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OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Claremont Police Department strives to provide the City of Claremont with professional, compassionate police services with a primary focus on working together with the Citizens of Claremont to help maintain or improve the quality of life within the City of Claremont.
The Claremont Police Department will promptly respond to calls for service in a professional, compassionate, and competent manner.
The Claremont Police Department will aggressively investigate criminal reports in a professional and competent manner to ensure that, whenever possible, perpetrators of crime are brought to justice through conviction in the Court of appropriate jurisdiction.
The Claremont Police Department, with the cooperation of the Citizens of Claremont, will strive to maintain order within the City of Claremont and prevent criminal behavior through directed patrol, crime watch, innovative patrol and investigative techniques, and the use of available information to direct enforcement actions.
Officers of the Claremont Police Department will always strive to uphold the honor of the Police Department, their badge and their Oath of Office. In its simplest form, officers of the Claremont Police Department will always abide by the "Golden Rule" - "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES:

Everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and emergency plan for themselves and their family, and stay informed about what to do during an emergency.

All citizens should continue to be vigilant, take notice of their surroundings, and report suspicious items or activities to the Claremont Police Department at 603-542-9538.

For more information regarding Emergency Preparedness or Recommended activities, please visit: www.ready.gov or www.dhs.gov

Then and Now

The City of Claremont, New Hampshire, in the “Granite State,” was incorporated in the year 1764. In March 1888, the police department employed four police officers, paying them a total of $198 for the fiscal year. Today the Claremont Police Department employs 24 full-time sworn officers and 5 full-time civilian support personnel.

The first Chief of Police was appointed in 1900, when George W. Boyd headed up a one man department with the title of “Superintendent.” The first police cruiser, a panel truck nicknamed Napoleon, was bought in 1934. It took another ten years to get the second cruiser.

In 1920, 111 cases were handled which included, among others, 12 instances of keeping liquor on sale, eight cases of making home brew, and 44 cases of drunkenness. In 1960, things had changed radically. Of the 680 cases handled that year, 210 of them were motor vehicle law violations - a category scarcely visible on the 1920 report.

Our department handled almost 26,000 calls for service in 2008. To maintain the highest level of efficiency, we incorporate state of the art equipment with on-going innovative training programs.

Under the leadership of Alexander Scott, Chief of Police, the department’s mission is emphasized by the involvement of all employees in extensive community policing activities.

Our Patch

The Claremont Police Department’s patch is a telescopic view of the clock tower on top of City Hall. The copper-domed edifice, dedicated in 1897 and housing the historic Claremont Opera House and many city offices, has four clock faces which are readily visible throughout the community. The mountains behind the clock tower signify the City’s location in the rolling green hills of western New Hampshire. The dark blue background represents law enforcement. The gold lettering represents the commitment to the community by department members.

There are three versions of the patch: a royal blue-trimmed version for officers and sergeants, a gold-trimmed version for command staff members, and a subdued patch for tactical uniforms.

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Bike Patrol

The Claremont Police Department utilizes bike patrols to fulfill its mission of total community policing objectives. Our bike patrols have been found productive in connecting with the public. These patrols are more accessible to the public than typical motorized patrols.

Our bike patrols are used in the downtown areas as well as on the various recreational trails in our city. The bike patrol officers spend many hours instructing children on bicycle safety.

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OHRV Enforcement Team

There are many miles of well-maintained recreational trails in the City of Claremont. In 2004, the department established an OHRV Enforcement Team. We partnered with the NH Department of Fish and Game and the Sullivan County ATV Club to provide dedicated off-road patrols. Due to the success of the program, the department purchased an Arctic Cat 4x4 ATV equipped with warning lights and safety equipment. Hikers, anglers, horse riders, and motorized vehicle users can expect to bump into a uniformed police officer during their visits to the “back woods”.

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Park Ranger Program

In 2007, the Claremont Police Department and the Claremont Parks and Recreation Department launched a summer Park Ranger/Parking Enforcement Officer Program. The goal of the program is to ensure a safe, clean, and healthy environment for all those who enjoy the downtown area and the various City parks. Park Rangers are not certified law enforcement officers and do not possess arrest powers. They have been granted authority through the Municipal Code to issue warnings and citations for a variety of violations. Park Rangers act as mediators, tour guides, peace-keepers, and ambassadors for the City and for the police department, and serve as additional eyes and ears for the department. They also serve to educate the public in a positive manner regarding Park regulations.

The Park Rangers are highly visible and readily recognizable. The uniform distinguishes them from police officers. Park Rangers are assigned to bicycle patrol and are authorized to drive city vehicles to reach outlying parks to perform their duties efficiently.

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Polygraph Services

In March of 2000, the Claremont Police Department established a polygraph program. The department’s examiner attended 800 hours of training at the Academy for Scientific Investigative Training and is a certified Member of the American Polygraph Association (APA). The instrument used is an Axciton computerized polygraph. Criminal polygraph and pre-employment examinations are conducted for our department and area agencies.

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Prosecution

The department is represented at the district court level by a full-time Prosecuting Attorney/Lieutenant. Responsibilities of the prosecutor include:

Arraignments
Trials
Probable Cause Hearings
Bail Hearings
Deferred Sentencing Hearings
Suppression Hearings
Adult and Juvenile Dockets
Discovery
Motion Hearings
Diversions
Victim/Witness coordination

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Juvenile Services

The Juvenile Service unit of the police department handles cases involving juveniles. Once a police officer in the field deals with a case involving a juvenile, all reports are forwarded to this unit. The Juvenile Officer coordinates efforts to effectively deal with juvenile matters.

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School Resource Officer

The purpose of the School Resource Officer program is to maintain a presence within the schools. This program’s strength is that it is a cooperative effort between the Claremont School District and the police department.

Several goals include: provide a rapport between the students and the police: to respond to problems in the schools in a prompt, effective manner: enhance student and staff safety.

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R.A.D.

The department has a number of Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Systems instructors on staff who provide renowned self defense programs: RAD Basic Physical Defense and RAD Kids.

Community members who would like to learn more about the RAD program should contact the department.

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Recruiting News:

Western NH Police Testing Alliance -- Claremont Chief Alexander Scott and Keene Captain Kenneth Meola have spearheaded and recruited twenty police departments for applicant testing that will be held semi-annually during the months of April and October. The next test will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2009, at 9:00 AM at River Valley Community College in Claremont. The $30 testing fee should be made payable to "River Valley Community College" by US Postal Money Order only and is due by September 14th. Send this fee to Police Testing Service, River Valley Community College, One College Drive, Claremont, NH 03743. Applicants are requested to enclose a data sheet that includes: full name, date of birth, mailing address and additional contact information, such as your telephone number(s) and e-mail address. Sign your name at the bottom of this data sheet and bring photo ID with you to the testing center. Any questions may be directed to the Criminal Justice Program Director, Delmar Burridge, 603-542-7744 [ext 406] or dburridge@ne.rr.com.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where is Police Headquarters? We are situated on the corner of Tremont and Broad Streets. To find our Communication Center, from Opera House Square, head down the alley to the left of City Hall’s front door. Proceed straight through two sets of glass doors.

How do I obtain a police report? Police reports, once the investigation and report are complete, may be picked up between 8:00AM and 4:00PM Monday through Friday. Fees have been established as follows: Report copies for residents of Claremont: $10.00: Report copies for non-residents: $20.00. (Report fees help offset the administrative and supply costs associated with generating a printed copy of the report. These fees are generally consistent with most other police departments in the State of New Hampshire.)

How many officers in the department? The Claremont Police Department authorized strength is 24 full-time officers.

How do I obtain information pertaining to bad check cases? In the lobby of the dispatch center, the department provides a packet of information for persons seeking to recover money from a bad check. Generally the department does not investigate bad checks with a value less than $500.00.

What about fingerprinting services? The department provides fingerprinting services on Wednesdays 11:00AM to noon and 1:00PM to 2:00PM: Fridays 8:00AM to 11:00AM. All persons who are fingerprinted must provide a check made payable to the State of New Hampshire in the amount of $19.25. Non-residents must provide an additional $35.00 check made payable to the City of Claremont.

What is the Winter Parking Ban? No parking is permitted on City streets or parking lots between midnight and 7:00AM from November 1st to April 30th. This allows for snow removal and street maintenance to take place during those times.

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