence maintained by the Coppell Police Department.
School Resource Officers
School Resource Officers (SRO’s) serve as liaisons
between the Coppell Police Department
and the Coppell Independent School District.
Their primary functions include: providing security
and fostering a safe learning environment
for all students. They accomplish this by providing
a highly visible police presence at the High
School and Middle School Campuses to which
they are assigned. In their capacities as Police
Officers, SRO’s Investigate reports of possible
criminal activity and take enforcement action
when necessary.
The presence of a Police Officer on school campuses
can be a strong deterrent to criminal activity.
Also, a uniformed Police Officer in the
schools can be an encouragement to students
to befriend a positive role model.
In addition to their primary functions, SRO’s promote safety
and wellness to all students through education. The Middle
School SRO’s are assigned to the feeder Elementary Schools
and visit these campuses regularly. SRO’s offer programs
and presentations in the areas of: drug and alcohol awareness,
bullying and cyber-bulling, and stranger danger.
If you are unable to contact the SRO’s, please contact Sgt. Albert Moreno at
972-304-3565. For non-emergency police response please contact Police Communications at 972-304-3610.
For emergency response, Dial 911.
HONOR GUARD
The Honor Guard is an all volunteer unit that represents the Coppell Police Department. The Honor Guard has eight highly professional and motivated members that serve in addition to their normal duties. The Honor Guard has represented the Coppell Police Department at police funerals, memorial ceremonies, and other formal functions all over the state of Texas.
This unit is supervised by Sgt. Kirk Smith. For more information about the Coppell Police Department's Honor Guard please contact Sgt. Smith.