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Professional Standards Division

The Professional Standards Division (PSD) is responsible for conducting several tasks including organizing the Department’s annual training, the recruitment and hiring of both sworn and non-sworn personnel, and overseeing the field training program for newly hired police officers.

Planning and Research

The Planning and Research Division handles several administrative duties within the Police Department. Their primary function is the continued compliance with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Standards. Accreditation is a continuous process and requires constant vigilance and attention to detail. During 2016, the Planning and Research Division completed the transition of the Department to a completely electronic means of performing its accreditation processes and file maintenance. Coupled with the recent changes instituted by CALEA, the Department now uploads proofs of standard compliance on a daily basis for CALEA review.

Police Cadet Program

The Garden Grove Police Cadet Program introduces young men and women to the various aspects of the police department. The program is designed to give police personnel the opportunity to interact with and identify high-potential individuals for a future full-time position within the police department. CLICK HERE for the complete job description.

Police Cadet Program

The Garden Grove Police Cadet Program introduces young men and women to the various aspects of the police department. The program is designed to give police personnel the opportunity to interact with and identify high-potential individuals for a future full-time position within the police department. CLICK HERE for the complete job description.

Communications

The Communications Division is the primary answer point for all 9-1-1 emergency and business calls to the police department. The center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is staffed by a Communications Manager, 4 Shift Supervisors, 13 Public Safety Dispatchers and three Senior Community Services Officers.

The Communications Division is responsible for coordinating the safe and efficient delivery of essential police services to the community. It is a direct link between reporting parties and officers in the field. All requests for service are prioritized based on the nature of the call. Situations that require an emergency response include crimes in progress, injury traffic collisions, life-threatening medical situations and other circumstances where the police are needed immediately. Non-emergency calls for service are prioritized based on the dispatcher's conversation with the caller. The Fourth of July is by far the busiest day in terms of handling incoming phone calls.

Police Explorers

The Garden Grove Police Explorer Post, an extension of the Boy Scouts of America, provides an opportunity for young men and women to experience first hand how a police department functions and what it takes to get started with a challenging career in law enforcement. Read full description...

Investigations

The Mission of the Garden Grove Police Department Investigations Unit is to solve crime and apprehend criminals through a partnership with patrol and utilizing proactive and innovative Community Policing Techniques.

Reserve Officers

Garden Grove Police Department Reserve Officers work a variety of details such as Gang Suppression, Transportation, DUI Checkpoints, and Background Investigations, just to name a few. With all these options, you are assured of a job that is always new and exciting with room to grow.

Youth Services Unit

The Youth Services Unit (YSU) consists of one sergeant, two detectives, and five School Resource Officers (SROs). Together, the YSU team investigates graffiti-related crimes. SROs also assist the Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) by maintaining a presence on 14 different intermediate and high school campuses.

In 2022, the Department collaborated with GGUSD to add two support service dogs to the Unit, creating the Garden Grove Police Department Support Canine Program. The program pairs an SRO with a support service canine to provide an extra layer of social-emotional and de-escalation support for students dealing with anxiety, heightened emotions or behaviors, and other instances of trauma or tragedy.

Both canines have undergone extensive specialized training such as obedience in a chaotic environment, refraining from aggression or barking in a variety of environments, and remaining calm amidst stressful distractions. In addition to another 30-hours of training with a nationally certified K9 instructor, both dogs have also been evaluated by a Kennel Club trainer and awarded Canine Good Citizen certifications. Donations for the program can be made at the John Reynolds Youth Support Canine Foundation.

View the Support Canine Program Video

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.