East District - Project REACH (Rejuvenating Arlington,
Creating Hope) is the culmination on how APD
retooled the successful East Arlington’s Weed and
Seed initiative after Congress eliminated funding in
2012. In 2013, Project REACH was reconstructed
as a school-centric initiative with the after-school
mentorship program at Thornton elementary. East
foot patrol officers currently serve as mentors to
identified youth at Thornton for six hours a week. The
district also hosts an outreach opportunity with the
community through teaching English with our English
as a Second Language (ESL) program in partnership
with a local church. These community-based efforts
align with Arlington ISD’s multi-year strategic plan
emphasizing community engagement and the value
of partnerships which also support the City Council
priority of supporting quality education. The success
of this program is now being replicated in other police
districts around the city.
South District – The South Retail District Unit
(SRDU) is comprised of one sergeant and seven
officers. The mission of the SRDU is to reduce crime,
protect commercial properties, and ensure visitors
to major retail areas are safe and welcome. This is
accomplished through a focused patrol approach
that utilizes foot, bicycle, and vehicle patrol. SRDU
maintains in-depth business partnerships that continue
to evolve for the betterment of this vast retail area that
includes a traditional mall, a large urban retail district
area, hospital, and numerous restaurants
and hotels.
West District – The K9 Unit is a specialized
component that was established in 1979 and now
consists of one sergeant and three K9 teams that
assist patrol city-wide. The K9 Unit regularly assists
patrol with locating and apprehending felony suspects,
conducting searches, and assists on felony in-progress
calls for service. The team also connects with the
community during special events with visits to local
schools and special venues to highlight the work that
our dogs perform every day. There is extensive training
that is conducted throughout the year to keep our
canines ready for patrol operations. During 2013, K9
teams responded to more than 1,233 assignments.
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