The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) is the
police department
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...
of the city of
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa (; Spanish for "Table Coast") is a city in Orange County, California. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wa ...
. The department is authorized 130 sworn officers plus additional civilian support staff.
Organization
The CMPD is authorized 130 officers plus civilian support staff. The sworn personnel are represented by the Costa Mesa Police Officer Association.
The department divides the city into Area 1 and Area 2 (subdivided into two patrol beats each), both areas being commanded by an officer in the rank of lieutenant.
The Support Services includes the Detective Bureau, Helicopter Bureau, Traffic Safety Bureau and the Communications Division.
Technical Services include the jail, Property and Evidence Bureau, Records Bureau, and a Training and Recruitment Bureau.
The CMPD also operates a
SWAT
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
team, a
motorcycle unit
A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by police and law enforcement. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. A police motorcycle is often called a "motor" by police officers in the United States. Units t ...
, and an
animal control service.
History
On March 10, 1987 a helicopter from the CMPD collided with another helicopter operated by the
Newport Beach Police Department. The two crewmen in the CMPD aircraft were killed, while the other aircraft was able to land safely.
As a result of the
Great Recession, the 2011 budget for Costa Mesa included cuts to the CMPD. Items cut included a
police helicopter program characterized as a "luxury" by the mayor. Police chief Staveley resigned in protest, claiming that the budget crisis was a fiction created by City Hall for political purposes.
In January 2023, the department launched an internal investigation after a man uploaded a Tik Tok video that allegedly shows an officer using a racial slur during a traffic stop.
See also
*
List of law enforcement agencies in California
References
External links
Department Website{{Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, California
Municipal police departments of California
Emergency services in Orange County, California
Government in Orange County, California
1953 establishments in California