The Special Operations Division (SOD) comprises a number of highly specialized units that work alongside the Patrol Services and Investigative Services Divisions to support the primary mission of the Department of Public Safety. In addition, all units within SOD are called upon frequently to assist local law-enforcement agencies in the county. 

Some of the units within SOD include the:

  • Aviation Unit
  • Hazardous Devices Unit
  • Canine Unit
  • Marine Unit
  • Special Response Team 

The officers assigned to these units undergo rigorous training to keep their skills sharp.

Uniformed members of the Patrol Services Division (PSD) are seen every day on the county’s parkways, in the Town of Cortlandt, at the Westchester County Airport and in county parks, office buildings and facilities. 

On any given day, a member of the Patrol Services Division may be called upon to perform an extensive range of assignments,

  • from traffic enforcement to investigating accidents
  • from transporting prisoners to local courts to installing child seats for residents
  • from responding to reports of domestic violence to securing a crime scene 

PSD members are the voice on the other end of a 911 call. Theirs is the first face that appears at the scene of an emergency ready to help. Officers of the PSD are highly visible and ever-vigilant. In essence, they are the identity of the department. 

The PSD is often called to assist Westchester’s municipal police departments in a variety of ways. From assistance on vehicle stops to emergency crowd control, the PSD continues to provide officers when requested.  

Examples of specialized PSD officers consistently requested to assist other departments are:

  • Breath Test Operators (used to process DWI arrests)
  • Drug Recognition Experts
  • Accident Investigators
  • Accident Reconstructionists
  • Emergency Services Unit. 

As the guardians of the parkway system, PSD officers are usually at an advantage to intercept suspects fleeing from local crime scenes as the parkways are always an attractive means of escape.

public safety patchThe Westchester County Department of Public Safety is committed to increasing the safety and security of all those who live, work and recreate in our county.

Toward that end, we will remain vigilant in:

  • Policing parkways and county property
  • Being an ever-present resource for local law enforcement
  • Remaining at the forefront in protecting our citizens and critical infrastructure from acts of domestic and international terrorism

The Investigative Services division is comprised of 13 units and task forces. The primary function of the ISD is to:

  • Aggressively investigate crimes within the primary jurisdiction of the Westchester County Police
  • Provide specialized assistance when requested to local Westchester County law enforcement agencies for problematic, long-range, large-scale or complex investigations. 

ISD Units include:

  • General Investigations Unit
  • Forensic Investigations Unit
  • Narcotics Unit
  • Warrant-Fugitive Unit
  • Crime Analysis Unit 

ISD detectives also serve on a number of multi-agency task forces, including:

  • Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force
  • FBI Violent Crimes Task Force
  • FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force
  • U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.

 

The Westchester County Department of Public Safety is committed to protecting the safety and security of all who live and work in our county or come here to visit.

The department is vigilant in patrolling county parkways and protecting county properties, including Westchester’s vast parks system and key facilities such as the Westchester County Airport, the Westchester County Center and the county office building. In addition, it conducts municipal patrol operations in Mount Kisco and Cortlandt and has School Resource officers assigned to schools in Cortlandt, Somers, North Salem and Lewisboro.

We serve as an ever-present resource for local law-enforcement in Westchester. Through our Forensic Investigation Unit, for example, county police experts in ballistics, latent prints, crime scene processing and digital evidence examination assist local police with hundreds of cases each year. The resources of the Special Operations Division -- such as the Aviation Unit, Bomb Squad and Special Response Team -- are always available upon request to local police agencies.

The Digital Evidence Section conducts examinations of computers, cellular telephones, electronic storage devices and other items for local and federal law enforcement agencies. It is accredited by the NYS Commission on Forensic Science and the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors.

In an effort to increase transparency and accountability, Public Safety’s Department Manual is available online.

Westchester's Warrant Watch
Warrant Watch is a joint effort of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the Westchester County Department of Probation to locate and apprehend Westchester's most wanted fugitives. The Warrant Watch list provides information on these fugitives. If you have information on any of the individuals listed, call 911 or contact the Westchester County Department of Public Safety tip line at (800) 898-TIPS. Do not attempt to apprehend these persons on your own.

In addition, the Department of Public Safety, also known as the Westchester County Police Department, remains at the forefront in protecting our citizens and critical infrastructure from acts of domestic and international terrorism.