About the Howard County
Police Department
The two largest divisions with
the Howard County Police Department are the Patrol Division and the Criminal Investigation Division. Patrol operations are
divided into two districts, Northern and Southern. The districts each are managed by a District Commander and are divided
into platoons of officers that work 12-hour day and night shifts. These patrol officers respond to the community’s calls
for service, enforce traffic and criminal laws, address community needs and initiate actions based on their own observations
The Criminal Investigations Bureau
(CIB)is comprised of two components: the Criminal Investigations Division and the Vice and Narcotics Division. The bureau
serves as the primary investigative arm of the department. The CIB is committed to solving those cases that have the greatest
impact on the safety of residents, from crimes of violence to felony drug violations.
Two-thirds of the bureau’s
detectives work within the six primary components of the Criminal Investigations Division. These detectives investigate violent
and property crimes, present cases to the Grand Jury, maintain a liaison with the State’s Attorney’s Office, compile
and analyze pawn shop activity, conduct polygraph examinations and coordinate the Repeat Offender Program. The Criminal Investigation
Division of CIB includes: Violent Crimes Section; Child Abuse/Sexual Assault Section; Property Crimes Section; Special Investigations
Section; and, Warrant/Fugitive Section
The Howard County Police Department
also has a K9 Unit, Aviation Unit, Bike Patrol, Traffic Enforcement Section, Youth Division, Communications Division and Volunteer
Police Auxiliary. The members of the Tactical (TAC) Section are specially trained
and equipped to handle a variety of high-risk situations and emergencies. In 2005, the section, comprised of 7 full-time and
16 de-centralized members, executed 46, high-risk search and seizure warrants and vehicle take-downs. TAC Section officers
safely handled 8 barricade situations throughout the year and, during the course of a Federal investigation into MS-13, executed
19 search warrants on known members in July.
Source:
co.ho.md.us/Police/PD_
insidehcpd.htm
