Established in 1859, Cape Girardeau Police Department is a public service agency, offering various law enforcement services to protect life, property and rights of persons, enforce ordinances and laws, and preserve peace, order and safety in the city. The department s patrol division responds to more than 50,000 service calls, and has four platoons working 12-hour shifts to provide services to the community. Under its operations safe streets program, the police department deploys a team of officers whose duty is to conduct law enforcement activities in target areas. It also has a K-9 unit, and special response team, a trained and tactical unit designed for deployment during high risk incidents, and augment patrol and detective personnel. The department also has a reserve unit comprised of volunteer commissioned police officers, and communications, records and jail units.