The Mt. Vernon Police Department is a progressive department, with nine full-time officers and one part-time officer. Several officers on the Department have over 20 years of law enforcement experience, with each officer having an average of 10 years experience. The Department has recently enacted a reserve Police Officers program to help bring even more experience onto the Department and into the community.

The Department takes a very pro-active stance by attempting to stop criminal activity and other problems before they start. Officers use the latest community policing strategies along with stepped-up enforcement programs.  The department provides 24-hour patrol to the community, with no less than two officers on duty at any given time.  The average response time to any call for service is two minutes.

To further our pro-active efforts, the Mt. Vernon Police Department has officers, dedicated to the D.A.R.E. Anti-Drug Program.  These officers spend part of the school year with the schools, teaching the D.A.R.E. program.  Along with this, the Department works closely with our school system, juvenile courts and other state support services.

Officers receive continual training which surpasses all the training requirements set by the State of Missouri.  The officers are trained in such areas as, the newest interview techniques, self-defense, crime investigation, emergency medical procedures and advanced first aid techniques.  Most officers have also been cross-trained in fire fighting skills and received specialized training in different areas of law enforcement.

For more information, please contact Chief of Police, Fil Turk Phone at 417-466-2122.

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