Police

The Denton Police Department (DPD) has a long-standing tradition of working with citizens to make our neighborhoods and city safer. DPD has been on the forefront of creating partnerships, solving community concerns, and being involved in non-traditional policing roles. We cannot successfully fight crime without your help. DPD is committed to forming partnerships with the mutual goals of resolving problems, reducing fear, preserving the peace, and enforcing the law. Our personnel strive to approach every situation with the goal of providing excellent service.

MISSION, VALUES, and GOALS

The mission of the Denton Police Department is to positively impact the quality of life in our community through excellent public service, protection of persons and property, and enforcement of the law.

The core values for the Denton Police Department are:  Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and Excellence (P.R.I.D.E.)

Consistent with the Mission Statement and Core Values, the three specific goals for the organization are:

1. To reduce crime and the fear of crime;
2. To partner with the community to identify and solve problems;
3. To operate the Department with maximum efficiency.

The Department expects that every member will strive continuously to achieve these three goals and thereby improve the quality of life in Denton.

Denton Police Department Divisions

• Chief of Police
  Interim Chief of Police Bobby Smith is committed to achieving policing excellence over mediocrity. At the core of this commitment is the forming of partnerships to solve community problems. Bobby encourages you to take an active role in your community by finding ways to improve the quality of life of our citizens. If you have ideas or important information, you may contact him at bobby.smith@cityofdenton.com or by calling (940) 349-8181.
• Operations Bureau

  The Operations Bureau, under the direction of Deputy Chief Frank Padgett, is the uniformed presence for the Denton Police Department and includes the following units: Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, School Resource Officers, and Community Resource Officers. Officers assigned to the Operations Bureau take pride in providing quality customer service, developing positive partnerships with members of our community, and ensuring a safe community for our citizens. Our officers are committed to working with community members and are often involved in neighborhood meetings and the development of neighborhood-focused problem resolution.

• Patrol Division
  The Patrol Division is deployed in 4 shifts working 12-hour shifts. Each shift is supervised by a Lieutenant and two Sergeants. Each shift is responsible for providing police service through responding to calls for service and performing self-initiated police activity in each of the five police districts.
• Special Enforcement Division
  The Special Enforcement Division is primarily charged with ensuring traffic safety for citizens traveling on the roads of our city. This Division includes the Traffic Section, School Crossing Guards and Special Events Planning. The Traffic Section provides focused enforcement for traffic violations and impaired drivers on the highways and other major thoroughfares throughout Denton. The Section also conducts advanced accident investigations for injury and fatality accidents. The Section also administers the Automated Traffic Signal Enforcement Program (Red Light Cameras).
• Neighborhood Services Division
  This Division includes the Community Resource Officers, Media Relations Officer, and School Resource Officers.
• Investigations and Support Bureau
  The Investigations and Support Bureau conducts investigations of criminal activity committed within the city limits of Denton. The Bureau is commanded by Deputy Chief Chris Summitt and consists of four Divisions: General Investigations Division, Major Crimes Division, Family Services Division and the Special Operations Division.
   
• General Investigations Division
  The General Investigations Division is responsible for the follow-up investigation of crimes committed against persons or property in the City of Denton which require a degree of specialization or a centralized investigative approach.
   
• Major Crimes Division
  The detectives assigned to this division are responsible for criminal investigations that are time consuming, require specialized expertise or are of a serious nature.
• Family Services Division
  The detectives assigned to this section investigate offenses where children are the victim of crimes of violence. The detectives investigate both physical and sexual abuse of children. The Bureau works very closely with the Denton County Children’s Advocacy Center and Child Protective Services. The Family Services Coordinator for the Denton Police Department is assigned to this division. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/counselor and is responsible for providing victim’s services for crime victims, providing short term counseling, crisis intervention and referral to social service agencies.
   
• Special Operations Division
  The Special Operations Division includes the Narcotics Section and the Denton Repeat Offender Program.
  Narcotics Section: The detectives assigned to this section target narcotic/drug activities that affect the city of Denton. The investigators conduct both covert and overt type investigations.
  Denton Repeat Offender Program (DROP): The Detectives assigned to DROP are responsible for serving active arrest warrants that originate from other members of the police department. They also are a part of a United States Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force responsible for apprehending persons who have active federal or state warrants in the Eastern district of Texas. A crime analyst/forensic computer specialist is also assigned to this section.

Reporting a crime

If your incident is an emergency, call 911. If it's a non-emergency, call (940) 349-8181. Use the online citizen police report system below to submit a report immediately and print a copy for free. Please confirm the following before proceeding: 

• This is not an emergency.
• The incident is not in progress.
• This incident occurred within the Denton city limits.
• You are not filing on the behalf of some else.
• You have a valid email address.
• You have a valid driver's license number.

Please make sure to turn off your pop-up blocking software before filing the report. All cases filed using the Citizens Online Police Reporting System will be reviewed. Upon review, if further investigation of your case is needed, you may be contacted.

Citizen Online Police Reporting 
You can report the following incidents (please choose one):

Non-consent Towing

If you think your vehicle has been towed illegally within Denton, you may call (940) 349-8181 to verify.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) regulates towing/booting and vehicle storage facilities in Texas. 

If your towed vehicle is at a vehicle storage facility, additional fees will apply. For complete details about storage fees and other towing information, Texas Booting and Towing Law can be found at the TDLR website.

Wreckers are commercial motor vehicles regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and the City of Denton. Complaints and concerns should be directed to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation at (800) 803-9202 or visit the website. 

If you wish to contest a non-consent tow or the impoundment of your vehicle, you must request a tow hearing. The tow hearing must be scheduled within 14 days of the vehicle being towed. Any Justice of the Peace located within Denton County may hold a tow hearing regarding your vehicle. Contact information is located on the Denton County Website. 

Racial Profiling Policy 

Racial profiling and bias policing is completely intolerable and contrary to the governing values of the Denton Police Department. The City’s racial profiling policy provides guidelines for officers to prevent such occurrences, establishes procedures to educate citizens how to report incidents of perceived racial profiling, and protects police officers when they act within the dictates of the law and policy. View the policy.

Citizens who wish to compliment an employee, or lodge a racial profiling or other type complaint against individual members of the Denton Police Department should contact the Office of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs unit) located in the Denton Police Department facility at 601 E. Hickory St., Suite E, Denton, TX 76305; email: internal_affairs@cityofdenton.com, or telephone their office at (940) 349-7988 or (940) 349-7912 during business hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  If we miss your call please leave a short message and a contact number.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does this ordinance apply to street musicians?
  The ordinance does not apply to a street musician unless the musician actively solicits donations or is selling items such as CDs, DVDs, or casettes.
• My school is having a fundraiser. Do my children need a permit to go door to door?
  No, this ordinance does not apply to organizations whose membership consist primarily of persons less than 18 years of age, such as school and youth sports organizations.
• I work for a non-profit organization. Do I need a solicitor's permit?
  Yes, you will need to bring proof of your non-profit status to the records section of the Denton police Department. They will issue you a permit at no charge.
• What is the Automated Traffic Signal Enforcement Program
  Red light cameras help communities enforce traffic laws by automatically photographing vehicles whose drivers run red lights. A red light camera system is connected to the traffic signal and to sensors that monitor traffic flow at the crosswalk or stop line. The system continuously monitors the traffic signal 24/7, and the camera itself is triggered by any vehicle entering the intersection above a pre-established minimum speed and following a specified time after the signal has turned red. A second photograph typically shows the red light violator in the intersection. Cameras record the date, time of day, time elapsed since the beginning of the red signal and vehicle speed. Tickets are sent by mail to owners of the violating vehicles, following a review by trained police officers of the photographic evidence
• What constitutes a red light running violation?
  A violation occurs when a motorist enters an intersection after the signal light has turned red. Motorists trapped inadvertently in an intersection when the signal changes to red (e.g., waiting to turn left) are not red light runners.
• Where are the red light cameras located?
  Denton currently has 15 photo enforcement cameras.