Paleto Bay Police Department

The Paleto Bay Police Department is the primarily law enforcement agency for the Town of Paleto Bay. The PBPD is responsible for responding to calls for service and patrolling the Town of Paleto Bay along with conducting traffic enforcement activities.

The current Chief of Police is Hu Cheng who has held the position since 2018.

## History

The Paleto Bay Police Department was formed on April 17, 1958, following a vote by the citizens and Town Council to establish a municipal police department for Paleto Bay. Since it's formation the PBPD has maintained a close working relationship with the Paleto County Sheriff's Office and the San Andreas Highway Patrol who patrols the highway that runs through town. The departments early history mainly included the patrols and with responding to calls within the town borders of Paleto Bay while the Sheriff's Office patrolled outside of town.

In the 1970's the PBPD saw a rise in bank robberies at the Paleto Bay Bank which most of the time resulted in arrests but also made the department realize that they needed to form a tactical unit following a robbery and shootout with an armed suspect in 1977. The suspect had robbed the bank with an M-14 rifle and opened fire on responding officers before fleeing in a pickup truck, however no officers were killed but 4 were wounded by the gunfire. The suspect was later shot and wounded by a Paleto County Sheriff's Office tactical unit outside of town after he crashed his truck on the highway. The suspect was sentenced to 55 years in prison in 1980, he would however be released on good behavior along with some health issues in 2015 at the age of 84.

In 1981, the PBPD formed the Special Emergency Response Team due to having multiple armed disturbances and barricaded suspects who would fire at officers. The PBPD would always call on a neighboring department to handle any tactical incidents but wanted their own team so they didn't have to rely on outside help. In 1992 the PBPD adopted the Beretta 92F 9mm semi-automatic handgun as the new sidearm for all officers, replacing the Smith & Wesson Model 66 .357 Magnum revolver which entered service in 1981.

## Divisions

* Detective Bureau
* K-9 Unit
* Patrol Division
* Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)
* Traffic Safety Unit (TSU)

## Ranks

* Chief of Police
* Assistant Chief of Police
* Captain
* Lieutenant
* Sergeant
* Detective
* Corporal
* Officer

## Chief's of Police

* Hu Cheng (2018-Present)
* Chuck Hageman (2012-2018)
* Ricardo Morales (2004-2012)
* Evan Gore (1997-2004)
* Paul Tygart (1985-1997)
* Quentin Westman (1971-1985)
* Rodney "Rod" Palma (1958-1971)

## Equipment

The PBPD currently relies on the 2015-2022 Dodge Charger Pursuit, 2022-2023 Dodge Durango and the 2015-2018 Chevrolet Tahoe as the main patrol vehicles for the department. The PBPD also has a few unmarked 2018 and 2022 Ford Explorer Interceptors for the Traffic Unit. Prior to 2015, the PBPD heavily relied on the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor which entered service in 1992 with the department. The recent Crown Victoria's in service were models produced between 2008 and 2011. All PBPD patrols vehicles are blue with Paleto Bay Police Department written in white on the doors with the Badge as well which is in gold.

All officers wear a light blue shirt with navy cargo pants and a black plate carrier. Officers are given an allowance to purchase their boots and gloves along with their sunglasses. Sergeants and above wear a white shirt with the navy cargo pants and a black plate carrier along with their rank insignia.

All officers are issued an X26P Taser, OC Spray and have an ASP Baton on their duty belt. Officers also carry a Kenwood Radio and since 2018, all officers have been issued tourniquets when on-duty in uniform.

The sidearm for the PBPD is the SIG Sauer P226R chambered in .357 SIG which is equipped with a tactical light and night sights. All patrol vehicles are equipped with a Remington Model 870 12 gauge shotgun and a Bushmaster XM-15 5.56x45mm patrol carbine.

## Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)

During the 1970's, the Town of Paleto Bay saw a rise in bank robberies, hostage situations and had a few barricaded suspect situations. Following these incidents the PBPD always had to rely on other departments for tactical operations. In 1980, the department got the funds to form their own unit which they would do in April of 1981 after the members completed their tactical training courses which were held by the San Andreas State Patrol and the Senora Valley Police Department.

The early uniforms of the SERT was a Woodland style camouflage outfit which was worn with a black bulletproof helmet and a black bulletproof vest. This uniform would be used until an updated Woodland camouflage outfit would be adopted in 1997 which came with a new helmet and bulletproof vest. This uniform would be used until 2010, when the department adopted an olive drab tactical uniform with black helmets and a moss green bulletproof vest. In 2018, the department would purchase new black plate carriers for the SERT who would get updated helmets and tactical uniforms provided by Crye Precision.

The SERT using the following equipment:

* SIG Sauer P320 X-Carry RXP 9mm
* Heckler & Koch MP5A3 9mm
* Colt M4A1 5.56x45mm
* LWRC M6A2 5.56x45mm
* Mossberg M590A1 12 gauge
* Remington Model 700 7.62x51mm