Patrol Division

The Patrol Division is the nucleus of the Police Department and has the responsibility of responding to criminal incidents as well as calls for service. Because patrol officers respond to a wide variety of calls, they must be trained to handle many different situations. Officers are trained in a variety of areas including major crime investigation, accident investigation, breath-alcohol testing, crisis intervention, defensive driving, juvenile law and procedures, evidence collection and crime prevention.

Traffic Unit

The delivery of traffic services is an important component of the mission of the Deerfield Police Department. The department seeks to insure the safe and efficient movement of persons and property in our community through a comprehensive traffic safety program. This program is comprised of traffic law enforcement, traffic direction and control, motorist assistance and public education. To facilitate this mission, the Deerfield Police Department maintains an organized Traffic Unit. The unit seeks to reduce the accident rate by the application of selective enforcement techniques. The responsibility for enforcing traffic laws and ordinances is shared by both Patrol Division and Traffic Unit personnel.

S.M.A.R.T. Radar Trailer Information

Despite speed limits, some motorists fail to pay attention to how fast they're traveling. Such drivers present a hazard to other motorists. The Deerfield Police Department knows that school zones, bus routes and construction sites require special attention to promote voluntary compliance with speed limits. The Police Department Traffic Division has developed a S.M.A.R.T. solution.

S.M.A.R.T. stands for Speed Monitoring Awareness Radar Trailer. This portable, self contained speed display unit is designed to promote speed awareness. S.M.A.R.T. will be set up at sites that have experienced frequent speed-related problems. S.M.A.R.T.'s job is to display the speed of oncoming vehicles on a digital display panel which is visible from up to 100 yards away. The display will remind motorists to pay attention and slow down. S.M.A.R.T. can be on duty around-the-clock and used at multiple locations. The S.M.A.R.T. system is also capable of compiling traffic data that is then downloaded to a computer for further analysis. The data supplements statistics gathered by the Traffic Division regarding high traffic problem areas in the community.

Look for the S.M.A.R.T. system on the job in school zones and on bus routes throughout the community, and remember the Police Department's advice to be alert and to drive S.M.A.R.T. To suggest areas for use of the S.M.A.R.T. system or for more information, please call 847.945.8636.

Patrol Car Information

The Deerfield Police Department has eleven marked patrol cars. These marked cars are Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor models. They are equipped with a high quality suspension system and a high performance engine. All squad cars are maintained by the Village of Deerfield and used for approximately two to four years. The patrol car is an essential tool in law enforcement and it must be equipped for any situation, as it is the patrolman's "office". Each car holds a variety of equipment for use in the field.

Each squad car is equipped with a laptop computer, which is linked to a variety of different resources. The officer is able to send and receive messages from dispatch and other officers in the field. The computers also connect to different state and federal databases, enabling officers to run criminal history background checks, obtain license information, as well as a wealth of other information. This makes the officer's job easier and more efficient because the officer does not have to wait for the dispatcher to relay the information to him or her. Thanks to these laptops, all information is provided on location.

The squad car is also equipped with proper emergency lighting and audio warning devices. The light bar on top of the squad holds rotating red, blue and white flashers, an arrow stick and an Opticom light. The Opticom light is used to change traffic signals to green, when responding to an emergency call. Each squad car also has radar equipment and video cameras. The camera is positioned at the front part of the dash and the microphone to the camera is carried on the officer’s belt. These cameras are activated when the emergency lights are turned on.

Each squad car contains Automatic Defibrillators (AED). The Defibrillators are used when a person is in cardiac arrest and requires CPR. The Defibrillator provides life saving assistance until medical personnel arrive. Each car is also equipped with Stop Sticks. These are used to bring vehicle pursuits to a halt. The Stop Sticks are laid across the roadway to deflate the tires of a suspect’s vehicle by puncturing the tires with small spikes.