Patrol is, by far, the largest division within Precinct 5. Comprised of more than 300 deputies, these men and women are the front line in the war on crime. The Precinct 5 Constable’s Office adopted a “community-oriented patrol” philosophy years ago, and has worked hard to develop a strong relationship with the community it serves. What this means is deputies don’t just patrol a neighborhood, they become a part of it, getting to know the residents and allowing residents to get to know them.
A staple in Precinct 5’s patrol function has long been contracted patrols. What makes this type of patrol so effective is that deputies assigned to these neighborhoods spend the vast majority of their time patrolling in and around them. This obviously makes them familiar with the “norms,” allowing them to more easily spot activity deviating from that. It also increases visibility and reduces response times to an unrivaled average of 3.5 minutes.
"I always feel better at night, and more secure, knowing that a deputy is patrolling my neighborhood. Because I know if I had a problem, if there was trouble, one call to Precinct 5 dispatch and that deputy would be here in two or three minutes, sometimes less, and I appreciate that."
Skip Skinner, Ashford Community
The effectiveness and advantages of community oriented policing can't be overstated, but its strength comes in the contracted patrol program.
Traditionally, law enforcement has been responsible for patrolling large areas within a municipality or county. This forces them to stretch officers out and prioritize calls that, in some cases, cause extremely delayed response times. All too often an officer is left with a reactionary role of taking a report and going back in service to move onto the next call, probably many miles away.
With the contract patrol program a Precinct 5 deputy is assigned to the neighborhood or district for which they were contracted. Through highly visible patrols they are able to deter crime, respond faster when a crime does occur, and focus more time and effort on investigating each crime to its conclusion. To learn more about the Precinct 5 Contract Patrol Program contact Cpt. Mitch Hutter at Mitchell.Hutter@cn5.hctx.net
Residents who live within a Precinct 5 Contracted Patrol area may request a Vacation Watch or Special Watch. This alerts deputies to special circumstances or lets them know when you will be out of town so they can keep an extra watch. To submit a request, follow the links below. For immediate response, please contact our dispatch office at 281-463-6666 and have a deputy sent out to take the information directly.
On the other side of the coin are the district patrol units. Assigned to much larger geographical areas of the precinct, the patrol patterns of these deputies follow a more traditional path. Deploying units in this manner allows for maximum coverage while limiting response times to calls. These district units focus in areas that are being hit hardest by criminal activity, whether that is supplementing patrols in contracted districts, or focusing their attention in other hard hit areas.
At the forefront of the department's district units is the Strategic Response Unit. For more information on the SRU click here.
Would you like to get an up-close view of what its like to be a deputy on patrol? Let us take you "behind the badge" of law enforcement for an experience you'll remember for a lifetime. To learn more click here.
Traffic enforcement can be a major concern for residents as well as law enforcement. Precinct 5 deputies routinely run traffic to deter violations, however, at times it may become necessary to supplement these efforts.
The Precinct 5 speed trailer initiative is a tool used to accomplish just that. We will deploy a speed trailer to approved areas (see below) for one week, during daylight and early evening hours only. During this week deputies may still make traffic stops and issue warnings or citations, however, in the days following the trailer's placement, Precinct 5 motorcycle units will be on location to focus on continued violations.
What is the criteria for a speed trailer's placement?
- Can only be placed within the boundaries of Precinct 5.
- Contracted patrol areas, and surrounding streets are given priority for placement.
- Cannot be placed on a highway or feeder road.
- Cannot be placed on a curve or otherwise obstructed to oncoming traffic for up to 300 feet. (Approximately a football field's length).
- Cannot be placed on private property.
- Cannot be placed in a moving lane of traffic or any location that would cause a traffic hazard.
To request a trailer to be placed at a location click here.
In an effort to help the deaf or hard of hearing better communicate with an officer unfamiliar with sign language, Constable Ted Heap has made available a communication card in PDF format that can help during times of need. Pct 5 Communication Card
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