Recruiting

Specialized Units

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As you begin your journey with the Fayetteville Police Department we wanted you to have an overview of the many different positions and experiences that you'll have available to you. If you have any questions about any of these units, please feel free to contact the recruiter for any additional information. 

Airport/TSA 

Sworn officers who are assigned to the Fayetteville Airport, patrols assigned areas airport to include the following: Main Terminal, Ramp Area, Parking Lots, Fuel Point, and any other areas owned or maintained by the Fayetteville Regional Airport. They maintain public order and provides for the safe and lawful transit of passengers and Airport users. Officers perform day-to-day public relations services such as providing information and assistance to Airport patrons and tenants. 

Assault/Robbery Unit 

Detectives operate an unmarked police vehicle to contact victims and witnesses of crimes, locate suspects, gather evidence, and enforce violations of law. The unit members develop and deal with CSI to gather information on criminal activity. They obtain warrants, make arrests, and interview all suspects in assigned cases. They perform surveillance on suspects and high-probability crime areas, perform covert police activities, and make use of electronic monitoring devices.

Aviation Unit 

To establish the Fayetteville Police Department’s Drone program and Aviation Unit. To assist law enforcement by providing increased situational awareness, enhanced officer safety, and act as a force multiplier to improve operating efficiency. The unit assists investigations and patrol with aerial surveillance, missing persons, gathering Intel, pre-operation planning for the Emergency Response Team, provide over watch for events that are secured by the police department, and work side by side with the Crime Information Center to broadcast live footage of incidents that are taking place throughout the city that require police intervention. The unit is capable of identifying hot spots using thermal cameras in efforts to assist the fire department when responding to structure fires. 

Canine (K-9) Unit 

A canine officer is a law enforcement officer who handles and uses the skills of police dogs to assist in the execution of certain duties, cadaver location, pursuit and apprehension of suspects, and narcotic, explosive, and arson detection. Canine officers and their dogs endure rigorous testing and training on an ongoing basis to protect and serve their communities. They are often dispatched to the most dangerous calls and must have a high level of athleticism, police skills, and fearless dedication to do their jobs effectively. 

Civil Emergency Unit (CEU) 

The mission of the Civil Emergency Unit is to protect lives and property by maintaining community order during incidents of civil unrest through a contingency that utilizes specially trained and equipped personnel. The CEU can respond to civil disorders, natural disasters, search for at-risk missing persons, major transportation accidents, or any catastrophic event which cannot be handled by the normal number of on-duty officers.

Community Empowering Response Team (CERT) 

Sworn officers who work in a street-level community improvement unit. These officers handle various tasks that include but are not limited to investigative follow-ups, criminal apprehensions, community outreach, and teach schools in our district about crime prevention and gun violence. 

Crime Information Center 

The mission of the Crime Information Center is to strive to provide accurate, timely, and relevant information to members of the Fayetteville Police Department and surrounding agencies to meet the tactical, strategic, intelligence, and administrative needs of personnel. The CIC will research, collect, analyze, and disseminate information to support decision-making through short-term and long-term analysis in support of crime reduction, prevention, community education, and safety.

Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) 

We believe the protection and reverence for human life should be paramount in every officer’s mind. Although we are often called upon to make split-second decisions regarding life-or-death situations, it will be the intent of our officers to use only the amount of force that is reasonably necessary. Our crisis negotiation teams specialize in dealing with hostage/barricaded subject situations.

  • Hostage situations occur when the person(s) are held against their will by a suspect with the actual or implied use of death or serious bodily injury for political or personal gains.
  • A barricaded subject situation is when a subject is taking a position of confinement to avoid apprehension or threatening suicide, through the use of force or the implied use of force. All barricaded subjects should be considered armed until proven otherwise

Cybercrimes

The unit members are responsible for conducting investigations of crimes related to digital evidence and forensic search of that evidence. They are responsible for conducting interviews of victims, witnesses, and suspects in cases related to Child Exploitation, Enticement; as well as, other computer-related misdemeanor cases. Members of the unit assist all units of the Fayetteville Police Department upon request in digital evidence searches and seizures. They frequently assists other agencies, Federal, State, and Local, as requested. They also conduct search warrants and knocks and talks with suspects at locations where the suspected criminal activity is thought to have taken place.

Electronic Monitoring Unit (EMU)

The Electronic Monitoring Program is implemented to deter criminal activity and to encourage repeat priority offenders to discontinue their pattern of criminal activity. Electronic Monitoring (EM) trained personnel are responsible for patrol response for offenders who are in violation of the program and providing other operational support duties for the EM program as described in this procedure.

Emergency Response Team (ERT) 

The ERT will respond to any incident where normally equipped and trained personnel would not be able to effectively and safely resolve the situation because of an excessive level of danger to the life, health, or property of the parties involved. The ERT operational priority for hostage incidents, armed barricaded persons, sniper incidents, aggravated suicide attempts and other related tactical events is containment and apprehension. All members of ERT must complete a 40-hour basic SWAT Course, attend 16 hours of team training each month, and attend a 40-hour annual in-service team training event that focuses on the mission requirement of the ERT as described in the “All Hazards Manual.” Additional training also includes but is not limited to, long rifle (sniper) operations, explosive breacher, and tactical rappel master.

Gangs

Unit members assist in criminal investigation by taking reports, interviewing victims, interviewing witnesses and suspects, collecting property and evidence, developing confidential informants, and utilizing their position or relationship with persons involved in illegal activity. They monitor gang members and their activities. Detectives develop intelligence assets that reveal gang objectives, resources, and plans. The unit members investigate gang-related crimes and apprehend perpetrators. They work with state, local and national law enforcement organizations to dismantle gangs.

Homicide Unit 

The unit members locate the next of kin of deceased victims and makes death notifications to family members. Detectives investigate homicides and death investigations by interviewing witnesses, and suspects, and collecting and analyzing forensic evidence. They are responsible for the investigation of homicides, suicides, unattended deaths, child and infant deaths, accidental deaths, police-involved shootings, endangered missing persons, and police-involved deaths. 

Human Trafficking

Detectives serve warrants, make an arrest, and testify accurately and truthfully in court. They prepare detailed reports and supplements identifying persons of interest involved in Prostitution and Human Trafficking (HT) activities. Unit members assists in criminal investigation by taking reports, interviewing victims, interviewing witnesses, interviewing suspects, and collecting evidence. They develop confidential informants and utilize their position or relationship with persons involved in illegal activity. Detectives keep and maintain an updated confidential source file, work in a covert plain clothes capacity, and take enforcement action against violators during HT investigations.

Special Victims Unit

Detectives in this unit attend periodic case review sessions with Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County personnel. They review domestic violence cases referred by the District Attorney’s office to ensure current misdemeanor charges can be upgraded to felony charges. They review reports of peeping toms, indecent exposure incidents, and any other sexually deviant behavior to identify trends and sexual predators.

Narcotics Unit

Interdiction, Suppression, and Diversion
  
The primary duties and responsibilities of the detective are to enforce the Federal and North Carolina Controlled Substance Act using narcotic interdiction and intelligence gathering by purchasing controlled substances (i.e. undercover purchases by law enforcement officers and/or confidential informants). The unit members obtain informants through contacts such as arrests, and other activity. Detectives complete interviews of suspects, witnesses, and informants to be used in the investigation. They also perform covert surveillance and create search warrants.

Public Information Officer (PIO)

The unit members maintain City-County “Most Wanted” Boards, Kiosks, and Social Media platforms. The unit is a liaison between the police department and all media outlets. 

Property/ Fraud Unit

Detectives investigate crime reports for identity crimes and stolen property. They perform crime scene investigations and supervise the processing of the scene, and collection of evidence. They obtain warrants, make arrests and testify in court. The detective may have to place and monitor surveillance cameras and uses online search programs to obtain information on pawned stolen property, suspects, witnesses, etc.

Recruiting and Background Investigation Unit

The Recruiting team participates in recruiting functions including job fairs, military base activities, community functions, and college/university job placement career days. The team interacts with the public to employ the best candidates to become sworn members of the police department. They develop and administer recruiting programs for the police department. The team schedules applicant testing, interviews, and pre-hire appointments. 

Task Force Officer

The primary duties and responsibilities of the detective are to enforce Federal law and intelligence gathering. Detectives perform covert surveillance using techniques and the use of surveillance equipment. They can work closely with other local, state enforcement agencies and with prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office.

Traffic Unit

The unit proactively conducts selective traffic law enforcement to include but not limited to DWI enforcement, speed limit enforcement, and traffic-related fatalities. On an assigned shift, operates a patrol car, motorcycle, or walks to observe for violations of traffic laws, suspicious activities or persons, and disturbance of law and order. They conduct traffic enforcement and investigates traffic collisions and may be called out on nights and weekends for this purpose. Detectives perform follow-ups on Hit-and-Run investigations and fatality investigations. They provide traffic direction and control at traffic accident scenes, road closures, inoperative or damaged traffic control devices, and other situations that necessitate manual traffic direction.

Training and Education Unit

The Training Center Staff develops and administers training programs for recent academy graduates. They ensures that all departmental personnel qualify with on-duty and off-duty weapons annually. Instructors teach on a variety of subjects to departmental personnel. They prepare training outlines and research subject areas as directed by the Training Supervisor. They maintain records and lesson plans on all in-service training for the department and keeps records on personnel attending training. They Training Staff is required to conduct and participate in physical training.

Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT)

The VCAT will conduct fugitive apprehension investigations for offenders who are wanted in, or from, the City of Fayetteville. The unit’s primary responsibility is to facilitate the apprehension of individuals wanted for violent crimes such as murder, rape, felony assaults, and armed robbery, but may include additional serious felonies. VCAT will also adopt cases at the request of Divisions/Units to include; but not limited to chronic offenders, ongoing domestic violence offenders, individuals wanted for weapons offenses, and individuals wanted for serious crimes that have a history of violence. The VCAT may be called upon to assist other law enforcement agencies in apprehending individuals wanted from other jurisdictions that may have fled to Fayetteville.

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)

The USAR Team may respond to missing persons, drownings, walk-offs, evidence searches, recovery incidents, and other rescue-type events including natural and manmade disasters. The team will be utilized in the city limits but may be activated for mutual aid requests. Training for this team includes but is not limited to, land and water searches, technical, trench, and confined space rescue, collapse search and rescue, high angle rescue, swift water rescue, and boat operations.

Youth Services

Detectives are responsible for the processing of all cases involving juveniles. Collecting information on delinquent activities and investigating all assigned delinquency cases. They investigate all assigned juvenile law violations, apprehend violators, and recover the property. Detectives assist patrol officers when necessary and follow up on all juvenile apprehensions. They determine the causes for the violations to provide an informed recommendation for referral/disposition of the juveniles. Detectives actively investigate all missing juvenile/runaway cases and communicate with juveniles to make them aware of dangerous areas and influences.