Gaston County Police Department

Gaston County's police department, based in Gastonia, began operating on July 1, 1957, with a chief, 23 sworn officers and one secretary. Its sworn officers now police unincorporated Gaston County, North Carolina, as well as High Shoals and Spencer Mountain, two incorporated towns, while civilian staff handle 911 dispatch, animal care and enforcement and other support work. Uniformed officers in the Community Policing Division are assigned to four squads, each commanded by a captain, and work rotating twelve-hour shifts. That division also includes community service officers, reserve officers, the K-9 Unit, a seasonal Marine Enforcement Unit, an Emergency Response Team and a Hazardous Devices Unit. In the Investigations Division, the Criminal Investigations Unit handles major felonies, missing persons, deaths, juvenile offenses and computer crimes and processes major crime scenes, while the Special Investigations Unit works narcotics, gambling, illegal alcohol sales and prostitution cases. Support Services places school resource officers in Gaston County Schools and runs the Citizens Police Academies and an Explorer post. A records section open 24 hours provides NCIC access, and the Communications Division dispatches police, fire and medical calls countywide.