Patrol Services

Patrol maintains social order through enforcement of laws, timely response to calls for service, preliminary investigation of criminal offenses, apprehension of offenders, enforcement of traffic and parking laws, furtherance of crime prevention efforts through interaction with citizens, and a deterrent presence.

Patrol is the most visible aspect of the San Marcos Police Department with 49 sworn police officer positions that make up the patrol division. The Patrol Division works around the clock (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) providing trained officers that are capable of responding to any and all emergency and non-emergency calls for service.

Patrol Officers are divided into 3 shifts, Days, Evenings, and Midnights, that are strategically divided up into 6 areas of the city known as districts. Calls for service that do not require a priority response with active threat to life or property, are handled by the responsible district officer. If that district officer is not immediately available, the Police Dispatcher in Emergency Communications will hold the non-emergent call for service for that respective officer up to a determined time frame. This helps ensure the community within that district can get an officer that is more intimately familiar with that district in the city.

Current Staffing

Currently the patrol division has 49 out of 54 allotted officer spots filled. This number will increase as we continue to hire on new police officer recruits and as those recruits finish their training.

Patrol Vehicles

The San Marcos Police Department is moving to a diversified fleet so we will have Chevy Caprices, Ford Explorers, Dodge Chargers as well as some specialized vehicles such as a Chevy Tahoe or Dodge Durango. The specialized vehicles will be used as command vehicles and issued to SWAT operators on patrol. The vehicles do not come with any special tools, but the officers may be issued individual specialized tools including but not limited to breaching tools, less lethal impact weapons, thermal imagers, and night vision devices.

Questions or Concerns?

Contact the Patrol Division Operation Specialist. Contact information located on the right side of this page.