Operations

The Operations Division comprises activities directly related to field enforcement. In addition to the patrol function, this division encompasses:

  • Field Training Program
  • Reserve Officer Program
  • Traffic Bureau
  • Mobile Command Post

Patrol

The primary responsibility of the Patrol Bureau is to ensure the safety and security of the community. Combining traditional enforcement with creative problem-solving strategies, the Patrol Bureau responds to calls for service, as our motto states, "Every Hour, Every Day." As the most visible representatives of the Police Department, patrol officers prioritize customer service while preventing crime, enforcing laws, and apprehending criminals. With an average response time to emergency calls of under 3 minutes, the Department is among the quickest, if not the fastest, in the county.

Managing resources to maximize efficiency, ensuring officer safety, and providing the best professional customer service possible are the cornerstones of the Department's effective service. The Department collaborates with Seal Beach and Cypress to ensure an exceptional response to high-risk incidents. Sharing a common radio frequency and mapped command boards allows the watch commanders of all three cities to assess available resources for critical incidents.

Training

The training of new officers and ongoing professional development is overseen by the Operations Captain and the Training Manager.

School Resource Officer

A School Resource Officer (SRO) is assigned to all of the schools in the Los Alamitos Unified School District in the City of Los Alamitos. The SRO provides a consistent presence and a unique ability to resolve interpersonal school issues using positive, proactive methods, often mitigating situations before they escalate into problems.

Traffic

Although the City of Los Alamitos is only 4.3 square miles in size, it encompasses more than 29 miles of roadway. The main arterial roadways carry a volume of traffic that averages more than 170,000 vehicles per day through the city. The intersection of Los Alamitos Boulevard and Katella Avenue is one of the busiest in Orange County. With a population of approximately 12,000, the majority of this is commuter traffic. A comprehensive traffic program is overseen by a sergeant. By integrating public safety campaigns with targeted enforcement, the Department is effective in mitigating many traffic issues.

Routine traffic enforcement is provided by police officers assigned to patrol. The Traffic Bureau is responsible for enforcing traffic laws, investigating collisions, and educating the community about traffic safety. Although minor collision investigations are handled by patrol officers, major and fatal collision investigations are conducted by specially trained members of the interagency Serious Traffic Accident Response (STAR) Team. Parking Control and Red Light Photo Enforcement are also part of the Traffic Bureau.