Investigations

The Investigations Division is also responsible for keeping updated on legal issues and disseminating that information to the Patrol Division. The Detectives also work closely with the community to make sure they are informed of current crime trends.

Detectives, School Resource Officer, Evidence, Range, and Code Enforcement

The primary function of the Detective Bureau is to investigate felonies, misdemeanors and non-criminal matters, to apprehend suspects, interview witnesses, prosecute offenders, effect the recovery of stolen property and conduct public outreach by using interactive media and utilizing our Crime Prevention Group. The bureau is staffed by one detective and one sergeant.

Our School Resource Officer (SRO) is a law enforcement officer who is assigned to our nine schools. The main goal of the SRO is to prevent juvenile delinquency by promoting positive relations between youth and law enforcement. The SRO position encompasses three major components which allow the SRO to achieve this goal: law enforcement, education, and counseling. These three components allow the SRO to take a proactive approach to law enforcement. SRO's are not just "cops" on campus. SRO's provide all law enforcement duties on their campus. They educate the students by teaching law related classes and other related subjects in the classrooms and counsel both students and parents on various topics. The SRO becomes involved in the students' lives as a positive role model. The intent is that the positive experiences students have with the SRO will bridge the gap between juveniles and law enforcement, and in doing so, help prevent juvenile crime.

Property Room: Maintaining the chain of evidence is crucial in all criminal cases and evidence must be accounted for at all times. In this area, evidence is logged in, labeled with identification tags, sealed in evidence bags, and deposited in one-way cabinets until it is retrieved and stored in a locked facility by the Community Service Officer, who also serves as the fleet manager, relief dispatcher and court officer.

The Atherton Police Department currently contracts with the Redwood City Police Department and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office for the use of their shooting range. The Redwood City range is an indoor facility equipped with a computerized target control system to provide officers with the highest quality firearms training. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s range is an outdoor range. The range staff consists of four officers and one supervisor who provide bi- monthly training for officers as a collateral duty.

Code Enforcement is one of the many functions that local governments perform, and which citizens consider important for accomplishing community goals. The Municipal Code’s purpose is to protect property values and the environment by providing requirements for all property owners to follow, thereby creating a standard of living that everyone in the community can enjoy.

Code Enforcement strives to achieve voluntary compliance by educating the public on the codes. Although the majority of issues are resolved through this method, Code Enforcement also employs a variety of enforcement tools to facilitate compliance. Commonly requested compliance services are as follows:

• Animal Issues (dogs off leash, nuisance barking, unsanitary conditions, etc.)
• Zoning and Land Use Issues (home occupations, set-backs, fences, etc.)
• Health and Safety (trash accumulations, debris, pest and vector issues, etc.)
• Construction Regulations (building permits, start times, parking, noise, etc.)
• Encroachments (permits, items in right-of-way, etc.)
• Landscape Issues (heritage tree trimming and damage, maintenance, permits, etc.)
• Public Nuisances (unmaintained/abandoned properties, trash cans, noise issues, graffiti, etc.)