Patrol Officers are the backbone of the Department. The Cape Girardeau Police Department provides around-the-clock police services with officers typically working 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., or 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Each platoon has two patrol officers assigned as the “6:00 car” to assist in covering calls at the change-of-shift. The city of Cape Girardeau is divided into five patrol areas or zones. All five zones are staffed fulltime.
Cape Girardeau police officers are a group of dedicated men and women with a wide range of ages and years of experience. A typical day in the life of a patrol officer may include: Patrol, traffic enforcement, responding to alarms, assisting citizens, providing traffic control at accident or fire scenes, preparing detailed reports, making arrests, attending training, providing security at public meetings, recovering lost property, conducting business and bar checks, and many, many other tasks. Our officers proactively patrol in neighborhoods and in our business areas to deter crime and improve our visibility.