Patrol Fleet

The Watertown Police Department utilizes eleven marked patrol cars. Eight of the marked cars are used by uniformed patrol officers. The School Resource Officers are assigned the ninth car. The department's two K9 handlers each have one of the two remaining marked cars. The K9 cars and the equipment in them were purchased at no cost to the City of Watertown, as they were provided by the South Dakota Attorney General's Drug Control Fund.
The patrol fleet mostly consists of sedans, with a few sport utility vehicles. Over the past two years, the department has transitioned from white Ford Crown Victorias to black and white Dodge Chargers. Additionally, the officers make use of one motorcycle, five bicycles, and a Segway. The motorcycle, a 2013 Harley Davidson Ultraglide, is leased to the department by Glacial Lakes Harley Davidson for a dollar a year. Three of the five bicycles were donated by a private citizen, as was the Segway.
The department employs a part-time mechanic who conducts regular vehicle maintenance on all of the vehicles.

Facility

In July of 2011, the Watertown Police Department moved into its current building. The moved marked the first time the WPD had a building of its own. Up to that point, the department had always shared space with some other city or county agency. The new building is about 38,000 square feet and was constructed at a cost of $3.7 million. Among other things, the facility has crime lab, a garage, a fitness room, and a Community Room for police training and public use.
The department employs a full-time staff member to care for the facility and the exterior grounds.

Take a Photo Tour of our facility.