Chief Terry Scherer

City of La Porte, Indiana

Police Department

"Live and love La Porte, Indiana."

1206 Michigan Avenue La Porte, Indiana 46350 * Phone (219)362-9446 * FAX: (219)324-4375

Patrol Division

Bike Patrol

Emergency Response Team

K-9 Unit

Please note that many of the graphics in the left column of this web site are also hyperlinks. Also, by clicking on text that is in red and underlined on the pages of this site, you expand the bulleted list and access more information.

Department Leadership

Chief: Terry Scherer                                          

Chief of Operations: Thomas Heath

Chief of Detectives: Clyde Crass

Training and Community Policing Captain Dennis Behenna

Patrol Division

• Overview
  • The Patrol Division provides a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year patrol presence on the streets of LaPorte.  There are currently 32 officers assigned to the Patrol Division.  The Patrol Division uses fully marked vehicles except for the three shift Captains who have unmarked vehicles.
• Duties
  • Respond to crimes in progress.
  • Complete the initial investigation of crimes that have already been already been committed. 
  • Respond to and investigate all traffic accidents.
  • Enforce all local ordinances, traffic laws and criminal laws.
  • Assist the LaPorte City Fire Department, LaPorte County Emergency Medical Services and other law enforcement agencies in the performance of their duties.
  • Assist the citizens of the City of LaPorte in resolving conflicts, civil disputes and other problems that they might be experiencing.
• Training
  • Basic Recruit Training from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
  • The LaPorte City Police Department's 14 week Field Training program.
  • Firearms training in the use of both our service handgun and shotgun in daylight and low light situations..
  • Unarmed Defensive Tactics training.
  • Patrol techniques.
  • Techniques of crime scene investigation.
  • Traffic crash investigation techniques.
  • Techniques for conducting area and building searches.
  • Officer safety training.
  • Traffic enforcement training.
  • Communication and conflict resolution training.
  • Report writing techniques.
  • Techniques for presenting evidence and courtroom testimony.
  • Traffic passenger safety systems.
• Equipment
  • Squad cars include 2001 and 2002 Chevrolet impalas, one 2002 Chevrolet Trail Blazer equipped as a K-P unit, 2003 and 2004 Dodge Intrepids, one 2005 Ford Crown Victoria equipped as a K-9 unit and six 2006 Chevrolet Impalas. We will soon be taking delivery of six 2007 Dodge Chargers which will replace some of the older squads in our fleet.
  • Motorola two-way radios mounted in all squads.
  • Radar units in all marked squads.
  • Motorola portable radios issued to all officers.
  • Glock Model 17 or 19 handguns equipped with night sights and Remington Model 870 shotguns.
  • Bulletproof vests.
  • Handcuffs.
  • Chemical agent irritant issued to all officers.
• Special Traffic Safety Programs
  • Click It Pr Ticket passenger restraint program.
  • DUI: Taskforce Indiana impaired driver enforcement program.

Detective Bureau

• Overview
  • The LaPorte City Police Department has six full-time detectives that are assigned open cases and are responsible for investigating them until a successful resolution is reached. Most cases involving actual criminal violations are turned over to the Detective Bureau for investigation.  Officers are selected for assignment to the Detective Bureau by the Chief of Police based on the results of an interview process.  The Detective Bureau has at least one detective designated as being on call at all times, but all detectives can be called in to work for major cases.  
• Duties
  • Investigate crimes, including both misdemeanors and felonies.
  • Collect, analyze and store evidence.
  • Interview and take statements from victims and witnesses.
  • Interview and take statements from suspects.
  • Apply for, obtain and serve search and arrest warrants.
  • Arrest suspects with probable cause and/or warrants.
  • Testify in court during criminal trials and associated hearings.
  • Work in close cooperation with other law enforcement agencies to bring both local investigations and investigations from other jurisdictions to successful conclusions.
  • Extradite and transport wanted subjects that are arrested in other jurisdictions.
• Training
  • Interviewing techniques for victims, witnesses and suspects.
  • Special interviewing techniques for specific types of victims, witnesses and suspects.
  • Evidence collection techniques for latent fingerprints, footprints, tool marks, biological evidence and other evidence.
  • Special photographic techniques for unusual lighting situations.
  • Special techniques for investigating specific types of crimes.
  • Techniques for handling gang and organized crime investigations.
  • Techniques for conducting forgery and fraud investigations.
• Special Equipment
  • Photographic equipment including digital, Polaroid and 35 mm cameras.
  • Equipment for latent fingerprint processing.
  • Equipment for collecting footprints.
  • Equipment for collecting tool marks.
  • Equipment for truth verification and certified operators to run that equipment.
  • A small evidence processing laboratory. 
  • Some video and electronic surveillance equipment.
  • Time lapse video equipment.
  • Digital printer to print photos from video tape.
  • Soundproof interview rooms with closed-circuit television.
  • Video camera for taping interviews.

Emergency Response Team

• Overview
  • The LaPorte City Police Department's Emergency Response Team was formed out of the need for a small group of officers with enhanced training and equipment to deal with situations that involve resistant subjects or higher risk circumstances.  The formation of this team seems even more relevant today in view of events such as the numerous shootings that school have taken place in schools and businesses around the country and the terrorist attacks that occurred on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
• Duties
  • Respond to assist the Patrol Division and/or Detective Bureau in high risk situations involving hostages and/or barricaded suspects.
  • Serve warrants to drug dealers, suspects that are known to be armed and dangerous and other high risk suspects.
  • Respond to shooting incidents in schools and businesses.
  • Respond to incidents where it is necessary to make forced entry to a building to serve a warrant or arrest a dangerous suspect.
• Training
  • Rappelling techniques.
  • Use of night vision devices.
  • Use of chemical weapons and protective gear.
  • Building entry and search techniques.
  • Vehicle securing techniques.
  • Techniques for entering large vehicles such as buses and airplanes.
  • Techniques for handling attacks in schools, businesses and other large buildings.
  • Weapon retention techniques.
  • Suspect disarming techniques.
  • Use of diversionary devices training.
  • Conducting joint operations with K-9 units.
• Special Equipment
  • Colt M-16 Commando 5.56 mm rifles.
  • Less lethal weapons.
  • Lighted entry shields.
  • Door rams and "hooligan" tools to use for forced entry.
  • Diversionary devices.
  • Special web gear to carry equipment.

K-9 Program

• Overview                                              

  • The LaPorte City Police Department currently has one K-9 and one handler in its K-9 Unit.  The K-9 Units was formed to increase the LaPorte City Police Department's capabilities in the areas of tracking and narcotics searches.  The ability to use a K-9 to conduct building searches also greatly enhances officer safety.  The LaPorte City Police Department has two K-9s
    • Rhon was born in  Europe, responds to commands given in German and is handled by Officer Dan Reed. 
    • Kaso was born in Europe, responds to commands given in German and is handled by Patrolman James Ferguson. Kaso and Patrolman Ferguson have completed their training and are now working the midnight shift.
• Duties
  • Patrol as a regular police unit.
  • Felony searches and apprehensions.
  • Lost person searches.
  • Narcotics interdiction and searches.
  • Building searches.
  • Assist other area departments that do not have K-9 units available. 
  • Assist with Emergency Response Team operations.
  • Public relations appearances.
• Training
  • Narcotics detection including: Marijuana, LSD, Cocaine, Heroin and Methamphetamine.
  • Building and area searches.
  • Both felony and lost person tracking.
  • Aggression.
  • Handler protection.
  • Joint operations with Emergency Response Team.
• Special Equipment
  • Specially equipped 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer and 2005 Ford Crown Victoria.
  • Stab and bullet resistant K-9 vest.
  • Bite suit used in training.
  • Other training equipment used for narcotics detection training.

Bike Patrol

• Overview

  • The LaPorte Police Department currently has five officers certified to patrol on bicycles.  The Bike Patrol is deployed into specific areas in the City of LaPorte that are considered high crime areas or areas with a high incidence of drug activity.  The Bike Patrol is also used to patrol during the Fourth of July Parade, the Sunflower Festival and other similar community events.  The Bike Patrol gives the LaPorte City Police Department a better opportunity to interact with people in the community due to their increased approachability over officers patrolling in cars.  The Bike Patrol is also less visible when approaching crimes in progress which gives it increased capabilities in addressing certain problems, particularly those that are drug-related in nature.

• Duties
  • Crime, drug and gang suppression.
  • Night time theft suppression.
  • Special assignments regarding crime prevention and investigation.
  • City ordinance enforcement.
  • Traffic law enforcement.
  • Criminal law enforcement.

  • Interacting with citizens regarding neighborhood problems.

  • Conducting bicycle safety classes and other public relations programs.

• Training
  • Bicycle officers must undergo 32 hours of specialized before being certified as a Bike Patrol officer. Sergeant Eric Struss is an internationally certified police mountain bike instructor. Topics covered in this training include:

    • General bike handling skills.

    • Patrol techniques for bicycles. 

    • Descending and ascending stairs while riding a bike.

    • Tactical considerations when using a bicycle to patrol.

    • Nutrition and fitness training.

• Special Equipment

  • Five specially equipped mountain bikes, three Mrazek, two Smith and Wesson and one Gary Fisher..

  • Special radio headsets that allow the officers to talk on the radio with both hands free.

  • Bikes are equipped with headlights, tail lights, spare tubes, tire pumps and repair tools.

  • Officers wear bike shoes, shorts and special Cool Max uniform shirts.

06/26/2008