Public Safety

On behalf of Port Public Safety, the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department is at the front line of security and service for the San Diego Bay and surrounding tidelands. They work in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security and local law enforcement agencies to ensure safety for visitors and residents. Patrolling our coast, marine terminals, tidelands and airport, they deter and prevent crimes like smuggling, terrorism and human trafficking. Harbor Police provides protection on the ground for San Diego International Airport, including the use of explosive and narcotic detecting K-9 officers. Their specialized expertise also extends to the sea and air with marine firefighting, and dive and aviation security teams, working together to make our region safer.

The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department is dedicated to the protection of our coast, but they cannot do it alone. iWatch My Bay is a program that collaborates with community citizens who can report suspicious activity. While Harbor Police vigilantly patrols the bay, they rely on people who work, live and play along the waterfront to help prevent crimes and ensure our bay is safe.

The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department Dive Rescue Team is essential to safeguarding the San Diego Bay. The team of elite divers leads underwater evidence collection, emergency search and rescues, body recovery and supports the Navy with detecting dangerous devices. The Dive Team also collaborates with county lifeguards, police, sheriffs, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as a part of the SDR ALERT (San Diego Regional Aquatic Lifesaving Emergency Response Taskforce) to serve our region in emergency situations.

In conjunction with International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), Port Public Safety works to keep Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs and instability abroad. The unique skills and expertise of the Public Safety personnel within the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department make them ideal partners for many foreign port authorities seeking to improve security practices in their own port operations. Through training and mentorship, the Harbor Police will help combat transnational crime and build partner nations’ capacity to establish effective port and maritime security, with the ultimate goal of reducing crime that reaches U.S. shores.

San Diego International Airport leverages the Harbor Police and K-9 unit to screen passenger luggage and cargo to ensure there are neither dangerous materials nor narcotics being transported. The highly trained K-9 officers are vital to airport and community safety.