The
permanent Smithfield Police Department was established in
1950.
It has progressed from its
meager beginning
with three
full-time officers and one patrol car to its present complement
of 41 sworn police officers, 19 civilian employees and
modernized fleet of
vehicles.
The Department now operates with administrative, uniform,
detective, record and computer divisions in its organizational
format. The Department is one of the most respected law
enforcement agencies in the state, and is headquartered in a
two-level building on four acres overlooking the Stillwater
Reservoir.
It houses a
three-cell, lock-up facility
and a
full-service, police maintenance garage.
In recent years the emphasis of the Department has shifted from
a traditional law enforcement role to a more pro-active,
community policing style to better serve its citizenry.
During the
last thirteen years, the Department has fully computerized all
operations. A new IMC computerized dispatching, reporting and
e-mail software package was acquired and implemented, along with
new computerized links to the Rhode Island State Police (RILETS)
and the FBI (NCIC). In addition, we have equipped all of our
patrol vehicles for supervisors and patrol officers with
state-of-the-art mobile data terminals
that allow immediate access to federal, state and local files.
The front communication center
has also been completely renovated.
The
Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies
(CALEA) awarded National Reaccreditation to the
Department for the second time in March of 2007. To attain this
goal, the Department satisfied 459 professional standards. These
awards, along with our initial National Accreditation Award in
2001,
are significant accomplishments which reflect the Department’s
continued pride, dedication, and professionalism. We now have a
formal Policy and Procedures Manual that provides all employees
with an easily accessible, centralized source of policies,
procedures, rules and regulations; a manual that is logically
arranged by subject matter and tabbed for easy use; and lastly,
a manual that raises the professionalism and accountability of
the Department and its employees.
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The
Department has also embarked on an aggressive Capital
Improvement Program to improve equipment and facilities.
Improvements include: the construction of a
free-standing police maintenance garage
in the rear parking lot, replacement of existing firearms,
establishment of Computer Network Administrator’s position,
acquisition of a marine patrol boat, off-road patrol vehicle and
breathalyzer machine through grant funds, repaving, lining,
fencing and illuminating the rear parking lot, installation of a
new generator, electrical system and telephone system, and
revamping the HVAC system.
The U.S.
Department of Justice/COPS Office awarded five grants to the
Department resulting in the hiring of
two full-time
community policing officers, a full-time juvenile
officer, a full-time school resource officer, along with the
installation of mobile data terminals in all patrol vehicles.
The
Department created and established a Written Directive System,
mandatory 40-hour, in-service training program,
a mandatory management-training program for all commissioned and
non-commissioned officers, a formalized Field Training Officer
Program, a Performance Evaluation Management System, employee
job descriptions and upgrades to its local area network through
additional computer workstations.
In addition,
we’ve also created a marine boat and beach patrol to establish a
police presence on the local ponds and beaches, and an off-road
vehicle patrol. We’ve also added a
second DARE Officer
and a School Resource Officer in the local school system. We’ve
reinstated the Boy Scouts of America Law Enforcement Explorers
Post Program, established “Project Safe Return” to provide
immediate emergency information to assist the safe and speedy
return of children, the elderly, or handicapped individuals at
risk should they become lost due to separation from a caregiver,
and created a Student Internship Program to afford college
students the opportunity to explore careers in law enforcement,
while providing practical experience that generates college
credits.
The vision
of the Smithfield Police Department is to be recognized as the
most professional, well-respected, highly trained, proactive,
community-oriented municipal law enforcement agency in Rhode
Island.
The mission
of the Smithfield Police Department is to establish and maintain
a proactive partnership with residents and business owners to
work together in solving problems facing our community. The
success of this mission depends upon a continuous effort to
increase awareness and develop higher levels of trust and
understanding among police officers and their community.
In
furthering this partnership, we pledge our dedication and
diligence in protecting life, liberty and property; preserving
the peace; and enforcing laws and ordinances. We are committed
to improving all aspects of public safety, reducing the fear and
incidence of crime, extending and improving our community
programs, and maintaining the highest degree of respect for
individual rights and human dignity. We are committed to
honoring the sacred public trust by ensuring that the Smithfield
Police Department adheres to the highest professional law
enforcement standards. We shall continuously strive toward
attaining excellence, removing barriers to communication, and
providing our employees with effective leadership, supervision
and training in a quality work environment.
