BRADENTON, Florida – The Bradenton Police Department is closing its plainclothes unit and putting the officers back in uniform.
The unit was recently disbanded after more than 20 years.
The Bradenton Herald reports the unit’s mission kept changing over the years, eventually becoming the casual clothes unit which consisted of four officers and a sergeant.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski says that as the number of burglaries and larcenies rose, it didn’t appear the unit was having success. So, he made the decision to put them back in uniform to help attack the crime wave with a “uniform presence.”
He says he believes residents will appreciate the increase in uniformed officers on the street.
If the need ever arises, the chief says the plainclothes unit could be called back into action.
