Patrol Division

The Patrol Division provides 24-hour police protection and services to the citizens of Van Alstyne. Patrol is the backbone of the police department. Uniformed officers are generally the first responders to crisis situations such as traffic accidents, domestic calls, robbery/burglary calls and many other situations. The men and women within Patrol are committed to preventing and combating crime by providing quality customer service based upon a philosophy of community oriented policing and problem solving. All members are highly trained and adept in responding to emergency and other calls for service, and are committed to a mission of preserving the peace and protecting the public. Patrol Officers are on duty 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Patrol is divided into three shifts: Day Shift, Float Shift, and the Night Shift.

Community Policing The VAPD has embraced a policing philosophy designed to develop ways to meet with citizens in non-conflictive situations, exchanging ideas, and developing verbal relationships that will foster cooperation in solving and/or preventing problems. Community Policing resembles that of the old-time foot patrol officer who was assigned a particular beat. He or she knew most everyone on the "beat" and had a lot of personal contact with citizens. Expect to see patrol officers out of their cars more often in an attempt to promote personal interaction with the public.
Traffic Enforcement A large portion of Patrol time is spent in traffic enforcement. Frequent accident locations are targeted for radar enforcement. In addition to speed enforcement, patrol officers are on the lookout for other traffic violators, such as stop sign/light violators, general operation violators, improper registrations and/or driver's license, and seat belt violators.
	Driving While Intoxicated Intoxicated drivers are most likely to be on our roads in the evening and early morning hours. On-duty at those times are patrol officers who have received extensive training in the detection and apprehension of individuals who violate Texas' tough drunk-driving law. All officers are trained and equipped with preliminary breath testers and use a centrally located intoxilyzer at the Grayson County Sheriff's Office.
Service Calls Not all of a patrol officer's time is spent with traffic violators or criminals. Much of it is spent on service-oriented calls. A good example would be helping a motorist whose car has broken down on the street. Another service provided by VAPD is the Vacation House Check. The vacationer's house is registered with the Police Department while they are gone. A patrol officer will periodically make checks on the security of the home until the owners return.
Accident Investigations Patrol is responsible for the investigation of traffic accidents that occur inside the city limits. Several officers have been trained in accident reconstruction and do a more in depth analysis of serious accidents.
Criminal Investigations Patrol investigates hundreds of criminal cases a year. They range from simple misdemeanors to felonies. Thefts, assaults, suspicious activity, prowlers, burglaries, and vandalisms are just a few of the types of cases routinely investigated by Patrol officers. Cases that require in-depth follow up are referred to the Detective Division.