The Operations Division is led by Captain Gary Hendricks. Captain Hendricks has been in law enforcement for 23 years. Captain Hendricks has strong leadership skills in critical incident management, community crime reduction management, officer-involved critical incidents, risk assessment, administrative investigations and employee succession planning. Captain Hendricks attended and graduated from Vanguard University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Long Beach State University with a Master’s Degree in Emergency Service Administration. He has attended and completed the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and advanced executive leadership courses. Captain Hendricks is a proud father of one child, who is currently attending college out of state at a Division One University.
The Operations Division has an authorized strength of 92 full-time and 35 part-time employees. These are the most visible members of our Police Department. They serve the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are usually what are referred to as the “first responders.” The primary mission of your Operations Division is to reduce criminal activity and increase the quality of life for the Buena Park community we serve. The first responders are the backbone of any police department, and are the most visible. They are the significant point of contact with our community. Whether it is an emergency call for service, a traffic collision or just a member of the public coming into the Police Department for information or assistance, it is someone from the Operations Division that will most likely be the first person our community will encounter.
The Operations Division consists of the Patrol and Traffic Bureaus. Included in these Bureaus are the Communications Unit, Problem-Oriented Policing Team, Jail, Canine Unit, Mounted Patrol Unit, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Reserve Police Officer Unit, School Resource Officer Program, Police Service Officers, Police Service Aide, Chaplain Program and the Bicycle Team. The Reserve Unit has Reserve Police Officers and Chaplains who, combined, volunteered thousands of hours annually.
The Operations Division continues to provide the most highly trained and well-equipped professionals who effectively handle all requests for service to our community. The effectiveness of these first responders and their support staff are greatly enhanced by state-of-the-art equipment that they are provided to assist them in getting the job done. Because of our high-quality personnel, we are able to provide competent, effective and caring service to our community.