Patrol Division

The Patrol Division is the backbone of the Florence Police Department. It is the largest and most visible function of the department; it is the front line where public safety law enforcement services are put into action. Patrol services are provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 week a year. All of the other divisions are structured to provide the maximum support for the Patrol Division. This division is supervised by two Sergeants, Harry Johnson and John Pitcher.

The Patrol Division patrols and responds to all calls for service within the incorporated area of the City of Florence taking appropriate action as necessary. Protecting our city is our top priority. We strive to do this in a respectful manner based on our commitment to excellence, our mission, and our values and beliefs.

Each Officer is empowered to respond to the best of their ability, training, and personal commitment to resolve the problems of our citizens and deal with any law enforcement emergency they may encounter.



Patrol Officers in Florence also have varied collateral duties such as but not limited to Field Training Officer, K-9 Officer, Fleet Maintenance, Drug Recognition Expert, Safety Officer, and various types of instruction responsibility, i.e. ASP, Chemical Agents, Firearms, Defensive Tactics, Safety Officer, and so on.

Service Level Goals

The Police Service Level Goals of the Florence Police Department are:

• Immediate response to high priority calls for service.
• Average response time to high priority calls for service less than 5 minutes.
• Respond to at least 75% of calls immediately when they are received.
• No call for service is held more than 30 minutes unless requested by caller.
• Some calls for police service generate a phone or other not in person contact.
• High profile/high visibility police patrol.
• At least 1 hour of police patrol in neighborhoods each shift.
• At least ½  hour of police patrol in commercial areas each shift.
• Patrol tactics include occasionally utilizing “walk and talks” and “knock and talks”.
• At least a half hour of non-call response contacts with citizens each week.
• At least 40% of all patrol officer’s time is not committed to activities (response to call or other safety related activities).
• Officers work with community members to identify crime problems and develop solutions.
• Officers use surveillance and stakeouts to address identified crime problems and apprehend offenders.
• Officers work with community groups and resources to address crime and safety problems.
• Drug enforcement is incorporated as a responsibility of patrol officers.
• Officers to respond to all reported traffic crashes in the public roadway and highways.
• Investigate traffic crashes only the collision results in injuries to a party, a citation being issued to a violator, or when an operator is deemed in need of reexamination by the Department of Motor Vehicles.