The Northwood Police Department's road patrol is comprised of 12 full-time patrol officers, a patrol officer designated as the School Resource Officer (SRO) for Northwood Local Schools, and 3 sergeants that supervise each patrol shift.  The department's road patrol is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

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The Road Patrol division is responsible for the delivery of professional police services that include emergency and non-emergency calls for service, preventive and directed patrol activities, preliminary criminal investigations and development of partnerships with the community it serves. Police officers assigned to the Road Patrol division are encouraged to engage the community in a wide variety of innovative problem-solving strategies.

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When officers are not responding to calls for service, they are patrolling the city's residential neighborhoods, commercial business districts, and parks and recreational areas.  Officers patrol these areas using marked patrol cruisers, bicycles and conduct foot patrols.

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Each Northwood Police officer is trained in a variety of different areas, such as investigating criminal cases and traffic accidents, and processing crime scenes.  Each Northwood Police officer is certified as a peace officer through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.  When an officer is hired, they complete a 14 week field training program, where they ride with a field training officer (FTO) who teaches them patrol techniques and navigating around the city.  They also complete department-issued trainings, which includes defensive tactics, Monadnock baton, firearms, Taser, Field Sobriety Testing, and more.