Field Trip: Police Department

Photo credit: San Mateo Police Department

Where: San Mateo Police Department (200 Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403)

When : All year, with appointment

Who   : All ages. Max group size 20 (but consecutive tours can be scheduled)

Cost   : Free

Notes:  Photos are allowed, but may not contain text (e.g. schedules, notes). Tour involves multiple levels of stairs, so parents should preferably have little ones in a carrier.  

This was a popular field trip - we had to schedule three consecutive tours to keep the group size manageable. Because of that, we were also able to group students by age (early elementary vs middle/high), and tour content was customized for their maturity level.

We started out by viewing what looked like a large classroom with tables and chairs, but learned that it turns into an emergency operations center during a citywide emergency. There was an area which could be used for media interviews and press conferences.

The background you see on TV

Afterwards, we saw the atrium (not pictured), a gym for the officers, and peeked into a room where the officers were having their briefing at the beginning of their shift. We also saw some detention rooms which are currently unused since Redwood City's Maguirre Correctional Facility is so close. They had been cleaned up, but the heavy lock and open toilet (behind the white wall in picture) in each cell were sufficient reminders of their former use.

Outside of cell

Spartan interior

From a law enforcement officer's perspective, detention is also additional work - frequent checks through the door, and rules which determine how long a person may be detained.

Next, we saw some interview rooms (not pictured) - one room was carpeted and comfortable, while another had hard chairs and a desk, the standard interrogation rooms as pictured on TV. Our guide explained that the softer room was for communicating with victims or juveniles, or giving sensitive news. We appreciated the consideration for children. All rooms were monitored.

After the interview rooms, the guide brought us to the dispatch center (not pictured). Dispatch officers work in teams, and the job requires a steady temperament. They are on the frontlines for 9-11 calls (which could be for fire or police), and they are typically busy in the later half of the day when school and work are out. When you call 9-11, your signal is picked up by the nearest tower and location information is available to dispatch. A tidbit of information:

Q: What should you do if you accidentally (or prank) call 9-11, then hang up? 

A: Police will call back. You should answer this call, and be honest that it was a mistake, or a prank. If you don't answer, they have to send someone out to investigate which takes resources so it's better to 'fess up. 

Outside, we saw patrol cars, and the guide pointed out details like the push bar in front to clear debris, or the hard molded seats (allowing handcuffed passengers to sit back) and automatic seat belts. 

 

Each patrol car serves as the "office" for a patrol officer, but the building also has writing rooms where they may come in to write reports. Report writing is an integral part of the job. 

There was also a "command center" vehicle - when investigations take multiple hours, officers can meet inside - its interior is set up with multiple screens, network access, and massive floodlights which makes searching for evidence easier.

Command center vehicle

Underground, we also saw K-9 cars (unfortunately the dogs were out during our group's tour but another group did meet Elvis!), motorcycles, a van for drones and a massive rescue vehicle affectionally named "Bubba". 

Bubba - note the turrets on the side

Finally, one of the age-appropriate groups saw the shooting range where the guide told us gun safety guidelines. It was fascinating to see the props like barrels where the officers practice a variety of scenarios.

 We would like to thank the San Mateo Police Department for hosting our group. It was illuminating to see all the ways they are active in our community such as the Police Activities League which provides recreational activities for youth, as well as the skills required to be a good officer. There are multiple ways to work with the police - dispatchers are in demand (civilian), and students can look into the Explorer program if they want to learn more about officer training.

Org chart credit: San Mateo Police Department