Field Operations
Captain Townsend, Division Commander
The Field Operations Division is managed by Captain Townsend, who oversees patrol officers, sergeants, lieutenant Watch Commanders, an Executive Lieutenant, and civilian support staff. Patrol officers serve as the backbone for the Riverside Police Department as uniformed first responders handling a wide variety of calls for service 24-hours a day.
This Division runs the Field Training Officer (FTO) program, in which specially selected senior officers teach new officers how to work in the field after graduating from a police academy or transferring to our department. The Traffic Unit, K-9 Officers, the firearms range, and Technical Services Unit (TSU) are also in the Field Operations Division.
The primary focus of Field Operations is to:
- Provide high-quality, professional police services in partnership with the community to better address their concerns
- Vigilantly seek ways to reduce the incidences of crime through competent investigations, the identification of emerging trends, and directed proactive enforcement
- Maximize public engagement, our commitment to community policing, and strategize to align police, governmental, and other resources to improve public safety and livability
