Patrol

patrol car on roadThe patrol section of the Teton County Sheriff's Office is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and serves as the "tip of the spear" in our fight against crime. Patrol is the backbone of operations, the most visible of our functions, and leads the way in the delivery of our public safety services.

Patrol deputies work a 10-hour day, four days a week, and are integral members of a team. Each team consists of three deputies and a sergeant, each working the same shift with the same days off. Each patrol deputy has a take-home car which is equipped with the latest in public safety technology and equipment.

Our area of policing consists of over 4,000 square miles, and includes five communities with a resident population of over 20,000 and an annual visiting population of over 3 million.

We provide patrol services to numerous outlying residential subdivisions, three ski resorts, and national forest lands and work collaboratively with the Jackson Police Department, Wyoming Game and Fish, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Grand Teton National Park, and the National Elk Refuge and neighboring law enforcement agencies.

We tailor our patrol response based upon crime analysis and proven community policing techniques, using both standard and alternative patrol methods as necessary. Some of the alternative methods we employ are the use of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and to remain environmentally sensitive, foot and horseback patrols.

We train hard and pride ourselves on our patrol deputies' ability to respond to rapidly developing situations, apply creative methods in the prevention, detection, and investigation of crime, conduct in-depth field investigations, and use technology in the identification, preservation, and collection of evidence.

Through problem-solving techniques, deputies engage the community in working with them as partners. Our goal is to identify core problems that lead to crime and disorder, and through this cooperative effort, offer the community lasting solutions to the problems identified.

While all types and degrees of crime may occur in Teton County, the most common activities our patrol teams are involved in are; responding to alarms, a suspicious person calls, alcohol or drug-related offenses, and domestic violence disturbances. Proactive efforts generally revolve around drugs, traffic, and driving while intoxicated.

As deputies conduct their work, they seek to gain voluntary compliance with the law, yet have the discretion necessary to redirect undesirable behaviors or take enforcement action.

female officer next to parked patrol carThe men and women of our patrol section are a diverse group who have come to us from all walks of life and various parts of the country. What they have in common is a strong desire to do good, achieve results, and help others; to engage in responsible, challenging work, and to live and play in a community with world-class recreational opportunities.

The Teton County Sheriffs' Office strives to create a healthy internal environment, values each employee, believes in teamwork, rewards creativity and innovation, and employees understand that how the job gets done is just as important as doing the job.

Due in a large part to the integrity and dedication of our deputies, Teton County remains one of our country's greatest and safest places to live, work, and play.