K-9 Unit
The Surf Police Department has one police canine (K-9). Ace (K-9) has been with our department for a total of two years. Ace is owned by and assigned to a handler, Corporal Austin Benson. Ace lives and works with Corporal Benson forming a deep bond and unique relationship. Benson and Ace train very hard on a weekly basis and are certified through the International Police Working Dog Association or IPWDA. Ace is certified in tracking and controlled substances detection. Benson and Ace certify yearly to ensure that they are able to continue to perform essential job duties.
School Resource Officer
A School Resource Officer (SRO) is an officer with a permanent assignment to the Surf City Elementary and Middle Schools. In the off season he/she is responsible for supervising our summer internship program and beach ordinance enforcement.
Although the primary function of an SRO is to provide another layer of security and safety in an educational environment, they are often called on to do many other things. SROs sometimes teach, council students on non-criminal issues, tutor students in trouble areas and serve as a resource to students, teachers and other administrators alike.