In October 1997, the Garland Police Department expanded Community Policing efforts to cover the entire city.  The existing Neighborhood Service Team (N.S.T.) program was expanded from East and West Garland and merged into a Neighborhood Policing Unit.  This unit is an extension of the Patrol Division, and is comprised of 16 Neighborhood Police Officers (N.P.O.’s) who each have an assigned area.  These officers work with citizens, patrol officers, and other city employees to identify and assist in solving ongoing problems within these areas.

Each officer has three primary duties:

1. Work with Crime Watch groups, Apartment Managers, Neighborhood Associations, and other community groups within the area.  The NPO will be the primary contact for these groups, providing information about ongoing crime trends, soliciting help from the community in solving problems in their neighborhoods, and encouraging and assisting neighborhoods in banding together to work with the police toward a common goal. >> next