Serving the Citizens of Pacific Grove

Pacific Grove has been a city for nearly 115 years and throughout that time has always provided police protection. Our police force has grown from one part-time caretaker to its current level of 25 officers and 7 support professionals. Although the police department is bigger, better equipped, better trained and more professional than it’s nineteenth century predecessors, its underlying principle has always been “service to the community.” 

The Pacific Grove Police Department embraces the principles of “Community Policing.” Community policing is both a philosophy (a way of thinking) and an organizational strategy (a way to carry out the philosophy) that allows the police and the community to work closely together in creative ways to solve the problems of crime, illicit drugs, fear of crime, and neighborhood decay, and improve the overall quality of life in our community.  The philosophy of community policing rests on the belief that citizens deserve input into the police process. This partnership between the police and the community they serve is at the heart of community policing.  It also rests on the belief that solutions to today’s community problems demand freeing both people and the police to explore creative, new ways to address neighborhood concerns beyond traditional law enforcement.

Community policing aims to solve the underlying causes of problems to prevent their recurrence. Community policing is more than mere foot patrols, bicycle patrols, police officers in the schools or other programs. Community policing is a philosophy that extends from the highest-ranking staff officer to the probationary officer, and is intended to change the traditional ways police officers have done their jobs in the past.

Community policing in Pacific Grove is still evolving. Several years ago, the City Council, City Manager, members of the police department and about 60 citizens participated in a town hall meeting to discuss community policing in Pacific Grove.  Many themes were discussed and problems identified.  Most of concerns seemed centered around traffic problems, police and youth relations, and improving police and citizen communication.  A panel of concerned citizens and community leaders has been established to assist the department in developing and implementing a strong community policing model here in Pacific Grove.

One of the first items of business was to develop a community survey, which was mailed to each home and business in Pacific Grove in mid August 2004.  This was the first time in the history of Pacific Grove that such a survey was done. The survey was designed to measure satisfaction with police services, fear of crime and perceptions of public safety in Pacific Grove; identifying community problems, concerns, and priorities; and solicit ideas on how to achieve community policing in Pacific Grove. The citizen response was remarkable.  Over 10,000 questionnaires were mailed to all Pacific Grove residences and almost 25% of the surveys were returned to an independent company for data entry and analysis.  The results of the survey serve as a tool to help determine services and priorities of the Police Department.  The survey is now available online.

We are all very fortunate to either live or work in Pacific Grove. We have one of the lowest crime rates in Monterey County. Our natural beauty, our quality of life and the safety and security of our residents and guests are the paramount concern to the dedicated men and women of the Pacific Grove Police Department.  We look forward to a close working relationship with you, and we are here to serve.

Darius Engles
Chief of Police