Uniform DivisionMembers of the uniform division patrol geographic zones and respond to, or initiate calls for service. They conduct preliminary investigations, enforce traffic laws, and make arrests as necessary to protect and serve the citizens of this community. The uniform patrol division contains four patrol shifts that work in twelve-hour increments. A lieutenant, sergeant and corporal supervise each shift. The patrol division also contains the traffic, motor, marine, and K-9 units.
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Patrol
The Patrol Division is responsible for policing approximately 17,000 residents and the 13 square miles which makes up the city of Vero Beach. The city limits are broken into three zones, which consist of east, west and beachside.
Special Enforcement Division
Traffic Enforcement Unit
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The Traffic Enforcement Unit is responsible for enforcing all traffic related issues within the city limits of Vero Beach. The unit utilizes specialized traffic equipment such as laser radar guns and the computerized speed enforcement trailer. The unit is also responsible for investigating all traffic accidents and related fatalities within the city.
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Animal Control
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The Animal Control Officer is responsible for the enforcement of all city ordinances regarding domestic and exotic birds and animals. It is also responsible for maintaining a low stray animal population.
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Parking Enforcement
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The Parking Enforcement Unit is responsible for enforcing state and local parking laws. This responsibility includes both the mainland and beach-side communities within the corporate city limits of Vero Beach.
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Critical Response Team (CRT)
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The Critical Response Team (CRT) is a highly trained group of ten officers, all of whom are expertly proficient in the use of specialized tactics and sophisticated weapon systems. The CRT was created to solve concerns becoming more prevalent in contemporary society. Operating under the direction of the Captain and directly supervised by Lt. Philip Huddy, CRT services are used during activities seen as high risk or necessitating extraordinary levels of expertise to successfully manage.
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Motor Unit
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The Vero Beach Police Department Motor Unit current primary function is traffic enforcement. This unit is also responsible for traffic crash investigation, escorts, parades, and other special events.
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K-9 Unit
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The Vero Beach Police Department currently uses 2 specially trained German Shepherd dog to work alongside their handlers. Our K-9 officer and their partner attended over 400 hours of specialized training in patrol work which allows them to be used for various duties.
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Marine Unit
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This officer operates a 20 foot police boat and is responsible for the enforcement of various state marine and boating laws, promoting water safety, and marine life preservation.
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Detective Division |
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The Vero Beach Police Department Detective division is comprised of two general areas of expertise.
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General Crimes
This unit is responsible for the investigation of all crimes including criminal mischief to homicide. It is comprised of four detectives who handle all cases assigned for investigation excluding financial crimes.
Cases involving financial or identity theft are investigated by a specially trained investigator.
Cases involving financial or identity theft are investigated by a specially trained investigator.
Special Investigations Unit
This unit is primarily responsible for "vice" related crimes within the city limits.
Crime Scene
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The Crime Scene Unit consists of highly trained technicians, all of whom are expertly proficient in the use of specialized equipment and procedures associated with forensic identification based techniques. The CSU was created to address concerns that have become more prevalent in today’s society.
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Property and Evidence
The Property and Evidence technician is responsible for maintaining and ensuring the integrity in the chain of possession. This information is maintained in a computer data system, that includes cases that range from simple vandalism to homicide.
Professional Standards |
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The Professional Standards division keeps the police department connected to the community. Professional Standards encompasses emergency and non-emergency communications between patrol and the citizens. It provides community outreach programs and supports patrol with intelligence and evidence gathering from many areas.
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Communications
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The communication Division is known as the heartbeat of the police department. This division is comprised of 10 full-time communications officers. These officers are responsible for answering citizen calls through the 911 and non-emergency phone systems. These calls for service are then dispatched to road patrol officers, or transferred to detectives, the administrative staff, and civilian staff as needed.
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Record Management
The Records Management section consists of two records clerks who annually process thousands of documents that pertain to many facets of police operations. These reports are correlated and disseminated to various agencies and divisions throughout the department, county, state, and nation. The ability to retrieve information on past crimes is vital to police officers. Traffic citations, crime reports, and crash investigations are among the numerous items archived by the records management personnel.
Community Services Division
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The Community Services Division is responsible for crime prevention seminars and organizing neighborhood crime watch services. Community Services also hosts several community events each year, which promote safety tips and crime prevention tactics.
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School Resource Officers
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The Vero Beach Police Department has dedicated three officers to cover the Elementary schools within the City Limits.
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Life Skills Program
The Vero Beach Police Department teaches a Life Skills program to 3 area schools. The Botvin LifeSkills Training Elementary School program is a comprehensive, dynamic, and developmentally appropriate substance abuse and violence prevention program designed for upper elementary school students. This highly effective curriculum has been proven to help increase self-esteem, develop healthy attitudes, and improve their knowledge of essential life skills – all of which promote healthy and positive personal development and mental health.
Code Enforcement
It is the mission of the Code Enforcement Division of the City of Vero Beach to promote and maintain the health, safety, and desirable living and working environment of the community by encouraging compliance with the City code of ordinances. In order to better serve our citizens and community, your City Code Enforcement Officers are F.A.C.E. certified and current members of the Florida Association of Code Enforcement.
Information Systems
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The Information Systems section is responsible for maintaining all department electronic hardware and software systems and information security. It also handles the training of all department personnel involved with the usage of the various applications and devices that the department uses from day-to-day.
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