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| Captain Ren Marchand |
PATROL DIVISION
Captain Ren Marchand has been assigned as the Patrol Division Commander. Captain Marchand is a 24 year veteran of the Cheshire Police Department. He is an Air Force veteran. Captain Marchand holds a Maters Degree in Criminal Justice Management from the University of New Haven and a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from Western Connecticut State University. Captain Marchand is married and has two children, Kelly and Kevin. He currently resides in Cheshire with his wife Joan.
The Patrol Division has 32 employees assigned over three patrol shifts. Each shift has assigned to it a lieutenant, two sergeants, six patrol officers and at least one civilian dispatcher. First and second shift are budgeted for two dispatchers. The shifts run 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm, and 11:00 pm to 7:00 am. Officers work a 40-hour week, five days on and two days off. The two days off are rotated forward every 28 days. Shifts are chosen, by seniority, once each year in a bidding process. There is a minimum manpower requirement for each of the three shifts.
The Patrol Division performs all the traditional functions of a motorized patrol force. In addition, the Division is extremely service oriented. The philosophy of the Patrol Division is high visibility and proactive policing through officer initiated activity.
The Patrol Division mans the towns “911” center. The Fire Department and Ambulance are dispatched through the Patrol Dispatch Center. The Connecticut State Police hotline, Cheshire Public Works, Board of Education, Sewer Department, and Parks Department communications are all monitored through the Patrol Division. Practically all after hour notifications are handled through the Patrol Division. We are a 24-hour per day 7 days a week operation.
Within the Patrol Division is a bicycle squad, consisting of six patrol officers. The officers assigned to the bicycle squad are assigned to and perform shift duties in a marked cruiser. The bicycle squad duties do not conflict with their patrol responsibilities and performance of the bicycle patrol duties are scheduled through the use of special assignments and/or limited use of comp time. The bicycle squad has proven to be a very valuable asset at crowd control events, traffic functions, and in business areas. In the better weather you can often find the bicycle squad patrolling the towns parks and Linear Trail.
An ATV squad has been added to the Patrol Division. The ATV squad has 4 officers assigned to it. The ATV squad’s main purpose is to patrol the town’s open space. Normal patrol vehicles cannot access these areas. Several other privately owned areas, which have been problem spots for the Police Dept., are now accessible utilizing the ATV. The ATV has also proved useful at large crowd control and traffic functions.
Also added to the Patrol Division was a motorcycle unit staffed by 5 officers. These officers rotate through using the motorcycle. The addition of the motorcycle has added flexibility and allowed a more rapid response at time to areas not easily accessed by a cruiser. One such area would be the Linear Trail. The motorcycle has proven to be very beneficial in traffic details.
The Patrol Division's fleet consists of eight marked police cruisers (Ford Crown Victoria). All cruisers are equipped with "Custom" brand radar units. Several cruisers are equipped with the “Lojack” system for detecting stolen cars. Each cruiser has a mobile computer, which allows access to departmental information as well as motor vehicle records, collect, and NCIC information. Officers are able to write reports from the cruisers allowing them to stay out on patrol more.
Several of the Patrol Division personnel have additional duties and responsibilities assigned, which is in addition to their primary patrol function. Some of these extra duties are: Civil Defense, Citizen's Police Academy, Quartermaster, S.R.T. personnel, numerous departmental instructors, Extra Duty Job Monitor, and Evidence Officer. Personnel are also very active in community affairs.
The Patrol Division is the backbone of any Police Department. These officers are available 24 hours per day seven days a week. They handle all types of calls ranging from minor informational complaints (such as directions) all the way up through life threatening situations. All emergency dispatches come through the Patrol Dispatch Center. So whether you have a minor problem, or an emergency, when you call the Cheshire Police Department your initial contact will most likely be with a member of the Patrol Division.
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