Norman Police Department
Encyclopedia
Norman Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency
in Norman, Oklahoma
. Consisting of over 150 officers and numerous office staff, the department is the third largest in Oklahoma
, and serves a population of over 100,000 people. The city can boast one of the lowest per capita crime rates in the nation. The department is headed by Keith L Humphrey, a member of the department since 2011.
In 1924, the Norman Police employed four officers. By 1936, the staff had increased to eight officers. These officers worked twelve hour shifts, seven days a week. By the mid 1930s, the department had one car which was operated twenty-four hours a day. There were also three officers who walked a foot beat in the downtown area on a twenty-four hour a day basis. In 1938, four more officers were hired, with the shifts going to eight hour shifts, six days a week.
In 1995 the Norman Police Department adopted Community Oriented Policing as the approach to solving problems in the community. Norman was divided into thirteen police beats with officers being assigned to the beats on a permanent basis. The Community Oriented Policing philosophy centers around building partnerships between the police and members of the community. Working together solutions to problems are discovered and cooperation leads to resolutions.
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
. Consisting of over 150 officers and numerous office staff, the department is the third largest in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and serves a population of over 100,000 people. The city can boast one of the lowest per capita crime rates in the nation. The department is headed by Keith L Humphrey, a member of the department since 2011.
History
The Norman Police Department was established in 1919. Prior to this the law enforcement duties for the community was provided by Deputy U.S. Marshals, then a city marshal.In 1924, the Norman Police employed four officers. By 1936, the staff had increased to eight officers. These officers worked twelve hour shifts, seven days a week. By the mid 1930s, the department had one car which was operated twenty-four hours a day. There were also three officers who walked a foot beat in the downtown area on a twenty-four hour a day basis. In 1938, four more officers were hired, with the shifts going to eight hour shifts, six days a week.
In 1995 the Norman Police Department adopted Community Oriented Policing as the approach to solving problems in the community. Norman was divided into thirteen police beats with officers being assigned to the beats on a permanent basis. The Community Oriented Policing philosophy centers around building partnerships between the police and members of the community. Working together solutions to problems are discovered and cooperation leads to resolutions.
Specialties
Some of the specialized assignments in the Norman Police Department are:- Bicycle Team
- Bomb Squad
- Crime Scene Technician
- Criminal Investigations
- Crisis Negotiation
- Emergency Response Team (SWAT)
- Field Training Officer
- Honor Guard
- Physical Fitness Instructor
- Pistol Team
- Special Operations (Narcotics)
- Traffic Enforcement
- K-9
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Norman Police Department, three officers have died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Detective Lieutenant Jerry Wayne Bratcher | |
Vehicle pursuit |
| Patrolman Melvin Oliver Miner | |
Gunfire |
| Sergeant Dale E. DeBerry | |
Heart attack |