Police Department Summary

department-summary.jpegThe South Portland Police Departmentis committed to the prevention of crime, the protection of life and property, the preservation of peace, order and safety, the enforcement of laws and ordinances, and the safeguarding of constitutional rights.

The department polices the 4th largest city in the State of Maine. South Portland is located on the Southern Maine coast and is home to one of the eastern seaboard's largest oil shipping and storage facilities. South Portland covers approximately 13 square miles and has a nighttime population of approximately 25,000

 

Aerial View of the City of South Portland

However, with its large commercial, business and retail sections, including northern new england's largest shopping complex, the Maine Mall, the daytime population balloons to over 140,000.

The South Portland Police Department responds annually to over 34,800 calls for service.  It is staffed by 54 sworn officers, along with 4 full-time and 1 part-time civilian support personnel.

The department is organized into two divisions.  The Patrol and Community Services Division is staffed by uniformed and plainclothes officers, who respond to calls and proactively address police issues and quality of life concerns.  The Investigative and Support Services Division is comprised of Detective, and Technical Services / Crime Scene services.South Portland Police officers must be certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.  In order to retain certification, officers are required to successfully complete annual in-service training in a wide area of topics.  Changing professional standards, improved technology and new court decisions also require continual training.

The department is proud of its involvement in the community and the positive impact it has on the high quality of life enjoyed by all its citizens.  The men and women of the South Portland Police Department provide the following services to the community:

  • Proactive 24-hour a day patrol for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of peace and order
  • Collision investigation; parking and traffic enforcement
  • K-9 teams for tracking suspects or searching for lost persons, as well as for drug and explosives detection
  • A Special Reaction or "Tactical" Team (SRT) & a Crisis Negotiator Team (CNT) are  used for the stabilization and resolution of high risk calls
  • A Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), trained to respond and de-escalate people experiencing a mental health crisis.
  • Detective Division for the coordinated investigation and prosecution of criminal activity
  • Technical Services for the identification, collection, preservation and analysis of physical evidence
  • Educational and preventive interaction in the schools through a High School Resource Officer and the Community Response Unit
  • Assisting the business community to assist with retail crime prevention and  shopping issues
  • Community Policing programs such as: Cop Cards, Child Passenger Safety Seat Fitting Station and Information, Hotel/Motel Liaison, Business Employee Training, Prescription Fraud, Senior Driver Safety Program, Landlord Training, Smokeless Saturday, and Police Reaching Youth
  • Animal Control Services providing protection for citizens and domestic animals
  • Motorcycle and bicycle patrol units to enhance our community involvement

For further information on how the department is perceived within the community, please scroll through the different sections of the police website.