Chief Adam Klimczak

City of La Porte, Indiana

Police Department

Proudly serving the community since 1910

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

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Department Leadership

Chief Adam Klimczak                                         

Assistant Chief: Julie Smith

Captain Thomas Heath

Chief of Detectives Thomas Thate

Patrol Division

• Overview
  • The Patrol Division provides a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year patrol presence on the streets of La Porte.  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 La Porte City Fire Department, La Porte County Emergency Medical Services and other law enforcement agencies in the performance of their duties.
  • Assist the citizens of the City of La Porte in resolving conflicts, civil disputes and other problems that they might be experiencing.
• Training
  • Basic Recruit Training from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
  • The La Porte 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, 2003 and 2004 Dodge Intrepids, one 2007 Dodge Durango equipped as a K-9 unit, one 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, six 2006 Chevrolet Impalas, six 2007 Dodge Chargers and four 2010 Chevrolet Impalas.
  • 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.
  • Some officers are qualified with and do carry AR-15 style patrol rifles.
  • Bulletproof vests.
  • Handcuffs.
  • Chemical agent irritant issued to all officers.
  • Tasers available to all officers.
• Special Traffic Safety Programs
  • Big City/County passenger restraint program.
  • Fatality Crash Reduction Effort aggressive driving prevention program.
  • DUI: Taskforce Indiana impaired driver enforcement program.

Detective Bureau

Chief of Detectives Thomas Thate

• Overview
  • The La Porte Police Department has seven 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.

Bike Patrol

• Overview

  • The La Porte Police Department currently has five officers certified to patrol on bicycles.  The Bike Patrol is deployed into specific areas in the City of La Porte 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 La Porte 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 Patrol 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.

  • 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.

11/21/2012