About La Crosse Police Department

The La Crosse Police Department is a full service law enforcement agency organized into Field Service, Investigative Services, Community Services and Administrative Services. According to the La Crosse Police Department, “The Administrative Services Bureau includes the separate divisions of Records and Inquiry, Training, Communication, Court Services, Civilian Services, Parking Utility, Research, Property and Evidence. The Bureau is responsible for the accounting payroll, purchasing, planning, budgeting, reporting, communications and most other tasks that involve personnel or monies.

The Community Services Bureau is primarily responsible for community crime prevention education, news media relations, and school safety programming. They also provide staff and logistical support to the Patrol and Investigation Bureaus. Additionally, the Community Services Bureau is the administering bureau for the majority of grants in the Department. In 2006, the Community Services Bureau administered federal and state grants totaling over $350,000 which included such grants as the Justice Assistance Grant; Bullet Proof Vest Partnership Grant; G.R.E.A.T. Local; G.R.E.A.T. Regional; Volunteers in Police Service Grant; Anti-Stalking Grant as well as various Department of Transportation grants.

The Investigative Services Bureau is responsible for follow-up on all criminal cases initiated in the Field Services Bureau as well as those initiated by investigative staff. The Bureau is divided into three major divisions: general investigations, narcotics and juvenile crime and victimization. The Juvenile Division staff handles all juvenile related matters reported to the police department. The balance of the investigative staff is assigned to either general or narcotic investigations. All investigative sworn staff members are capable of performing specialized tasks, which allows considerable flexibility for follow-up on all types of criminal activity.

The field services bureau consists of three shifts; each commanded by a lieutenant and supervised by three sergeants, with support of a 4th shift of Alcohol, Compliance, and Enforcement (ACE) officers assisting with peak calls for service during the evening and early morning hours. Services provided include community policing, traffic enforcement, accident investigation, criminal investigation, special event public safety, honor guard duties and handling service-oriented calls with the public.”