Ridgefield Police Department
Two special units of the Department are:
- Bike Patrol Unit
- K-9 Unit
Bike Patrol Unit
The Ridgefield Police Department initiated a Bike Patrol program in an effort to enrich Community relations and provide tangible public service. We hope to achieve this by creating an atmosphere of safety through interaction with residents, contact with the public while on patrol and visibility within the Community. With the bike patrol, Officers can help store merchants with unwanted gatherings outside their establishments and gives the Officer an opportunity to mingle with the youths that congregate after school; thereby, initiating a better rapport so the youth can feel that the Officer is approachable.
Our pilot program, started in the Spring of 2005, was enthusiastically received by merchants and townspeople who felt it added a more personal touch to the Police Officer making him/her part of the everyday life of the Community. The bikes allow our Officers to have contact with the residents similar to our Walking Patrols but also offers the ability to quickly and safely respond to additional calls, when necessary.
Officers receive training before they commence bike patrol and are Certified when they mount the bike; the Department now has two qualified Officers. The primary pilot areas for bike patrol are the Main Street area and the Copps Hill area of Town.
K-9 Unit
The Ridgefield Police Department has a canine by the name of Zeus as part of its patrol since May 2006. Zeus was made possible for the Department through the generosity of Ridgefield residents and businesses.
Zeus, a German Shepherd born and trained in the Czech Republic, trained with his handler for several months and now lives with and is cared for by his handler, Officer Shawn Murray. Fully trained, Zeus and Officer Murray have become part of the Ridgefield Police Department's Patrol Schedule and will also be available for any emergency calls from neighboring towns.
Police canines have proven to be invaluable in identifying narcotics at levels that are undetectable to Officers and in cases of missing or fleeing persons, their tracking skills are unmatched. The addition of the K-9 Unit shows positive initiative by the Ridgefield Police Department to the Community in taking steps toward decreasing criminal activity.