Wylie TX 75098

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This article is about the unsung hero’s in Wylie Texas. Specifically the Wylie Police Department. Wylie is a town in Southeast Collin County with a current population of 32,696. Not much is ever said about Law Enforcement in any community, but I wanted to give this department it’s just recognition.

When the city of Wylie Texas was formed in 1887 it had a Town Marshall as it’s law enforcement. This Town Marshall was a more administrative function than law enforcement. The longest holder of that station was Ham Hawrey who held it for about 6 years.

The Wylie Police Department came into being in the early 60’s when Barney Gaylor jr. was hired as it’s one and only police officer. The force at that time had a police car, and a small building erected next to a fire house was the jail. At that time the population was approximately 1,804.

Today however, the city has a population of 32,696 and is listed as number 8 in the fastest growing suburbs of Dallas Texas, and it’s projected to reach 39,000 by the end of 2008. The Police Department has grown to a reported 40 Officers plus admin staff.

The men and women of this police force are dedicated and committed to providing safe and secure neighborhoods through community oriented policing, improving the quality of life for it’s residents.

Let’s take a look at this department.

First and foremost are the Patrol Officers who are the front line in protecting and policing this community. They have currently one K-9 unit, with another in training. They are responsible for initial crime investigation and the protection of Wylie’s citizens. They provide around the clock 24/7 preventive patrol, service calls, traffic investigation and enforcement, and enforcement of all laws local, federal, and state. They are the first contact for the lost and homeless in the community. They have had one officer shot in the line of duty who survived those injuries.

School Resource Officers are stationed inside Wylie ISD schools providing school security, classroom instruction, anti-drug and alcohol instruction, and act as mentors to the students. They are the link between the Wylie ISD and the Police Department.\

The Criminal Investigative Division. They have 5 detectives and a Seargent who handle about 90 cases a month total. This division is responsible for solving 2 cold case murders in the past few years. They are the people who do follow up investigations to crimes. They investigate all homicides and do the CSI work.They obtain the arrest warrants, search warrants, and gather evidence which leads to successful prosecution of criminal offenders, and the recovery of stolen property. They maintain the Sex Offender data list. This division is at the heart of the department and are responsible for the things mentioned above and more.

The Records and Statistics division is responsible for maintaining the Uniform crime Reports. The Crime in Wylie dropped 17% in 2006 to 1,794 compared to the 2005 figures set at 2,107, and is currently at a lower level. These figures are based on Part 1 crimes which is the industry standard as selected by the FBI.

The SWAT team is comprised of well trained officers and handles critical incidents such as hostage situations, barricaded suspects,and serve felony and drug warrants. They are certified officers who are a mixture of Patrol and other officers.

In addition the Wylie Police Department provides a number of special services to the community. Some of those are Free Gun Locks, Home Security Evaluations, Neighborhood Watch training, and Self Defense for Women. These are just a few of the things they provide, and the list is longer than I can put in this article.

So there you have it. The Wylie Police Department are a group of people who are here to protect and serve you. The next time your stopped for a traffic violation don’t think badly of them, they didn’t do the violation, you did.

When you see a Police Officer, thank them for their service and for what they do, and remember that it’s because of what they do that you, your home, and community are safe and secure.

Visit the Wylie Texas Community at Cagora.com