Mission, Vision, and Value Statements

- Department Description

The San Rafael Police Department has been in existence since 1855. In its current configuration, the Chief of Police directs a staff of 65 sworn and 24 non-sworn employees. Patrol is the largest division led by a Captain and includes the Traffic Unit, SWAT team, and Foot-beat. The Support Services Captain oversees Investigations which is comprised of one lieutenant, one sergeant and four detectives, one School Resource Officer, a one sergeant-two officer Directed Patrol Unit, Youth Services Counseling, Records, Property Evidence, Dispatch, Permits and Personnel and Training.

We are continually building on our Community Oriented Public Service strategy, which is the foundation for our department's direction and long-term goals. Our Patrol efforts fulfill the COPS strategy of every resident and business owner knowing their Beat Officer and the Beat Officer knowing her/his neighborhood. We have our officers involved in the Youth Programs of Camp Chance, a summer camp for at-risk middle school students.

The COPS philosophy of working with other agencies to resolve mutual nuisance problems has just been in use in the City of San Rafael since 1999. Focusing on housing and dangerous buildings initially, the Department has moved to incorporating COPS problem solving techniques to nuisance activities in public places, traffic mitigation, noise abatement and other quality of life concerns of the citizens of San Rafael.

• The San Rafael Police Department patrols an area of 22 square miles, consisting of 17 square miles of land, 5 square miles of water and tidelands, 176 miles of streets, 23,398 housing units, 26 educational facilities, and 19 parks equaling 141 acres.
  
  
• Our service population within the city limits 58,363 residents and an estimated commerce/visiting population of 100,000+.
  
  
• The San Rafael Police Department has one police station located at 1400 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, California. We also operate a sub station at the Northgate Mall. San Rafael is located 17 miles north of San Francisco along the U.S. 101 Freeway and is at the western termination point of Interstate 580.
  
  
• We employ 89 personnel comprised of 65 sworn officers and 24 civilian employees.