Field Services | Police Department | SIU

Patrol Division

The Patrol Division is the largest division within the police department. Its purpose is to provide the highest level of police protection and public safety assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To provide around the clock coverage our officers work in three shifts. Patrol shift hours are as follows:

• First Shift: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Second Shift: 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
• Third Shift: 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Each police officer working in the Patrol Division has been assigned to one of these three shifts. Each shift is a team led by a Shift Commander with the rank of Sergeant. There are a total of 26 sworn officers assigned to this division; including five corporals who are called field supervisors. All members of the Patrol Division are equipped with the latest in law enforcement equipment and, as with all of our sworn officers, are required to complete annual mandatory training established through the Illinois Police Training Institute/or our own departmental directives.

SIU Carbondale Police officers are sworn officers with full powers of arrest provided to them by the Illinois Revised Statutes and the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees. Police personnel enforce traffic and criminal laws on state and local levels as well as enforcing University policies, rules and regulations. In addition, police officers assigned to the Patrol Division work the campus social events and home athletic activities, and participate in the crime prevention and community oriented policing programs. They respond to calls for law enforcement and general service, take reports of criminal incidents, respond to fire and intrusion alarms, assist in medical emergencies and handle traffic accidents.

The campus is patrolled by a variety of methods including marked and unmarked patrol vehicles, bicycle patrol and foot patrol. Whether our officers are in their patrol vehicle, on bicycle, or are on foot, they perform a wide variety of services. These services include, but are not limited to, responding to calls for service, writing reports, conducting preliminary investigations, checking the security of university property and providing traffic enforcement and crowd control during special events.

In addition to formal training provided on an annual basis, officers receive annual training in the areas of firearms and weapons proficiency, CPR, search and seizure, use of radar, cultural diversity, drug/substance awareness and many other topics.