About Kent Police

Patrol

As with any law enforcement agency, patrol is the backbone of our department. These are the men and women in uniform who respond to calls for service. They are the visible members of the department who work day and night to keep the community safe. Our patrol division is headed by the patrol captain. In addition to standard patrol operations, we have partnered with the Kent City Schools since 2014 to provide a full-time school resource officer to work in the middle and high schools

Detective Bureau

The members of the detective bureau investigate felony cases, complex cases, provide support in crime scene processing, and process all of the department’s evidence. A lieutenant and sergeant command this team consisting of two general case investigators, one drug task force agent, one juvenile investigator, one evidence detective, a juvenile counselor and an administrative assistant.

Specialized Training

Each detective has received specialized training pertaining to investigations and their specialized function. Some of the types of training the detectives have received are:

• Arson Investigations
• Clandestine Drug Laboratory Investigations
• DNA Collection
• Drug Investigations
• Evidence Collection and Processing
• Gang Investigations
• Homicide Investigations
• Internet Crimes Against Children Training
• Internet Investigations
• Interview and Interrogations
• Missing Persons Investigations
• Photography
• Sexual Assault Investigations

Investigations

All reports filed at the Police Department are reviewed by the Detective Bureau and a determination is made if follow up will be conducted on the reports. There are many variables that go into the decision. Some of those variables include solvability, known versus unknown suspects, information provided by the victim and tips received from the public.

The Detective Bureau maintains a close working relationship with the Portage County Prosecutor's Office in an effort to successfully prosecute the multiple cases which are handled. The detective bureau also has good working relationships with surrounding police departments so that information may be shared, as needed.

Evidence Officer

The evidence officer is in charge of keeping track of all evidence obtained by the police department. Any property found and turned in to the police department is given to the evidence officer for safe keeping. The detective attempts to identify the owner and return the property. The evidence officer also logs evidence into the evidence room, submits evidence to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and processes the evidence (dust for fingerprints), if necessary.

Juvenile Division

The juvenile section within the detective bureau reviews all cases involving juveniles. Juvenile offenders can be referred to the Portage County Juvenile Court or the juvenile can be put into the Diversion Program.

School Resource Officer     Juvenile Diversion Program     Explorers     Safety Town

School Resource Officer

The SRO is a full-time sworn police officer of the Kent Police Department assigned to Stanton Middle and Roosevelt High Schools. Within the schools, the SRO serves as a crime prevention specialist, educator, and law enforcement officer. They are also responsible for information sharing between school officials and the Police Department.  The SRO focuses on developing a rapport with the students by maintaining a high level of visibility on campus and at other school and community programs, and they serve as a positive role model to the students.

In 2022, K-9 Matous joined SRO Dominic Poe and the duo has been recognized with a C.A.R.E. award from the schools.

Juvenile Diversion Program

The Diversion Program is available to residents of the City of Kent and families in the Kent City School District. The purpose of the Diversion Program is to assist juveniles and their families by providing alternatives to court referral. It allows for the prevention and early intervention of issues that lead to unruly and delinquent behavior.  

All juvenile cases are reviewed by the Juvenile Bureau and a determination for placement in the Diversion Program is made on a case by case basis. For more information about the Diversion Program, please contact the juvenile counselor at 330-676-7519.

KPD Explorers

The KPD Explorer's program offers students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to learn about law enforcement careers with officers from the Kent Police Department.  Participants have hands-on experiences while exploring topics such as:

• Investigations
• Defensive Tactics
• K-9 Operations
• Active Threat
• SWAT
• and much more

Participants can benefit from the program by receiving high school credit, boosting academic/employment resumes, networking opportunities, and more.

K9 UNIT

The Kent Police Department K9 Unit was established in 1987 by Officer Don Miller.  Officer Miller started the K9 unit without assistance from the Police Department.  He purchased, out of his own pocket, Kent's first four-legged officer, Duchess, a female German Shepherd.  Officer Miller also paid for and attended the training on his own time.  These days, the city purchases the K9s through the city budget and donations.  By doing this, the city maintains ownership of the K9 during their career.  The city covers all medical and food expenses, as well as providing the K9 handler with a take home cruiser.  K9s and their handler are on call 24/7.  When the K9 retires, they are donated to the handler.

Over the last 37 years, Kent has had a total of 15 K9 units that have patrolled the streets of Kent, and now the hallways of Kent schools.  

There are currently 3 active K9s, Janik, Shaw, and Matous.

More K9 History...

Gonzo

After Patrolman Miller and Duchess were certified, Patrolman Karen Travis began working on certifying her dog, Gonzo. After 6 to 7 weeks, he was certified through NAPWDA and the State of Ohio, making Patrolman Travis the first female handler in the state.

Both dogs were well-received, doing numerous demonstrations for both the community and other police departments. These demonstrations led neighboring departments, such as Ravenna and Mogadore, to start their own K9 programs. Due to the success of these K9s and their handlers, the Kent Police Department decided to fund the program.

Roy

In late 1991 and early 1992, the Department conducted a K9 assessment for interested officers. Patrolman Haury was selected and paired with Roy (pronounced Ro to ee), who was trained and certified in patrol through NAPWDA and the State of Ohio. They made a great team, making multiple criminal apprehensions during their career together.

Arid

Patrolman Gilliland was the next handler selected and was paired with Arid, who was trained in Pennsylvania for seven weeks and certified in Patrol through NAPWDA and the State of Ohio. Arid excelled in using his nose to locate people, and was tested to see if he had the proper drive for narcotics detection. After an additional four weeks of training, Arid and Patrolman Gilliland became the first K9 unit to be dual-certified in Patrol and Narcotics.

Gandur

When Roy was retired in 1997, the next handler to be selected was Patrolman Brand. He worked with Gandur, who was dual purpose trained in Patrol and Narcotics. Gandur excelled at scent work, being able to detect small amounts of drugs when searching. He was also very good at crowd control.

Damon

After Patrolman Gilliland retired Arid, he took on another K9 named Damon. As was the case with Arid, Damon was also dual purpose trained in Patrol and Narcotics. Damon was a tremendous tracker and very protective of Patrolman Gilliland, coming to his aid on one occasion to help with the physical apprehension of a wanted felon who was violently resisting arrest, thus allowing Patrolman Gilliland to take the suspect into custody. By the time Damon succumbed to cancer in 2004, he had touched so many people in a positive way that the wonderful people at Memorial Animal Hospital coordinated with many people, specifically the Kent Rotary, to raise enough funds to get another dog.

Bak

Patrolman Gilliland wanted to continue with the program and was given the opportunity to work with another dog, Bak. Bak was trained in Patrol and Narcotics Detection and certified through NAPWDA and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA). Unfortunately, he only worked for a little over a year, having come down with a rare infection that was caught in its advanced stages, killing him at the very young age of 2 1/2 years.

Codi

Patrolman Jacobs and his K9, Codi, began training in February of 1999. Codi was a utility dog, trained in Tracking, Narcotics, Building/Area Searches, Article Search and Apprehensions. Narcotics were his strength, with his biggest drug seizure being 77 kilos of marijuana from a mutual aid call in Brimfield Township. He was also very useful in crowd control during the May 4th riots in 1999 and 2000.

Jessy

In 2001, Patrolman Jim Ennemoser was chosen to participate in the K9 program. He trained for 16 weeks with his partner, Jessy, who was certified in Narcotics Detection, Tracking, Building Search, Area Search, Article/Evidence Search and Handler Protection. Jessy was responsible for numerous successes. One such drug find was in May of 2008, when Jessy alerted to the presence of narcotics in an airplane that had landed at the Kent State University Airport. 30 kilos of cocaine were discovered. In another incident, Jessy located three suspects who had attempted to steal a car at gunpoint, tracking them for several blocks and locating them inside a house.

Felo

A generous donation from the Kent VFW in 2007 helped to offset the expenses of a new dog. Patrolman Gilliland was given another opportunity to work with the program and was paired with Felo, who was chosen for his dominant/confident demeanor. They completed six weeks of training and were certified through NAPWDA and OPOTA. Felo made numerous criminal apprehensions and drug finds since being certified, and was allowed to retire with Patrolman Gilliland in June 2013, by a special ordinance passed by City Council.

Aiko

K9 Aiko worked the road with Sergeant Jim Ennemoser. They began a six week training course in May of 2009 and were certified in June of that year through the State of Ohio, NAPWDA and the National Association of Professional K9 Handlers. Aiko achieved numerous accomplishments once certified, including tracking and apprehending a burglary suspect who assaulted the home owner, and apprehending another burglary suspect while the residents were upstairs, locked in a bedroom. On another occasion, a traffic stop that was a joint operation with the Cleveland Drug Task Force resulted in the confiscation of $150,000 cash and 10 pounds of marijuana.

Iron

K9 Iron partnered with Patrolman Poe. Iron was a Czechoslovakian-born German Shepherd who went through 6 weeks of training with his partner, and they worked together for approximately 3 years.

Communications & Dispatch

A dispatcher is the first person you will speak to when you call the Police Department. Dispatchers answer both emergency and non-emergency calls at the station.  They are trained to ask questions so they can determine what type of response is needed (what the problem is, how many officers to send, and whether the call needs a police response or can be effectively handled another way).The Police Department employs full time dispatchers and a full time dispatch coordinator. 

Jurisdiction

Kent Police Department dispatches police, fire, and EMS for the City of Kent.  They also dispatch the Kent Fire Department for Kent State University, Franklin Township, and Sugar Bush Knolls.  And they dispatch Brimfield Fire/EMS services for Brimfield Township.

The dispatchers monitor the City's service band radio frequency, which city maintenance workers use. The dispatchers also have a scanner, so they can monitor surrounding area police departments.

Deputy Clerks

The dispatchers are also Deputy Clerks of the Portage County Municipal Court. Being a Deputy Clerk allows the dispatchers to clerk official court paperwork, prepare court documents and accept bond money on behalf of the court. The dispatchers are also responsible for bonding out prisoners.

Additional Duties

In addition to dispatching, the dispatchers handle walk-in traffic such as individuals who come into the lobby to make a report, ask for directions, or request copies of reports.

KPD operates a 12-day jail facility consisting of 4 temporary holding cells, as well as longer-term holding cells which are divided among two pods. These pods, which separate males and females, offer showers, TVs, tables and chairs, and telephones. Longer term holding has single, double, and and triple occupant cells, complete with toilets and sinks. A booking area for paperwork processing is located centrally in a large open space where detention officers are equipped with controls of doors and audio/video surveillance.

Being Arrested

Once a person is arrested, they are transported to the jail to be processed. All property such as jewelry, wallet, hats, cell phones, etc. is taken from the prisoner at the time they enter the facility. The property is stored in a bin in the booking room and returned when the prisoner is released.

The booking process consists of a jailer filling out an arrest booking form, taking a photo (mug shot) of the prisoner and fingerprinting the prisoner. Cooperating with the booking procedure is a prerequisite of being released. This process usually takes about an hour. It will take longer if there are numerous prisoners.

While in Jail

• Any damage done to the jail by a prisoner may result in additional charges.
• Intoxicated prisoners will only be released to a responsible, sober person.
• There are no visiting facilities in the jail.
• Prisoners have access to a pay phone once they are put in a cell. They may make as many collect phone calls as they wish.
• Clean clothes may be dropped off for a prisoner. The clothes will be thoroughly searched before being given to the prisoner.
• Toiletries will not be accepted for the prisoners. Toiletries are provided.

Bond

Bond may be required before a prisoner is released. The bond amounts are set by the Portage County Municipal Court and are based on the degree of offense (misdemeanor 1, misdemeanor 2, misdemeanor 3, misdemeanor 4, minor misdemeanor, unclassified misdemeanor) and where a person lives. The purpose of posting bond is to ensure that the person goes to court. If bond is not posted for the prisoner he will spend the night or weekend in jail.

Felony charges have no bond. The prisoner must stay in jail until the next morning or Monday morning, if it is the weekend.

Types of Bond

• • • Personal Recognizance
      No money is required for this bond. By signing a PR bond, the prisoner is promising to go to court on his court date. Failure to appear in court will result in a warrant being issued by the court.
      
      
    • 10% Bond
      Ten percent of the full bond amount must be posted. Bond may be paid in cash or with a Visa or MasterCard. No checks. Bonds paid with a credit card are subject to a 4% surcharge which is not refundable. The card holder must be present with the card. A credit card bond may not be paid over the phone. After the case is disposed of, up to 90% of the money posted may be returned. A receipt will be given for any money taken. Do not lose the receipt. The receipt is necessary for any money returned.
      
      
    • Full Bond
      Total bond amount must be posted. Bond may be paid in cash or with a Visa or MasterCard. No checks. Bonds paid with a credit card are subject to a 4% surcharge which is not refundable. The card holder must be present with the card. A credit card bond may not be paid over the phone. A receipt will be given for any money taken. Do not lose the receipt. The receipt is necessary for any money returned.

Bail Bondsman

A bail bondsman may be utilized to post bond. Any bondsman listed in the phone book is acceptable.

Task Force Participation

KPD patrol officers and detectives participate in a number of local, regional and national task forces, including the following:

Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF)

Under the direction of the U.S. Marshal's Office, this multi-jurisdictional agency, represented by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, search for and apprehend dangerous felons and fugitives who are located in the jurisdictions of the participating agencies. 

US Department of Justice Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATTF)

Under the direction of U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Ohio, this multi-jurisdictional agency coordinates the dissemination of information and development of investigative and prosecutorial strategy in dealing with terrorism. The Task Force acts as a conduit for intelligence information about suspected terrorist activity, which is shared by participating federal, state and local agencies.

Metro SWAT

This highly trained, professional multi-jurisdictional special weapons team responds to incidents within the jurisdictions of participating members that require special weapons and tactics (SWAT) to deal with riotous activity, large crowd control, barricaded suspects, execution of drug warrants, arrest of dangerous felons, and the rescue of hostages or endangered persons. The organization is comprised of 20 Summit/ Portage County law enforcement agencies. 

The patrol division participates in several safety and enforcement campaigns throughout the year. These include:

• Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Click it or Ticket seatbelt campaign
• Driving under suspension violations and persons with active warrants
• Motorcycle safety
• Targeted enforcement in high crime areas and traffic check points where OVI (operating a vehicle while under the influence) violations are targeted