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Working with the Community
DPS Staff at Senior Center Nostalgia Day
DPS staff served up hotdogs, burgers, potato salad, baked beans and root beer floats to over 100 Sunnyvale City Senior Center members on Friday, June 12.
Nostalgia Day was complete with a classic car display, retro decorations and a barber shop quartet performance.
Staff included Deputy Chief Mark Stivers, Deputy Chief Kelly Fitzgerald, PSO David Falco, PSO Ben Holt, PSO Don Peyton, Lt. Bob Sorci, Rosalie Brooks, Michelle Tani and Dori Fontaine. |
Working with the Community
Children's Program Ice Cream Social
Fire Services personnel continue their quarterly visits to the Children's Program at the Support Network for Battered Women (SNBW). Their June visit included an Ice Cream Social sponsored by Sports Basement with about 25 children attending.
Lt. Nelson explains equipment on the fire engine
The visits are a great opportunity for the children to interact with DPS personnel in a positive and low stress environment. DPS officers tell the children about their jobs and the children get an up-close chance to see firefighting equipment.
Lt. Penny Nelson helps a child try on a firefighter's turnout jacket
Some of the children even got to try on a firefighter's turnout gear.
 Ice cream and all the fixin's
After the presentation, children, officers and staff got to make and enjoy ice cream sundaes together.
For more information about the Support Network, please visit online at www.snbw.org |
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Explorer Academy
Recently, Sunnyvale graduated three Cadets and five Explorers from the 4th Annual Law Enforcement Explorer Academy, hosted by Santa Clara County Explorer Advisors, the Santa Clara County Boy Scouts of America and South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium.
For two and a half weeks, 44 youth, representing 12 different agencies, attended a micro-version of the actual basic police academy.
The career-academic curriculum included courses in physical training, report writing, forensics, criminal law, narcotics, crime scene investigation, defensive tactics, code of ethics, hostage negotiations, team building activities and much more.
Law Enforcement Explorer posts help youth to gain insight into a variety of programs that offer hands-on career activities. This program is designed for young men and women who are interested in careers in the field of law enforcement.
Congratulations to Cadets Brianna Quezada, Jeannine Gonalez-Valenti, and Evie Alcazar, and Explorers Joey Gonzales, Andrew Perez, Jeff Lyon, Tyler Nadell and James Trevena.
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SUNNYVALE DPS UPCOMING EVENTS
JULY
Summer Movie Nights
at the Firehouse
Open to children K-5 and their families. Showtime is 6:30 P.M. Call for reservations:
408-730-7140
408-730-7501, TDD July 8: E.T. The Extraterrestrial @ Fire Station 2 July 15: Herbie the Love Bug @ Fire Station 4 July 22: Freaky Friday @ Fire Station 3
July 15:
Downtown Summer Music & Market
Silicon Valley Rockers at 5:30 P.M.
July 18:
FC Gold Pride Woman's Soccer Fan Day
11 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Sports Basement
1177 Kern Ave
July 22:
Downtown Summer Music & Market
Sage at 5:30 P.M. July 24:
Senior Center Anniversary BBQ
Special Olimpics Power Pull
AUGUST
August 4
National Night Out408-730-7140
August 19
Special Olympics Tip-a-Cop
Firehouse Grill & Brewery
111 S. Murphy Ave
408-730-7140
408-730-7501, TDD
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For questions and comments about the Sunnyvale DPS newsletter Beyond the Badge,  you can e-mail us at: pubsfty@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us
© 2008-2009 City of Sunnyvale, CA
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 Message from the Chief
It has been one year since we began publishing Beyond the Badge, making this our first Anniversary Issue. When we started this online publication, our goal was to broaden and strengthen our relationships with families, neighborhoods, businesses, and schools in our city - I believe we are "hitting the mark" with each issue. We've been able to tell you about significant cases and events in Public Safety - both Police and Fire; we've been able to provide you with crime statistics to underscore how very safe we are in our neighborhoods, parks, and within our business districts; we've been able to share our success in acquiring grant funded equipment that will make the jobs of our Officers and staff much easier through the use of technology; but I think one of the greatest benefits of Beyond the Badge has been our success in sharing some of the faces behind the different work groups here at Public Safety. We've introduced you to many of our crossing guards, our volunteers and our full time employees that really make the Department of Public Safety function well.
Over the last few weeks, we said "farewell" to two of our much appreciated employees - on May 30, retired Commander James Barnett died in the state of Washington after a very long battle with cancer. Jim joined DPS in the mid 1960s after coming to us from Madera Police Department. A seasoned investigator, an experienced firefighter, and a friend for more than 30 years - we will miss Jim and are thankful for his many contributions to our department.
We also lost retired Officer Bob Hanks on June 22. Bob passed away after a long battle with melanoma cancer at the very young age of 46 years. Bob left a wife, and two teenage children, as well as many Public Safety friends. When Bob retired in 1996 after being injured at work, he started a very successful travel business. At Bob's memorial service, much of the conversation centered on Bob's giving nature, his love of fun and friendship, and his love for his family and friends.
I think it is fitting to let the passing of two of our Public Safety Family members frame the year in review of Beyond the Badge. Fitting because the Officers and our support staff - from Dispatchers, to Records, to Crime and Fire Prevention - all serve our community willingly and professionally; it is easy to take what each of them do for granted unless we stop along the way to offer a word of gratitude for their dedication and comitment to their life's work. |
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Special Olympics Torch Run
The 2009 Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run began on June 18 with two legs winding through the streets of local counties traveling north and west to converge on June 26 for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2009 Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games at UC Davis. Over 75 law enforcement agencies participated.
The Santa Clara leg of the run passed through Sunnyvale on June 22. DPS runners were Captain David Verbrugge, Captain Doug Moretto, Lt. Vinny Mata, PSO Karen Jenks, Vehicle Abatement Officer John Lam, Crime Prevention Assistant Corinne Abernathy and volunteer Tuan Pham. They were escorted by DPS and Santa Clara motorcycle officers, DPS patrol cars and a DPS fire rig.
The DPS team received the torch from Santa Clara Police Department at the intersection of El Camino and Halford. They carried the torch along the El Camino to Bernardo where it was passed to Mountain View and Los Altos Police Department runners.
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Kick, Lead and Dream Soccer Camp
The Kick, Lead and Dream Venture was founded in 2007 to create an environment where motivated high school and middle school students come together with at-risk kids to provide them with role models and opportunities to learn soccer skills, leadership skills and the ability to dream BIG!
The 2009 Camp took place June 17-26 with over 200 Sunnyvale and Mountain View youth participating. The camp hosted elementary and middle school students who were identified by Public Safety and school staff from under-served areas of the participating cities.
Through amazing community support, the campers were provided with all the necessities including uniforms, cleats, shin guards, transportation and healthy snacks.  The elementary school campers were coached by middle school students and the middle school campers were coached by high school students, with adults providing overall supervision. Officers, parents, teachers and volunteers worked selflessly to bring it all together.
Special highlights of the camp came with guest visits by members of the San Francisco 49'ers, the San Jose Earthquakes and FC Gold Pride. The players encouraged the campers to work hard, study hard and always do their best to succeed.
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Sunnyvale Emergency Management Organization (EMO) Drills for Effectiveness
On July 10, more than 60 city employees assigned to the Sunnyvale EMO participated in a large scale earthquake drill. During the exercise, EMO members were supported by four Public Safety Lieutenants serving as a simulation cell (sim cell), or the "outside world".
There also were more than 25 volunteers that acted as "spontaneous volunteers" and were processed as such at the Volunteer Center located at the Community Center Ballroom.
 Additionally, Sunnyvale Amatuer Radio Emergency Service (SARES) supplied communications with eight of their members.
The drill began with an automated "call-out" paging EMO team members with the following alert and instructing them to report to the Emergency Operation Center.
A 7.9 earthquake has occurred along the San Andreas Fault, approximately 20 miles directly west of San Francisco in the Pacific Ocean. The quake occurred at 7:40 a.m. Preliminary damage reports in the City of Sunnyvale have determined moderate damage to the City and its infrastructure. Deaths in the City of Sunnyvale are reported in the preliminary range of 20+, injuries in the 100's. Numerous buildings are reported damaged. The City of San Francisco is hardest hit; the East Bay also has substantial damage. (THIS IS A DRILL).
Simulated newscasts and phone calls provided updates on damage status and available resources in real-time throughout the drill. EMO team members had to respond to the situation as it unfolded. The four hour long drill gave the opportunity to practice communication, resource allocation, team work, patience and system management among other things. At the end of the event, staff had the chance to debrief and discuss what went well and what could be improved.
For months prior to the drill, EMO members who represent each city department, spent many hours of training in preparation for "Game Day." Sunnyvale Office of Emergency Services Lt. John Gienger and Community Services Officer Cherel Sampson coordinated the effort.
The systems used in current emergency management operations (EMO) efforts stemmed from the Oakland Hills Fire in 1991. In addition, the California Standardized Emergency Mangement System (SEMS) was born from lessons learned during that tragic event.
In the the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., the federal govenment looked to California in their efforts to shore up the national management system of personnel and equipment. The SEMS system was analyzed and virtually adopted accross the board and called the National Incident Management System (NIMS). These systems were the cornerstones of the EMO Drill that occurred in Sunnyvale on June 10. Thanks to all that participated in the drill that will help to keep the community, employees and volunteers safe.
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