Programs

The Rock Island County Sheriff's Office is a Community Policing agency and offers many programs to better serve our community. We provide these programs to ensure the safety and well-being of our children, our elderly and the citizens of Rock Island County.

School Resource Officer Program

Deputies are assigned as school resource officers at two of our rural junior and senior high schools. The Sheriff's Office has partnered with school officials to have daily contact with students and ensure the safety of the students and staff.

Metro Link Mass Transit

The Sheriff has assigned two officers to work full-time on the Metro-Link Transit System. The primary duty of these deputies is to ensure the safety of Rock Island County citizens using the bus system as well as the safety of Metro-Link employees.

Bike Patrol

Deputies patrolling on bicycles are used at various functions and on the bike paths during the summer months.

Elderly Services

The Rock Island County Sheriff's Office now has an Elderly Services Division, which was originally developed in December of 2006. Specially trained Sheriff's Office Investigators are are assigned to investigate complaints involving senior citizens and work with other local Law Enforcement agencies to address multi-jurisdictional concerns. In addition to these duties, Investigators can provide educational services to assist the elderly individual identity scams, financial exploitation and abuse that occur within our communities. Also, if the individual feels that they are already a victim, this division can begin an investigation and suggest other valuable resources so the problem can be resolved as quickly as possible.

Project Lifesaver

Project Lifesaver is an electronic tracking system that uses a wristband transmitter and a handheld receiver to locate clients who have enrolled in this program. This can assist Law Enforcement to quickly locate missing people who suffer from various medical disorders soon after they are reported as missing. These victims include the elderly and even the youngest in our community who are afflicted with Downs Syndrome and Autism. See our brochure (PDF) for more information.

Fraud

See educational brochures relating to fraud.

Emergency Services Team (EST)

This 18-member tactical unit serves on-call 24 hours per day, seven days per week, in apprehending barricaded subjects, diffusing hostage situations, conducting drug raids and serving warrants. The unit is supervised by the Operations Commander. The team leaders are comprised of one Lieutenant and two Sergeants. Team members are required to complete extensive firearms and physical fitness training every month.

Field Training Officer Program

Upon completion of training at the Police Training Institute, the Field Training Officer trains deputy sheriffs through a 14-week program. This program is supervised by Lt. Mathew DeSmyter. The Rock Island County Sheriff's Office has eight active Field Training Officers.

Honor Guard

This team is comprised of fifteen (15) members. The unit implements correctional officers and deputies for funerals, memorial services and community events.

K-9 Unit

Deputies Jason Pena (K-9 Rio), and Brady Smith (K-9 Kodiak), are on-call for the Sheriff's Office and assist other local law enforcement agencies.

As a result of a cooperative effort by the Sheriff's Office and officials of Metro-Link, the Sheriff's Office has added two canines specially trained in bomb detection. Those handlers are Deputies Beau Smith (K-9 Bandit) and Bill Baney (K-9 Beni).

Metropolitan Enforcement Group (MEG)

The Quad-City Metropolitan Enforcement Group is the premier drug enforcement team, which has gallantly served the Rock Island County and Scott County, Iowa area for thirty years. This multi-jurisdictional, bi-state unit is staffed by all Quad-City area police and sheriff's offices. The Rock Island County Sheriff's Office has assigned staff to the unit for each of the thirty years of MEG's existence.

Quad-City Bomb Squad (QCBS)

The Quad-City Bomb Squad was created in October of 1999 by the Rock Island County and Scott County, Iowa Sheriff's Office, when Capt. Gerald Bustos and Deputy John Norris attended the Hazardous Devices School at the Missile and Munitions Center at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The unit, commanded by Shawn Goodman, has since grown to a ten-member team, including officers from the Davenport and Bettendorf (Iowa) Police Departments and the Moline (Illinois) Police Department. The QCBS responds to all explosive and weapons of mass destruction threats in Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa.

Water Patrol Unit

This nine-person crew is made up of two boats; one designed for patrol and the other designed for recovery\rescue. There are always two crew members on-call at any time, and all unit members are ready to respond at any hour of any day of the year. The Water Patrol Unit conducts routine patrol operations along with directed patrol assignments for many events that are held on or along the Mississippi and Rock Rivers. The Unit has participated in many joint operations with local, state and federal agencies in Iowa and Illinois, including dignitary protection for the President and Vice-President.