The Operations Division, led by Assistant Chief Brandon Barnhill, is the most visible division of the Paducah Police Department.  It is responsible for enforcing all criminal and traffic laws.  The Operations Division is often called the backbone of the department because it is responsible for providing uniformed patrol services to the City of Paducah 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  It is responsible for responding to both emergency and non-emergency calls for service from the public, handling special assignments, and proactively addressing community concerns.

In 2011, the department received 44,041 calls for service regarding criminal offenses, complaints, traffic crashes, alarm activations, disturbances and other events.  Patrol officers are first responders to calls for service.  They also prepare preliminary reports on all crimes, investigate motor vehicle crashes, and provide many other basic police services to the community. 

The Operations Division is the largest component of the Paducah Police Department with 58 sworn and nine civilian full-time and part-time employees.  The division has several major components: uniformed patrol, K-9 teams, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Bomb Squad, Collision Reconstruction Investigations, Crisis Negotiations Team, Bicycle Patrol, Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT), and school crossing guards.  Click here for a complete list of specialized assignments.  These units have the responsibility for working in partnership with the community to reduce the amount of crime and improve the quality of life for our citizens.  Due in part to our strong community partnerships, major crime is at the lowest rate in twenty years.

For more information,

• Bomb Squad 
• Directed Bike Patrol 
• K-9 Teams  
• Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) 

Patrol Shifts

The department has three patrol shifts, each commanded by a captain, that provide a full range of emergency and non-emergency services to the residents and visitors of Paducah.  Within each shift are K-9 teams, which are used in a variety of situations, including drug detection, building searches, human tracking, and crowd control.  Call (270) 444-8548 to reach the patrol shift commanders.