Specialties
When you join the Mountain View Police Department, you have a variety of ways in which you can specialize in various aspects of police work. These are just some of the areas in which you can work.
Detectives
Unlike patrol officers, who are responsible for patrolling, issuing citations and responding to emergencies, MVPD detectives utilize a wide variety of techniques and training when conducting their investigations. Detectives are responsible for looking into crimes to determine the causes and perpetrators behind the event.
They interview witnesses and suspects, gather evidence, write reports for the data they accumulate, and also arrest perpetrators.
MVPD has variety of detective assignments that range from investigating property crimes, robberies, felonious assaults, sexual assault, child crimes and homicides.
K9 Unit
Police dogs are one of the most effective and diverse tools used in policing, and Mountain View PD has one of the longest-running K9 programs in northern California.
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Dogs have a keen sense of smell and hearing making them a valuable partner to a police officer. A police dog will respond to noise from 140 yards away compared to about 40 yards for a human, and their speed allows them to overtake a person running away.
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Besides being terrific companions, they save time for our officers, reduce the number of officers needed for a search, they perform more thorough searches, and they help keep our officers and the community safe during the apprehension of dangerous criminals.
TRAFFIC
Officers assigned to the Traffic Unit receive over 160 hours of training designed to teach officers the special balance and precision maneuvering techniques of the police motorcycle. The Mountain View Police Department utilizes a combination of Harley-Davidson and the newest BMW Police motorcycles. The traffic unit holds a unique position within the Mountain View Police Department.
Traffic Officers have many functions including traffic complaint enforcement, accident reduction, patrol duties, escorts, public relations, and special event traffic control. Additionally, motorcycle officers respond to dispatched patrol calls as backup and, not infrequently, as primary officers at crime scenes.
CNT/SWAT
MVPD has one of the most well-trained teams in crisis negotiations (CNT) in the county, as well as one of the best equipped and well-trained Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams in the county. MVPD SWAT, in partnership with the City of Los Altos Police Department, make the 20 person regional team.
Since its inception in 1989, the team has handled a variety of incidents, including confronting heavily-armed criminals; performing hostage rescues, high risk arrests; and entering armored or barricaded buildings.
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In addition to more than 50 percent of our officers being trained in crisis intervention (exceeding the national average of 20 percent), this highly-specialized CNT team has additional capabilities to help ensure safe resolutions for all in volatile situations.