In 2009, Montgomery residents reported 24,579 criminal offenses that included:
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- 31 criminal homicides
- 85 rapes
- 453 robberies
- 302 aggravated assaults
- 3,092 burglaries
The Montgomery Police Department, which was established in 1820, consists of 524 sworn officers who are called upon to serve as the primary law enforcement body for the City of Montgomery, which is home to more than 202,000 residents and another 150,000 people who commute in and out of the city on a daily basis.
How to Become a Detective with the Montgomery Police Department
Interested applicants interested in becoming a detective with the Montgomery Police Department are best served by first attaining a patrol officer job so as to gaining valuable experience.
To qualify for a Montgomery Police Department patrol officer job, applicants must be at least 19 years old and must possess a valid driver’s license.
Although not a requirement of the Department, many individuals seeking careers in criminal investigations choose to complete a degree in criminal justice or a related field so as to best position themselves to stand out among a competitive candidate pool, as well as for future career advancement to positions in criminal investigations.
Applications and required questionnaires may be obtained by visiting the Montgomery City-County Personnel Department (72 Madison Avenue) or by downloading them from the website. All applications must be filed with the Personnel Department.
All candidates for police officer jobs must be in good physical health and certified by a licensed physician as such. They must also successfully complete the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission Physical Ability/Agility Test.
All police officer trainees, upon turning 20, must enter and successfully complete the next scheduled Police Academy to become a police officer with the Department.
Police officers may be promoted to police corporal after two years of continuous employment following Academy graduation. Corporals with the police department may work as detectives/criminal investigators.
After two years as a corporal, officers may then be promoted to police sergeant, who often oversee and manage criminal investigations.
The Montgomery Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division
The Criminal Investigation Division is organized into 5 bureaus:
Bureau of Forensic Sciences (BFS) – The Bureau of Forensic Sciences (BFS) consists of:
- Crime Scene Investigation: Provides support for the entire Department and for working crime scenes related to major crimes, such as robbery, rape, burglaries, and murders
- Cyber Crimes
- Fingerprint Identification: Responsible for examining latent fingerprints lifted by investigators
- Photography Section: Specializes in photographing evidence and crime scene photography
Major Crimes Bureau – The Montgomery Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau is responsible for investigating felony crimes against persons. This Bureau is divided into the following, specialized units:
- Homicide Unit: Investigates crimes such as attempted murder, murder, capital murder, police shootings, and unexplained deaths
- Robbery Unit: Investigates bank robberies, theft of property, person robberies, and business robberies
- Pawn Shop/Scrap Yard Detail: Monitors and regulates scrap yards, pawn shops, and other second-hand shops as to identify, record and recover stolen property
- Auto Theft Task Force: Investigates the theft of motorized vehicles; also conducts proactive investigations regarding auto theft rings, chop shops, and car thieves
General Investigations Bureau – The General Investigations Bureau of the Montgomery Police Department is responsible for investigating all felony crimes (with the exception of robberies, auto thefts, and homicides).
SVU/Juvenile Enforcement Bureau – The Special Victims Unit Juvenile Enforcement Bureau investigates crimes related to adolescents
Domestic Violence Bureau – The Domestic Violence Bureau investigates all matters concerning serious domestic disputes that have developed into assaults or other violent crimes.