The team will be able to look deeper into events throughout the community

ATASCADERO — Back in November of 2024, the Atascadero Police Department (APD) reintroduced a Special Enforcement Team (SET) to the community. Chief Dan Suttles told Atascadero News that the City had SET officers sometime prior to when he joined the force a year ago and that bringing two SET officers onto the team will continue to benefit Atascadero. Because of the holidays and the officers training for their new roles, it will be this month that the team will really start being out and about in the community.   

“Now we’re really excited because we can actually get them out there to do what it is that they do,” added Suttles.

The SET officer’s role will be to handle special investigations, enforcement, or projects that don’t have another team specifically set up to tackle them. Since the APD’s patrol officers’ main objective is to respond to calls of service, and the investigators follow up on anything the patrol officers make reports on, there are times when the SET officers will be able to focus on things that need special attention.

“I think the Special Enforcement Team brings another layer of service to the community. If there is a special issue, or if there is a special problem that’s taking place in a neighborhood or something, this is just one more layer that we can throw at those problems,” said Suttles. “I think what’s really important to remember is that these officers are not subject to call per service, so they can follow through with things. In other words, this is their project, whatever that assignment may be, and they follow through to fruition. And that’s something I think is a benefit to the community for sure.”

Over the last year, the APD had a goal to identify where their needs were the greatest. During that process the department identified that bringing back the SET officers would help them utilize their assets to their full potential. The two officers who joined the SET team are veterans who are proven on the field and were chosen for their skills, including investigative, which make them able to give special attention to the unknown events they will be called to work on.

“We’re really excited about them. We’ve got some really good guys in there,” stated Suttles.

In addition, the SET officers will also be working with the APD’s Community Action Team (CAT). CAT is comprisedof officers, a case worker, and a county clinician whose mission is to identify those in the unhoused community, those who are actively using drugs, those struggling with mental illness, or sometimes a combination, and bring resources to them to help them back on their feet.

“One of the things that we recognize is that if you have someone who’s at the crossroads of homelessness and drug addiction, they’re obviously getting their drugs from somewhere. So, a Special Enforcement Team can work with CAT to try to figure out who’s dealing the drugs,” Suttles added, on how the two teams will be able to work together.

The SET officers will also help the APD and the city with their mission to keep Atascadero’s downtown area vibrant and inviting. The team will be able to step in for any traffic or foot patrol needs in the area.

“One of the things that I appreciate about law enforcement here is that we do take it seriously,” Suttles said. “We take it very seriously by allocating our resources to make sure that we’re giving as many services to the community that we possibly can. Really, this is what the goal is with introducing the SET guys; we definitely want to make sure that people will understand that this is a very pointed and purposeful move so we can provide as many services to this community as we possibly can.”

Featured Image: The Special Enforcement Team at APD will handle special investigations, enforcement, or projects that do not already have a task force. Photo by Atascadero Police Department