There is a Patrol Lieutenant assigned to each district and a specific Patrol Sergeant responsible for each beat. Patrol Officers are assigned to a beat for one year and they work in 8-hour shifts. In 2018 the department implemented a 4th watch shift which is assigned to work during the busiest portions of the shifts. This allows the Department to work on specialized problems in a specific area at a particular time. Overlapping shifts are utilized to ensure complete coverage for the City during shift changes.
The Operations Bureau is currently under the command of Captain Ben Kemper.