Community Policing Bureau

Community Policing encourages a partnership between the community, the police department, and private and public agencies to develop innovative strategies for problem-solving.

Chief's Advisory Council

The Chief’s Advisory Council (CAC) is established under the direction of the Chief of Police. The CAC consists of community representatives who serve as advisors to the Chief of Police and provide responsible community input. The Advisory Council is also a means whereby departmental policy and procedures can be shared with members of the public. The Chief’s Advisory Council will foster an open exchange of philosophy and information between the Department and representatives of each patrol beat and community interest groups.

The CAC acts solely in an advisory capacity and will be driven by the creativity and vision of its members; it is intended to be an expression of the Garden Grove community’s viewpoints.

Garden Grove Police Department's Community Policing philosophy is the foundation of the department's Community Relations Program. The Community Policing philosophy is based on community input, the use of creative problem solving strategies which encourages officer and community generated solutions, a value system where all persons contacted are treated with dignity and respect, and a problem solving orientation in which the actual problem is addressed, not merely the symptoms.

Civilian Report Writing Unit

In the past, Garden Grove Police Officers were dispatched to all calls for service. Over the years, the number of calls handled by officers has dramatically increased. The increasing number of calls, combined with the time consuming process of report writing, greatly reduced the available time for officers to be proactive in dealing with crime and related community issues. Instead, officers found themselves working in a reactive mode that was often frustrating to officers and the community alike.

In the early 1980's, the Garden Grove Police Department was one of three cities in the United States to participate in an experiment know as Differential Police Response. The experiment involved the taking of certain crime reports over the telephone by personnel who became known as Expediters.

In time, the Differential Police Response program evolved into the Civilian Report Writing Unit. Community Service Officers and Cadets primarily staff this unit. The primary purpose of the unit is to take reports regarding incidents that do not necessarily require the presence of a police officer. Time that officers previously spent responding to non-emergency crimes can be directed toward proactive problem solving.

The Civilian Report Writing Unit consists of Field Report Writers, Expediters, and Police Front Desk personnel. The Field Report Writers are Community Service Officers who work in the field and mostly respond to take misdemeanor crime reports, but they can also handle certain felony reports. They are also utilized for crime scene investigation such as checking for latent fingerprints, photographs and collection of DNA. They assist with traffic control, DUI Checkpoints, they issue parking citations and conduct other field services as needed.

The Expediters are Police Cadets who take reports by telephone. The reports taken are generally misdemeanor offenses and supplemental reports, however some stolen vehicle, burglary and grand theft reports are also taken.

Gang Suppression Unit

To address the problem associated with unlawful gang activity in the city, the Garden Grove Police Department formed the Gang Suppression Unit in 1991. GSU is made up of nine officers and a supervisor. GSU works flexible hours, providing City-wide coverage seven days a week. Specific crimes such as homicide, assault, home invasion robbery, extortion, counterfeiting, and weapons violations are the primary focus of the unit. The mission of the unit is to reduce gang violence within the City of Garden Grove.

GSU also works with the Crime Prevention Unit to educate the public about gangs in the local neighborhoods. GSU officers also make presentations to schools and community groups to help educate parents and teachers on how to recognize kids at risk of becoming involved in unlawful gang activities. Although GSU's education programs are important and effective, the primary role is high visibility, street level enforcement.

The Gang Suppression Unit works closely with surrounding agencies due to the transitory nature of most gangs. GSU has also developed an excellent reputation with agencies throughout the United States and Canada as a source for expertise and intelligence which has proven beneficial in the identification, arrest, and prosecution of known gang criminals.

To speak with a member of the Garden Grove Gang Suppression Unit, call (714) 741-5588; FAX (714) 537-8145.

K9 Unit

Originating in 1970, The Garden Grove Police Department was the first police department in Orange County to have a canine unit. Several agencies have utilized Garden Grove’s Canine Unit in mutual aide situations and the success of the unit led to many surrounding agencies starting their own Canine Units.

The Canine Unit’s primary responsibility is handling alarm calls and responding to in-progress crimes. The dogs are often used to search for suspects fleeing serious crimes and search for lost children. The dogs are very successful in their searches due to their acute sense of smell, hearing and sight. Using the dogs help reduce the level of danger to officers by alerting them to the location of a hidden suspect. Handlers and canines build very strong bonds during their years of working together and most police canines continue to live with their handlers even after retirement.

Patrol Division

We value the interdependence and shared responsibility of the police and the community on all issues relating to a safe and secure city. We appreciate community input and believe citizens should have significant involvement in helping us achieve our goal of improving the quality of life and providing a sense of safety and security in Garden Grove. Community Policing encourages a partnership between the community, the police department, and private and public agencies to develop innovative strategies for problem-solving.

Neighborhood Traffic Unit

The Mission of the Garden Grove Police Department Traffic Unit is to ensure efficient and safe travel throughout our city through traffic enforcement and education of traffic laws. The Neighborhood Traffic Unit is commanded by a Lieutenant, supervised by a Traffic Sergeant and consists of six Motor Officers, one Collision Investigator, a Vehicle Abatement Officer, and one Police Cadet. The Traffic Unit responds to investigate traffic collisions, enforces traffic laws, including DUI patrol and checkpoints, participates in school safety presentations, festivals, assists with road hazards and parking issues.

If you would like to discuss traffic related problems in your neighborhood, please contact the Neighborhood Traffic Unit at traffic@ggcity.org or at (714) 741-5898.

Resort Services Team

The Resort Services Team, was a major component of the Department’s Strategic Plan, and was formed in March 2001. Its primary mission is to help maintain a safe and secure environment for the enjoyment of all the guests, merchants and employees in the Resort area known as the “Grove District”.

Garden Grove’s Redevelopment Agency has invested millions of dollars in numerous hotels and restaurants along the Harbor Corridor. In 2011, visitor spending in Orange County totaled $7.75 billion. Over 16.3 million visitors came to the Anaheim/Garden Grove resort area in 2011, accounting for a large portion of this spending. With over 2,800 rooms, the “International West” has become a large part of the Disneyland Resort District and Anaheim Convention Center. Garden Grove resort hotels cater to families and business travelers alike, with the Resort Services Team helping to ensure a safe and enjoyable stay.

Special Investigations Unit

The Special Investigations Unit deals with community problems involving narcotics, organized crime, vice, gambling and alcoholic beverage control violations.

Narcotics related crimes consume the majority of the unit's time. We average approximately 10 calls a day from concerned citizens who wish to inform us of suspicious circumstances at nearby homes. It is our goal to address every complaint we receive. We believe that if it is your problem, it is our problem. We encourage you to call us if you suspect someone of dealing drugs in your neighborhood. No complaint is too small.

Vice related crimes, such as prostitution, are also a concern with our citizens. We work daily to remove street walkers from our community, and for those of you that were around in the late 1980's, you can definitely see the difference along Harbor Blvd. and Garden Grove Blvd. There are seldom any prostitutes working the streets of our community.

The sale of alcohol to minors is another major concern and we address these problems immediately. If you are aware of a business supplying minors with alcohol, it is imperative that you notify us immediately. You are our eyes, and if your intuition tells you something is amiss, it probably is.

All your complaints can remain anonymous. We only ask that you notify us of a problem so we can help remove the problem from our community. If we are not in, simply leave a message and we will call you as soon as we receive the message. If you do not wish to leave your name, leave us a detailed message including the location the activity is occurring and the specifics on who is involved. We also encourage you to have your neighbors call if they witness the same activity. The more calls we receive, the easier it is to take action or to convince the court that a problem does exist in the event a search warrant is needed to attack the problem.

To report a vice or narcotic related problem, call us at (714) 741-5850

Special Weapons and Tactics

The Garden Grove Police Department Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team consists of a group of specially selected officers who have been highly trained in the use of special weapons and tactics for the purpose of handling high risk situations involving barricaded suspects, hostage takers, high risk warrant service, or other situations requiring training and expertise beyond the capabilities of the regular police officer. SWAT officers also provide security for the City’s special community events, such as the annual Strawberry Festival, Korean Festival, and Tet Festival. Officers assigned to the SWAT team are required to pass a physical agility and strength test and a psychological examination. The SWAT team trains each month to sharpen their skills and abilities. Components of the SWAT team include a gas unit, entry teams, a Hostage Negotiation Team, and sniper teams.

The mission of the Garden Grove Police Department’s SWAT team is to bring a successful conclusion to high risk situations through the use of specially equipped and highly trained personnel without injury or loss of life to citizens, suspects, or police officers.