Our Units

The Anti-Crime Team was created to combat high crime areas of the City. These highly motivated officers perform numerous tasks from saturating high crime areas and locating subjects for Investigators, conducting long and short-term surveillance to assisting the different precincts with special requests. They also serve as the gang intelligence unit for the city.

The Huntsville Police Bike Squad is one of the most utilized units in our department. The team is used to deploy officers into areas that an officer on foot or in a vehicle would simply not be effective. They are regularly used at major events, parades, concerts, sporting events, and gatherings throughout the city. The bike squad allows our department to quickly deploy officers into a range of environments that keep our community and its visitors safe.

The Bomb Squad was organized in 1971 to provide the capability to deal with explosive-related incidents. The bomb squad utilizes state-of-the-art robots and receives training in bomb/explosives identification. The unit utilizes numerous techniques to render hazardous devices safe.

Community Resource Officers handle a variety of issues and act as liaisons between our department and the community. They are tasked with working with Community Watch and Civic Associations to solve a variety of community problems. They organize community events, work to meet our community member’s mental health needs, do code enforcement, and work with homeless advocacy groups.

This specially trained HPD Investigator, serving as an FBI Task Force Officer, conducts unbiased, meticulous examinations of digital evidence for our department and partner agencies. The work demands patience and precision, backed by extensive training. From recovering deleted data to uncovering digital artifacts, this investigator pieces together crucial activity from devices like cell phones, computers, GPS units and even skimmers – helping solve cases one byte at a time.

Crime Scene Investigators play a very integral role in law enforcement. They are tasked with the collection and preservation of evidence in order to re-create a crime scene. This allows for the when, where, why and how of a crime to be determined. Ultimately, this may lead to an arrest, and hopefully closure for the victims’ family.

The Crisis Response Negotiation Team (CRNT) is a highly skilled unit specially trained to handle some of the most tense and sensitive situations – ranging from hostage incidents and barricaded subjects to other crises where citizens may be in distress. These negotiators bring calm, clarity and strategic communication to the table, working collaboratively as a cohesive team to de-escalate high-stakes scenarios. Their goal? To peacefully resolve conflicts, protect lives and restore safety – turning volatile moments into opportunities for understanding and resolution.

The Huntsville Police Communications Division operates out of the Huntsville/Madison County 911 Center, equipped with a state-of-the-art computer-aided dispatch system that ensures fast, coordinated responses to emergencies.

Not sure if becoming a police officer is your path but still want to serve the community? Consider joining us as a dispatcher. Dispatchers are the vital link between the public and our officers, working behind the scenes every day to keep Huntsville safe and connected.

HPD boasts a dedicated D.U.I. Task Force made up of specially trained officers focused solely on combating impaired driving. Using targeted traffic saturation patrols at state-identified hot spots, along with checkpoints and specialized enforcement details, they aggressively enforce traffic and D.U.I. laws to keep our roads safe. Proudly, HPD is the only agency in the state with a full-time unit exclusively devoted to this mission – a game-changer in public safety.

Honor Guard members play a solemn and vital role in honoring those who have served in law enforcement. They stand vigil over fallen officers during viewing ceremonies, perform the ceremonial flag folding at funerals and accompany the poignant bagpiper’s tribute. Beyond honoring our own, the Honor Guard represents HPD with dignity and respect, often traveling to support neighboring departments during line-of-duty funerals – standing united in remembrance and solidarity.

Incident Response Team, or IRT, performs a multitude of functions including assisting in disaster relief situations such as tornados and floods. They also assist on a patrol level with perimeter containment and apprehension. IRT has been tasked with honing their shooting skills in various tactical situations. All IRT members have also been trained to deal with large crowd control situations and dispersal. They are trained on officer survival techniques such as tourniquet application and assisting officers who may become injured on scene and getting them to a safe location for further medical treatment. Some of the IRT members are specially trained to deal with subjects who have a preventive apparatus attached to their bodies.

HPD has numerous specialized investigative units that include robbery, burglary, major crimes such as assaults and homicides, theft, fraud, domestic violence, white collar and electronic crimes and sex crimes. These highly trained and experienced investigators interview witnesses, interrogate suspects, submit evidence, procure business records (records of telephone calls, credit card receipts, visitor’s logs, bills of lading, tax returns, etc.) relevant to the investigation, write and execute search warrants, prepare cases for prosecution and testify in court.

HPD’s K-9 Unit is one of the longest, continuously operating K-9 units in the nation. The officers and their canine partners are responsible for the detection of a number of items including narcotics and explosives. They also locate and apprehend criminal suspects in most any environment and assist our patrol and specialized units in numerous situations. Our K-9 units also help in locating missing children, the mentally ill and the elderly when they go missing.

Our North Alabama Multi-Agency Crime Center (NAMACC) is a multi-jurisdictional team specializing in technology to assist in criminal investigations. The center provides law enforcement agencies with the ability to effectively collaborate by using a wide range of technologies to provide efficient and effective policing. NAMACC has dedicated labs for cellular and video forensics. The center uses cellular forensics, threat assessment, unmanned aerial vehicles, digital imaging and video recovery technologies to help fight crime.

Our patrol division operates on four 10-hour shifts, providing consistent coverage and rapid response across the City. As the heartbeat of our department, these officers answer a wide variety of calls for service, enforce traffic and criminal laws and tackle the day-to-day challenges our citizens face. They safeguard lives and property, apprehend criminals, investigate crimes and traffic accidents, collect evidence and respond to complex emergency situations – serving with dedication, professionalism and purpose every shift.

HPD’s School Resource Officers play a crucial role in shaping safe, supportive learning environments across 37 Huntsville City Schools. Working closely with administrators, teachers and staff, these officers are dedicated to protecting students’ safety and well-being every day. Beyond enforcement, they build trusted, positive relationships with students – mentoring and guiding them throughout their academic journey. As first responders during school emergencies and guardians at athletic events, they’re always ready to step up. Plus, during the summer, they stay active in the community by leading youth camps that keep kids engaged and empowered.

Sergeants are the departments’ first line supervisors. They guide and lead the officers, investigators or agents under their supervision. Our sergeants direct resources and manage field situations, supervise and monitor the activities of their officers. They also answer any questions officers may have. They are also charged with maintaining schedules and providing performance evaluations. They provide training and direct the efforts of officers on a daily basis.

The SWAT Team specializes in high-risk tactical situations. Officers sharpen specialized tactical skills and utilize specialty tools and weapons for serving high-risk warrants, barricaded suspects and hostile situations. In addition, our SWAT team provides numerous dignitaries protection details. They also provide training for Huntsville Police Officers and outside agencies.

Our Strategic Counterdrug Team or STAC Team is the multi-jurisdictional drug task force headed up by the Huntsville Police Department. These specially trained officers use a variety of methods to confiscate narcotics, narcotic sales assets and dismantle drug trafficking organizations. These agents work closely with other local drug task forces, the FBI, DEA, ATF, State and Federal Probations and US Marshals.

The Huntsville Police Department is committed to keeping our roads and citizens safe. HPD has two traffic task forces that work tirelessly to enforce traffic laws and proactively target dangerous roadways that have the highest risk of injury to our citizens. Additionally, these officers handle all traffic-related issues at the many fantastic events that happen in Huntsville.