Specialized Units

The Police Department offers various opportunities to branch off into specialized areas based on their training, interests, and ambitions. These special assignments include:

Criminal Investigations Division (C.I.D)

The Criminal Investigation Division is comprised of persons crimes, property crimes, computer crimes and economic crimes. In addition, administrative assistant, crime scene investigators, civilian digital forensic examiners and victim’s advocates are specialized civilian positions that support this division.

The primary responsibility of this division is to investigate all reported criminal activities that occur within the city. All criminal cases are reviewed by the Criminal Investigations Division for analysis and comparison with existing crime trends and establishing new crime trend data. The initial investigation is initiated by road patrol and reviewed by CID. Then the case is closed, assigned for follow-up or assigned as information. Cases from an identified hot spot, series or spree are assigned to the same detective.

This is a full-time specialized assignment which encompasses detectives who receive advanced investigative training, conduct interviews and investigate criminal activity.

Traffic Enforcement Unit (T.E.U)

Traffic unit officers are responsible for enforcing Florida's Uniform Traffic Laws, investigation of vehicle crashes and providing traffic control and escorts for VIP motorcades, as well as community activities such as parades, funeral escorts and other assignments that may arise. Its main purpose is to reduce traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities related to crashes and to facilitate the safe and expeditious flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic through education and enforcement of state and local traffic regulations.

The members of this unit are tasked with patrolling in marked and unmarked police vehicles and police motorcycles, specifically targeting drivers violating traffic laws and who may be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and aggressive-driving offenders.

These officers receive specialized training in the investigation of serious bodily injury crashes and may receive additional training in the investigation and reconstruction of fatality-involved crashes. Traffic unit officers undertake directed area patrol assignments that target high-frequency crash locations, chronic speed locations, along with common roadways frequently used by drivers potentially driving under the influence.

This unit is a full-time assignment that includes traffic enforcement. Additional specialized duties for qualified traffic officers include traffic homicide investigations and police motorcycle unit.

Canine Unit

The K-9 Unit is comprised of specially trained police dogs and their police officer handlers. The use of canines is imperative in the fight against crime and provides protection for officers and the community.

The K-9's utilizes their indispensable abilities of smell, sight, speed and agility in tracking and apprehending felony suspects, in locating missing persons and conducting area/building searches.

SWAT Division

The Special Weapons and Tactics Team are a specialized unit within the police department comprised of highly trained members. Since its implementation, SWAT’s goal is to provide for the safe execution of search warrants, dignitary protection and hostage negotiation situations. S.W.A.T. provides a tactical response to barricaded subjects, active shooter incidents, terrorism and the handling of any critical incident which would require extensive tactical skills. S.W.A.T. provides the city with a self-sufficient tactical team, utilizing special skills and tools.

Marine Unit

The Marine Unit Patrols Port St. Lucie’s navigable waterways. The city is home to nearly 20 miles of the St. Lucie River, which leads to the Atlantic Ocean about 70 miles from Grand Bahama. This is accomplished with the use of a patrol boat that is kept on a lift for rapid deployment and a small, trailered skiff for operations conducted in shallow water or in landlocked bodies of water.

The unit’s primary focus is boating safety, as well as the protection of waterfront properties and the numerous environmentally sensitive areas located within the City’s boundaries.

This is a collateral assignment that consists of a group of specially trained officers to conduct marine law enforcement as well as search and rescue.

Bike Unit

The Bike Patrol Unit is a collateral assignment. The unit consists of eight specially trained officers certified in police bicycling operations. By using bicycles, officers are able to traverse any area in the City as well as areas where vehicles cannot. Bicycles are capable of maneuvering swiftly and safely through congested vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and therefore are a proactive tool. Bicycles are often silent and difficult to see, providing the bike patrol officer with an advantage when attempting to apprehend offenders who are in the process of committing crimes.

PSLPD bike officers have repeatedly demonstrated their value as a rapid response resource at parades, concerts and numerous other special events. The community gains many of the advantages of a "beat officer" without the loss of mobility that dedicating an officer to foot patrol causes, and the officers can interact with and learn from the community. The unit also focuses on bicycle safety programs and bicycle registrations.

Training Section

The Port St. Lucie & Fort Pierce Police Department maintains the highest standards of professionalism with its training unit. Primarily, the officers ensure all personnel receive the proper training and certification for each person’s job assignment/rank. They work closely with outside agencies and academies in the development of training programs for basic recruits and experienced officers. The training unit consists of full-time training coordinators and a collateral assignment for several department instructors.

The training coordinators are tasked with researching, developing and coordinating training for all police personnel. The training coordinators are responsible for maintaining training records per the criteria and standards set forth by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. The Training Coordinators also must ensure the training follows all departmental guidelines governed by accreditation standards, state and local laws.