Police Patrol Services
Vacation House Watch program
As a service to residents Coppell Police Department is pleased to provide its residents with the Vacation House Watch program. This program is available to residents who plan to be out of town for an extended period of time. Homeowners can request a vacation house watch and a police officer will check the residence to ensure the premises are secure. Vacation House Watches are limited to a two week time period and are subject to officer availability. To request a Vacation House Watch please fill out the online Vacation House Watch Request form. If you are returning early and wish to cancel your Vacation House Watch please notify police dispatch at 972-304-3610.Vacation House Watch Request
Directed Patrol Request
SOLICITORS PERMITS
| Current Solicitors Permits List | Current Handbill Distribution Permit List |
The city of Coppell's Code of Ordinance Chapter 6, Article 6-2 provides rules and regulations on how solicitors and peddlers can operate within the city limits.
Registration Required
No person, directly or through an agent, shall solicit in person from house-to-house in the city to sell or attempt to sell goods, merchandise, wares, services, or anything of value or to take or attempt to take orders for the future delivery of goods, merchandise, wares, or any personal property of any nature whatsoever, or take or attempt to take orders for services to be furnished or performed in the future, without first having obtained a written permit, or to solicit funds for charitable purposes without first having registered with the city.
Obtaining a Solicitor's Permit
All persons desiring to solicit door-to-door must appear in person at the Coppell Police Department, 130 Town Center Blvd., Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and complete the necessary paperwork. Background checks will be conducted on individuals who will be soliciting goods or services. A non-refundable, $25 permit fee will be due upon submittal of each application. After review of the registration or permit application, the City has ten working days to either issue a certificate of registration or permit, or notify the applicant that the application for registration or permit does not comply with the requirements of the Ordinance.
Obtaining a Handbill Distributor's Permit
All persons desiring to distribute handbills door-to-door must appear in person at the Coppell Police Department, 130 Town Center Blvd., Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm and complete the necessary paperwork. Background checks will be conducted on individuals who will be distributing handbills. There is no charge associated with the handbill distribution application. After review of the registration or permit application, the City has ten working days to either issue a certificate of registration or permit, or notify the applicant that the application for registration or permit does not comply with the requirements of the Ordinance.
Solicitations for Charitable Purposes
All persons desiring to solicit funds for charitable purposes or sale of merchandise to raise funds for charitable purposes shall file a registration statement with the chief of police. This includes the solicitation of funds or sale of merchandise, goods, or wares for charitable purposes. While registration is required, permits will not be needed or issued.
Solicitations for Non-Charitable Purposes
Individuals, businesses or groups soliciting funds or goods for profit must also fill out a registration form with the chief of police. After review of the registration or permit application, and if the registrant meets the criteria as outlined by the Ordinance, City staff will issue a certificate of registration or permit which contains an expiration date listing the final date a for-profit solicitor may go door-to-door for that request. This information MUST be physically displayed on the upper front portion of the solicitor.
Soliciting in Rights-of-Way
No charitable solicitation may be conducted upon or within the right-of-way of I.H. 635, S.H. 121, MacArthur Blvd., Belt Line Rd., Southwestern Blvd., Denton Tap Rd., Sandy Lake Rd., or the intersections of any of the above named streets, or any other highway, a state highway, or farm-to-market road.
Soliciting on Private Property
Handbill distributors are required to remain on the sidewalks and public right of ways at all times. A solicitor must use the public sidewalk and paved approach to the front entrance of the dwelling/establishment and shall not cut across private property.
Acceptable Solicitiation Times
All persons canvassing or soliciting door-to-door, for charitable and non-charitable reasons may not do so before 9 am or after 30 minutes following sunset, Monday through Saturday, or at any time on a Sunday or on an official holiday.
"No Soliciting" Signs
Any person, desiring that no merchant solicit on their property may post a sign in a conspicuous location on or near his main entrance, a weather-proof card not less than three by four inches in size containing the words "NO SOLICITORS." No soliciting includes any person engaged in a, charitable or non-charitable, solicitation, placement of handbills or other advertisement, and those who are canvassing.
Merchandise
It shall be unlawful for any person to peddle, solicit, sell, offer for sale, or exhibit for sale any merchandise upon any public sidewalk, street, street right-of-way, parkway, or other public right-of-way. This does not include mobile vending. Mobile vending is addressed in the Ordinance. Mobile vendors are advised to review this portion of the code.
Canvassing
The amendment also defines canvassing as someone who examines or discusses in detail; to make subject of discussion or debate; goes through places or among people asking, requesting or engaging for vote/opinions concerning religious, political or other topics of public concern. Canvassers must adhere to the hours that soliciting is allowed, as well as the locations where they can solicit with regards to no soliciting signs.
Handbills on Public Property
The Ordinance says, "It shall be unlawful for any person to paste, stick, or place any advertisement, handbill, placard, printed, pictures or written matter or any device for advertising purposes upon any fence, railing, sidewalk, telephone, electric light or public utility pole, or other public property . . ."
CITY OF COPPELL ALARM PERMIT program
Obtain a new permit or renew online
If you have questions about the Alarm Permit Program please contact PMAM Corporation, at 877-874-6884, Monday - Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm, or visit cityalarmpermit.com for more information.
False alarms cost the City and its citizens thousands of dollars each year and take police officers away from actual emergencies. In 2011, the Coppell Police Department responded to more than 1,600 false alarms.
In an effort to prevent unnecessary emergency false alarm responses the Coppell City Council adopted a revised alarm ordinance located in Emergency Alarm Systems, Chapter 9, Article 9-12 of the City of Coppell Municipal Code. The alarm ordinance establishes regulations for the use and operation of alarm systems within the city. A permit is required for each alarm site and each type of alarm system in residential dwellings and in businesses. Permits must be obtained within 30 days of installation and renewed annually.
Each permit application must contain the name, address, and telephone number of the person who is responsible for the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm system and payment of fees or charges levied under this article. Each permit application must also contain the name, address, and telephone number of at least two persons who are able and have agreed to receive notification from a member of the Coppell Police Department or Coppell Fire Department at any time and to come to the alarm site within 40 minutes after receiving such notification.
An alarm permit cannot be transferred to another person. However, the individual designated to respond to an alarm or relay an alarm (such as your alarm company) may be changed. A permit holder must inform the City of any change that alters information listed on the permit application. No fee will be assessed for such changes.
A residential alarm permit registration fee of $30 will be collected for first-time permit applications. Annual residential renewal fees are $20. Residential alarm permits must be renewed annually approximately 365 days after the initial registration or last renewal date. A first-time business residential alarm permit fee is $50 and the annual renewal fee is $50. All fees are non-refundable. It is the responsibility of the permit holder to pay the renewal fee prior to the expiration date of the permit.
If any permit holder has multiple false alarms in the twelve month period, the holder shall be assessed a service fee for the alarms.
- 4 to 6 false alarms - $50 each assessed fee
- 7 to 9 false alarms - $75 each assessed fee
- More than 9 false alarms - $100 each assessed fee
A permit holder must pay any service fee assessed under the provisions of the Ordinance within 15 days after receipt of notice.
The City shall not consider an alarm notification to be false if it is determined that the alarm was caused by; A) A natural or man-made catastrophe; B) Severe weather that causes physical damage to the premises; C) Vandalism; D) Telephone line outage; or E) Attempted entry or attempted robbery.
In high-risk of loss of life occupancies such as hotels, motels, hospitals, nursing homes, residential care facilities, educational uses, including daycare centers and theaters where a fire alarm was: (i) Caused by undetermined means, or (ii) Caused by conditions not under control of the building management such as manual false alarms, or smoking, the determination of the director in classifying an alarm notification as false or actual is final.
In addition, in an effort to reduce false alarms and increase administrative efficiency PMAM Corporation has been hired to implement and administer the City of Coppell’s Alarm Permit Program. As of May 1, 2012, PMAM administers the management of alarm permits and false alarm fees. Permit applications and renewals are easily accessed online.
If you have questions about the Alarm Permit Program please contact PMAM Corporation, at 877-874-6884, Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm, or visit cityalarmpermit.com for more information
POLICE RIDE ALONG PROGRAM
The department shall perform a records check and criminal history check on any applicant for ride-along. A person shall not ride unless approval has been granted and the waiver completed. Approval will be for no more than one specific eight hour period unless special limitations or extensions are granted by the Chief of Police or Deputy Chief. No individual shall be granted permission for a repeat observation ride within a 12 month period. Hours of observation are limited to 7 am until 11 pm. Males will wear slacks and shirt with collar. Jeans are not appropriate attire. Close toed shoes are required. Females will wear dresses or slacks and blouses. Jeans are not appropriate attire. Close toed shoes are required.
- The observer must follow directions of the host officer.
- The observer may be required to appear as witness in court.
- The observer may end the ride whenever he or she wishes.
RACIAL PROFILING POLICY
** CPD GENERAL ORDER NO. 100.003 (XI)
Coppell Police Officers are strictly prohibited from engaging in racial profiling. Racial profiling is defined as a law enforcement-initiated action based on an individual's race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than on the individual's behavior or on information identifying the individual as having engaged in criminal activity.
Any person who believes they are a victim of racial profiling is urged to speak with an on-duty supervisor at 972-304-3610. We would prefer to speak with you in person but all complaints will be addressed regardless of the manner they are received. If the matter proves to be more serious in nature, Texas state law requires that the complaint be signed and in writing. A brochure on how to file this complaint is available at the police department or can be downloaded from this web site.
To maintain a professional and impartial relationship with motorists stopped for traffic violations, the Coppell Police Department has equipped every vehicle used for enforcement with an audio/video recording system. Officers are required to activate the cameras during all traffic and pedestrian stops and the recording is available for review by supervisors in the event of a complaint.
An annual analysis of traffic stops that result in a citation or arrest is completed each year and submitted to the City Council by March 1. A copy of the annual report is also forwarded to the Coppell Public Library for citizen review.
English and Spanish Brochures on Racial Profiling and complaint procedures.