About the Mobile Police Department
The Mobile Police Department is organized into
three large bureaus: The Administrative Services Bureau; Support Services Bureau; and, the Field Operations Bureau.
The Support Services Bureau contains the Investigative Operations Division, Support Services Division and Intelligence
Unit.
Included within the Administrative
Services Bureau are the Legal Advocate, Internal Affairs and the Administrative Services Division. According
to the Mobile Police Department, “The Administrative Services Section is key in determining the allocation of resources
and the focus of the Police Department through its Planning & Research Unit. All departmental policies flow from this
unit, which is charged with forecasting trends and setting the department's strategic goals. In this respect, Planning
and Research is the driving force of the Police Department, compiling valuable data that is deployed to better serve all the
diverse neighborhoods of the City of Mobile. Every three years, the Planning & Research Unit undertakes the difficult
task of amassing a wealth of data to attain national accreditation. It is a distinction that shows the department has complied
with 459 standards governing policy procedures, management, and operations and support services. The accrediting agency, the
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, follows up with on-site inspections.”
The Field Operations Bureau contains the Field Operations
Division, Special Operations Division and COMSTAT/Crime Analysis Unit, According to
the Mobile Police Department, “The Field Operations Division commander is tasked with the oversight of all the patrol
work in the five precincts and the police jurisdiction. The patrol officers, in turn, are responsible for hundreds of thousands
of calls for service each year from the citizens who depend upon them for their safety and well-being.
The precincts are divided into smaller units
known as beats. There are 42 beats patrolled by members of the Field Operations Division around the clock each and every day
of the year. The Mobile Police Department attempts to build relationships between the police and citizens by limiting changes
in beat assignments. Familiarity with their beat territory allows the officers to get to know their residents and the safety
issues specific to their beats. A police officer at the rank of major commands the Field Operations Division.
The major over Field Operations reports to the deputy chief of the Field Operations Bureau.
Each precinct is commanded by a captain who works under the
major of the Field Operations Division. Each of the precincts has a General Patrol Unit composed of our men and women who
patrol the streets 24 hours a day.”
Source:
cityofmobile.org/mobilepd