Police Department

Community Policing

The EPPD manages several different policing programs that citizens and business owners can participate in to help make our community safe. From providing police related incidents using your local business camera to the neighborhood watch, we want to work with you to enhance the quality of life in El Paso.

PLEASE REMEMBER! DO NOT TAKE PERSONAL RISKS!​
In any of these programs you should ONLY serve as extra “eyes and ears” and REPORT information on crimes and suspicious activities promptly to:

  • 9-1-1 for EMERGENCIES (crimes in progress or life-threatening situations)
  • (915) 832-4400 for NON-EMERGENCIES

Business And Residence Camera Registration Program

You can register any of your cameras at your home or business as a potential tool for the police if a crime occurs within the area. We will not be accessing your camera feed, instead, we may contact you to inquire if evidence has been recorded on your system. Police may request a copy of that recording but you do not have to provide it. More details and rules can be found in the application.

Code Watch

A patrol of a person's home is usually when someone is experiencing suspicious activity or going out of town. Officers will conduct a brief patrol of the residence if time permits, officers will not be assigned to remain at the home for the duration of the Code Watch. If there is suspicious activity, we will take action or call the key holder. More details can be found on the Code Watch request form.

Neighborhood Watch

This program depends on citizen involvement to prevent and discourage crime and reduce fear by taking certain homes, property, personal self-protection precautions, really getting to know and look out for neighbors, and reporting crimes and suspicious activities to the police. To get started:

  1. Gather support from your block neighbors because you will need active support from half of your block in order to form your branch.
  2. Designate a Block Captain and Co-Captain to serve as block coordinators and liaisons with the police for information and educational literature.
  3. Make sure to keep all members of your block in contact with one another so everyone can get news updates.
  4. Call EPPD at (915) 212-4000 to begin the application process which should include assigning a police officer to be your Crime Prevention Officer.
  5. Once your branch is approved, hold your first "start-up" meeting where your Crime Prevention Officer will review all the following elements of the program:
    • Neighborhood Watch rules and duties
    • “Telephone Tree” Block Map for quick contact with your neighbors
    • Street signs and window stickers
    • Home security surveys and participation in Operation I.D.
    • Flexible get-togethers that focus on residents’ needs, concerns, and interests
  6. Continue to coordinate block Neighborhood Watch activities, disseminate crime prevention information and educational literature, and bring new neighbors into the program

From here your block will decide how to run the program and the block captain will an annual refresher training by the police. The cost for both time and money is minimal with many benefits in return like preventing crime and reducing fear, building pride in your community, forging bonds among block residents, improving citizen-police relations, child safety, senior citizen welfare, and quality of life. It is also possible for the community to request Neighborhood Watch street signs so anyone that enters the neighborhood is aware of the community's efforts and prevents crime from occurring.

For additional information on Neighborhood Watch or to start one up now, contact the Crime Prevention Officer at (915) 212-4000 for your city area.

Sex Offender Registration & Tracking (S.O.R.T)

Our mission is to ensure that there are no more victims of sex crimes at the hands of registered sex offenders. We perform the following strategies to help prevent these crimes:

  • Provide the community with public information on registered sex offenders.
  • Ensure sex offenders are complying with Texas Criminal Code of Procedure sex offender registration laws.
  • Track and verify information given by sex offenders.
  • Send notification letters to school districts on registered sex offenders in their area.
  • Maintain sex offender files and databases.
  • Work closely with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Probation Department, the El Paso County Sheriff's Department, and other law enforcement agencies on issues regarding sex offenders.
  • Follow-up on cases involving registered sex offenders.
  • Provide information to officers in the field regarding sex offenders via the computer-aided dispatch system, the warrants system, the records management system, computer mapping, etc.

To search for registrants in your area visit the Sex Offender Registry. For more information please contact us:

S.O.R.T.
Police Headquarters
911 N. Raynor
El Paso, TX 79903
(915) 212-4000
We check and update the registry every Tuesday from 12:30 PM - 7:30 PM.

Sex Offenders Residence Ordinance Map

Stash House

If you suspect that there is a stash house operating in your neighborhood CALL (915) 629-8600 and ask to speak with a Stash House Investigator.

Due to El Paso's proximity to the Mexican Border, several drug trafficking organizations are attempting to set up "stash houses" in the city and the surrounding area to store large quantities of illegal drugs. The drugs are temporarily stored at these stash houses for the purpose of repackaging and to facilitate methodical distribution to other cities throughout the United States. The threat posed by stash house operators has broad implications nationally and affects every community in the country.

We have joined forces with other law enforcement agencies through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) as part of the President's National Drug Control Strategy program. The program enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. This allows each of the 28 HIDTA regions to work within a structure of partnership and collaboration to combat regional drug threats. The West Texas HIDTA strategies include building collocated, multi-agency drug task forces and initiatives. Since the West Texas HIDTA's inception the task force has seized over:

  • 78,880 pounds of marijuana
  • 5,166 pounds of cocaine
  • 1,345,180 in U.S. currency
  • Made over 291 arrests for narcotics related offenses

 

Youth Police Academy

The Youth Police Academy is our youth version of the Citizen’s Police Academy, which is designed to educate the youth of El Paso regarding the mission, structure and activities of the Department. The goal is to increase the level of trust and cooperation with our area youth. In addition, it is an opportunity for those interested in law enforcement to have firsthand look of what policing is about and prepare. This program is open to those youths between the age of 13 to 18 who are still enrolled in high school or middle school.

Youth Police Academy - Enrollment Application

Citizen Police Academy (CPA)

The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to provide the citizens of El Paso with an orientation of the mission, structure, and the philosophies of the El Paso Police Department and law enforcement. This program is designed to increase the level of police/community cooperation and to encourage citizens to become active participants in Community Policing.

Citizen Police Academy - Enrollment Application

 

Volunteer Programs

Disabled Parking Enforcer: Volunteers provide assistance by checking for disabled parking violations and are authorized to write citations for violators.

Victim Services Response Team: Volunteers monitor police channels and when requested by an officer, provide direct crisis intervention or transportation to victims in department owned vehicles.

Chaplain Program: Volunteers provide ministerial service on an interdenominational basis to members of the Department and the citizens of El Paso. Chaplains are appointed on the basis of their qualifications as a recognized minister in the community.

School Zone Safety Volunteer: Volunteers provide assistance to children, parents, and other pedestrians as they cross the street before and after school.  They help manage the flow of traffic while inside the school zone area and aid in the prevention of minor collisions while providing guidance to drivers and pedestrians on local traffic laws as related to school zones.

Citizen’s Advisory Board: Advise and inform Regional Commanders of community problems and concerns, mobilize community resources, and strengthen ties within the community.

Discipline Review Board/Shooting Review Board: The purpose of the Discipline Review Board is to review administrative cases investigated and/or handled by the Internal Affairs Division, recommend disposition, and propose adjudication of each case to the Chief of Police. Shooting Review Board is separate board convened when necessary to review officer-involved shootings of a person.

Volunteer in Patrol Service: EPPD’s Volunteer in Patrol Service (VIPS) program’s mission is to bring members of the community together to work with us to address community concerns regarding crime, safety, and quality of life issues. VIPS will be ambassadors for EPPD and the City, NOT police officers or able to take any enforcement action. VIPS are eyes and ears for the community and the Department.

To participate you must:

  • Fill out a police volunteer application
  • Attend a Citizen Police Academy training (or attended one within 12 months of participating)
  • Pass the interview process
  • Pass a background check

You will only be considered if you meet all of the following requirements:

  • Be a resident of the City of El Paso
  • Be at least 21 years old
  • Have a valid driver’s license
  • Able to operate a vehicle
  • Able to get in and out of the vehicle without assistance
  • Not have any felony convictions
  • Not have any Class A Misdemeanor convictions
  • Not have any Class B Misdemeanor convictions in the last five (5) years
  • Not have a D.W.I. conviction within the last ten years

Applications are available at all Regional Command Centers and Police Headquarters. You may also submit your application online here. For questions regarding the program, email us at [email protected].

 

Community Advisory Board

The mission of the Regional Command’s Community Advisory Board is to support and share the responsibility with the Police Department in protecting our community from crime and its consequences. The board will maintain order so as to enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods by service as a liaison between the community and the Police Department. Furthermore, the board will encourage the concept of teamwork and greater community – police interaction to solve problems.

Policy 702 Regional Command Advisory Board provides the authority to establish a Community Advisory Board at each Regional Command and outlines the roles of these boards. Each board shall operate solely under the discretion of the Regional Commander and is advisory in nature. Each board will consist of at least ten members appointed by the Regional Commander and will be representative of a cross section of the Regional civilian and business population. Board officers will consist of an elected chair, vice-chair, and secretary. All board officers will be appointed for a two-year term. Meetings will be held monthly with additional meetings scheduled if needed. All meetings will be open to the public. If you would like to become a member, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Live or work in the region of interest
  • Attend 3 consecutive Regional Command Citizens Advisory Board meetings
  • Fill out an application
  • Have a background check completed by the EPPD
  • Attend the Citizens Police Academy Basic Course at a minimum (all 3 courses are preferred)

Please contact your regional command to apply, each regional command location is as follows: