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Written by Tim Gobble, Sheriff
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Friday, 25 September 2009 |
Over the last few weeks, I have highlighted various divisions that comprise the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. This week, I will highlight our Patrol Division.
The Patrol Division of the BCSO serves as the backbone of our organization because it operates 24 hour a day, 365 days a year answering the first calls for help, apprehending criminals, patrolling the roads, deterring crime and protecting citizens. This division is led by Captain Jon Collins.
The Patrol Division consists of 71 full time positions. Fifty of these positions serve on one of four patrol shifts operating on 12 hour intervals with rotating schedules and days off. These patrol shifts must, at a minimum, have two deputies patrolling each of our four County patrol zones at all times with a shift lieutenant or sergeant on duty to provide adequate supervision. Twenty two positions in the Patrol Division are assigned to the Special Programs Section. This section is led by a lieutenant overseeing the 16-member School Resource Officer Unit and the five-member, award winning Traffic Unit.
Additionally, the operational responsibility of the SWAT team and Explosive Recognition and Identification Team falls under the command of this division. These specialty units are comprised of full time deputies from all divisions that are activated when needed. For the SWAT team to be activated, it must be approved by the Sheriff, Chief Deputy or a Division Captain. SWAT activations can occur for a variety of reasons such as high risk warrant service, hostage/barricade situations, armed suspects, fugitives, active shooters and extra manpower to help locate lost or missing persons.
The first responsibility of any government is to protect and defend its citizens. In this community, the Patrol Division of the BCSO is on the front line of this activity, standing against all types of criminals, including murderers, drug dealers, gangs, thieves, robbers and the like. When the call comes in for help, a member of our Patrol Division is usually the first to respond and arrive at all kinds of emergencies, including car accidents, fires and drownings. Often these deputies will provide basic first aid to control bleeding and perform CPR to sustain life until more sophisticated equipment can arrive. They have on numerous occasions pulled people from burning houses and cars when seconds matter and life hangs in the balance. They, often alone, or with little back up, routinely take armed fighting individuals into custody to protect others from harm at the risk of their own safety.
I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to lead an agency that includes the assembly of some of the finest, most self sacrificing men and women that can be found anywhere. There is no better use of a tax dollar than to fund and properly equip and sustain an organization whose purpose is to protect others, if at all possible, from serious bodily injury or death.
So, when you hear criticism of government or complaints about the cost, remember what greater cost there would be in terms of lost life, limb, property and freedom without these local government heroes ~ law enforcement, firefighters, emergency management, EMTs and rescue workers ~ who are willing to step forward in time of need.
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