You chose a career in law enforcement because you felt a duty to keep others out of harm’s way and make your community safer.
It’s no secret that Police Officers encounter many dangers and stressors while on patrol, ranging from physical threats of violence to subtler (but equally impactful) factors like fatigue and psychological stress. Fremont Police Department (FPD) faces these challenges head-on to ensure Officers can perform their duties effectively while staying safe and healthy.
Your Police Officer Tool Kit
The right tools in the right hands ensure the safety of everyone involved in any situation involving a Police Officer. The immediate concern that might come to mind is protection against firearms. Gun violence is undoubtedly a significant danger faced by every Police Officer at some point in their career, no matter how safe the community they serve in. Beyond giving every officer tools to defend themselves against guns and other weapons that may be wielded against them, we also provide less lethal tool options:
- Ballistic-rated protection for patrol cars’ driver and front passenger windows, door panels, and driver headrest
- Rifle shields in every patrol vehicle
- Officers’ rifle plates, gas masks, and ballistic helmets
- Red dot optics/sighting on firearms to improve accuracy
- Less-lethal tools including RCB Expandable and Standard Batons, Taser, pepperballs for supervisors, and 40mm warning munition
- Emergency breaching tools such as rams, Halligan tools, and bolt cutters
- Active shooter kits
- Emergency medical supplies including tourniquets, Narcan, etc.
- Body-worn cameras and vehicle cameras equipped with Axon software that allows for real-time tracking of units in the field on a map
In addition to this basic toolkit that every Officer has access to on patrol, we also have a collection of more specialized tools and equipment that highly trained Units can access to help protect the entire department.
- A rifle-rated armored patrol vehicle in FPD’s fleet that serves as an Emergency Response Vehicle
- BearCat armored rescue vehicles
- Drones with night vision, thermal sensors, and zoom capabilities
- Robots including an articulating arm robot, scout robot, and pole camera
- K9 Unit including apprehension K9s and soon a bomb-detecting K9
Top-Notch Training
Besides the advanced tools and equipment we provide, regular training plays a crucial role in preparing Officers to handle the variety of challenges they may encounter on duty. FPD goes way beyond the 1,000 hours of Police Academy training and subsequent 19-week Field Training program that every new Officer is required to complete.
In fact, FPD sworn personnel spent a collective 39,211 hours training with Alameda County’s highest police training budget per employee in 2023 ($1,175,590 in total post-Academy).
It’s a given that Officers must be trained extensively in firearms handling and tactics to respond appropriately to armed suspects while minimizing the risk to themselves and others. Beyond these technical skills, FPD also offers Officers instruction in de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution, cultural competency, and mental health awareness to effectively navigate complex situations and interact with our diverse community.
Here are a few training and facility highlights:
- Indoor and outdoor firearms training range
- Defensive tactics program including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training
- Mat room to learn and practice defense techniques
- Pursuit intervention techniques including precision immobilization technique (PIT) vehicle maneuvers, stop stick tire deflation device, and vehicle-mounted/fired GPS tracking devices
- Tactical scenario-training facilities including campus search training and outdoor range search
Physical and Mental Support
While the physical preparation of tools and training are paramount to Officer safety, FPD realizes there are less obvious dangers that can affect Officer performance.
Fatigue, for example, is a common issue in law enforcement due to longer (or overnight) shift times, as well as the physical and mental demands of the job. Fatigued officers may have slower reaction times, impaired decision-making abilities, and decreased situational awareness. To combat fatigue, FPD has recently expanded our sleep room to make sure Officers have a safe place to sleep after a long incident or for those who’d like to rest before a longer commute home.
Helping our Officers manage stress is another top priority. The very nature of law enforcement work means that Officers are exposed to traumatic events, violence, and life-threatening situations. We don’t take that lightly.
We’ve built in peer and professional support systems, available 24 hours a day, to address the hidden dangers and stressors faced by officers. This includes access to mental health resources, peer support programs, wellness initiatives, and policies that promote work-life balance and healthy coping strategies.
Community Engagement
Finally, community engagement goes a long way toward helping Officers feel more secure, supported, and equipped to make a difference. With strong community support, we have many opportunities for Officers to engage with those they serve.
Our Officers love to share crime prevention tips with the public and chat about what it’s like to work at one of the best law enforcement agencies in California. They attend community meetings and special events, such as the Festival of the Arts, National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop, and more. FPD Officers value the positive relationship they have with our community, which helps them make a difference in every shift.
With all the above resources, tools, support, and community rapport, you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands at FPD.
