The Northampton Police Department is a Massachusetts-accredited police agency. Its detective bureau investigates criminal offenses, including identification, apprehension and prosecution of criminal offenders. Its field training and evaluation program is a part of the recruit selection process. The program prepares officers in training to perform the essential duties of a police officer. Its patrol division responds to situations, such as accidents, searches for lost children, breaking and entry crimes, armed robberies, loose horses, domestic disturbances, medical emergencies, intoxicated persons and murders. Its uniformed officers are trained as first responders and are certified to use semiautomated defibrillators for assisting victims in cardiac arrest.