As with most police agencies, the Patrol Division of the Matawan Police Department is the “backbone” of the department. Its fundamental responsibilities include handling all emergencies, daily calls for service and insuring public safety through patrol and proactive enforcement. This is accomplished seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred and sixty-five days per year. All members of the Patrol Division strive toward achieving the department’s mission of providing a safe community with fairness, compassion and respect. The men and women of the Patrol Division are the initial responding officers to any call for assistance including, fire and emergency medical requests. These officers are trained in CPR and the use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) as well as other “First Responder” life saving techniques. There are currently three officers assigned to the Patrol Division who have advanced training beyond that of a First Responder and serve as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). In addition to its first responder responsibilities, the Patrol Division initially investigates all reported offenses or crimes which occur within the Borough. Those cases which are serious in nature or require an in-depth or specialized investigation are then turned over to the Investigative Section of the Special Operations Division. The Patrol Division also assists with the implementation of many community policing initiatives such as Bicycle Patrol, Honor Guard, and the Drug Abuse Resistance and Education (D.A.R.E.) program. The effort of the Patrol Division produces approximately three-hundred arrests, three-thousand motor vehicle summonses and four hundred criminal complaints per year*. The Patrol Division consists of four patrol squads each supervised by a Sergeant. Each squad consists of three Patrolmen who work a twelve hour shift, rotating between the day tour of duty and the night tour of duty every four weeks.