MISSION

It shall be the mission of the Santa Fe Police Department Patrol Section to provide Santa Fe residents and guests with a safe environment in which to live, work, and visit through professional service and quality policing. We will endeavor to foster open communication, mutual respect, absolute trust, integrity, and justice within our community by working together to prevent, reduce, and combat crime and illegal activity.

The Patrol Section is the backbone of department operations. It is the largest section as well as the most visible. It is comprised of four Patrol Teams, Traffic Team, Auxiliary Bike Patrol, DWI Unit, Public Safety Aides, and Animal Services.  The Patrol Section and several of the special units are also coordinated and supervised through the Operations Division.

The primary duty of the officers assigned to the Patrol Section is to respond to calls for assistance. They also conduct preliminary investigations, investigate traffic accidents, and enforce traffic and criminal codes. Patrol officers typically are first responders to emergency situations. In addition, Patrol personnel serve a crime prevention and deterrence role while on routine patrol in one of the nine patrol areas, encompassing 37.4 square miles and serving a population of 83,776.