DPS Superman
Beyond the Badge
Vol.03, No.6 June 2010

June is
National Safety Month

www.nsc.org
 
In This Issue
Your Local Crossing Guard
DPS Calendar
KLD Soccer Camp
Bike Safety Fair
Thank You Letter
Summer Movie Nights @the Firehouse
Challenge Team Sunnyvale
 
Working with the Community
 
Special Olympics Partnership

 
Each year Public Safety teams up with Special Olympics to participate in several awareness raising events.
 
 
In April, the Tip-a-Cop Breakfast at Coco's Bakery Restaurant gave guests a chance to be served by Public Safety Officers and to meet Special Olympics athletes while raising much needed funds for the program.

Look for these upcoming events:
 
  • Torch Run: The Special Olympics Torch makes its way from King City to Davis in a relay that passes from police agency to police agency until it reaches its destination.  Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety will receive the Torch from Santa Clara Police Department on Monday, June 21 aprox. 2:30 P.M. in front of the Fish Market at the corner of El Camino and Halford.
 
 
  • Tip-a-Cop Lunch at Faultline Brewing Company located at 1235 Oakmead Pkwy near Lawrence Expressway on Wednesday, July 14 from 11:30 A.M.-2 P.M. Enjoy lunch, be served by the officers and meet the Special Olympics athletes. This is our first lunch Tip-a-Cop event, please join us.
 
  • Power Pull at California's Great America on Saturday, July 31 from 9:30 A.M.-Noon. Teams of 15 pullers plus an honorary Special Olympics athlete get two pulls each on a Central Concrete cement mixer weighing almost 50,000 pounds and a Sunnyvale fire truck weighing almost 70,000 pounds. The fastest pull on each rig for each team is added together, the fastest combined time wins. To enter the competition, each team must raise $1500 for Special Olympics. Come cheer for the Public Safety Team or make your own team! For more information about the event, phone 408-730-7140 or TDD 408-730-7501.
Your Local Sunnyvale Crossing Guard

Cassie-Simonton

Name: Cassie Simonton 

Sunnyvale Location: Intersection of Sunnyvale/Maude (near Bishop Elementary School)

Years of Service: 2 months

How did you hear about the job?
Cassie Simonton has a daughter that goes to a school in Sunnyvale. She saw an intersection that did not have a crossing guard and asked about how to become a crossing guard so she could help fill intersections that needed guards.

Safety Tip: "Drivers - stay off your cell phones while driving."
 

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SUNNYVALE DPS UPCOMING EVENTS


JUNE

June 16
DPS Volunteer Recognition BBQ
6:00-7:30 P.M.

June 21
Special Olympics/Law Enforcement Torch Run
Sunnyvale portion
www.sonc.org

June 23
Summer Movie Nights @the Firehouse
Surf's Up @Station 4
Reservations: 408-730-7140

June 26
Dinner at the Dump
Specialty Solid Waste
3355 Thomas Rd, Santa Clara
Tickets: 408-566-1802
For more info, click here.

June 30
Summer Movie Nights @the Firehouse
Madagascar @Station 3
Reservations: 408-730-7140


JULY

July 7
Summer Movie Nights @the Firehouse
Kung Fu Panda @Station 1
Reservations: 408-730-7140

July 14
Tip-a-Cop Lunch
Faultline Brewery

11:30 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
For more info, click here.

July 14
Summer Movie Nights @the Firehouse
Alvin and the Chipmunks @Station 2
Reservations: 408-730-7140

July 26 - August 6
Kick, Lead, Dream Soccer Camp
Cherry Chase Elementary School
1:00-4:00 P.M.
For more info, click here.

For questions and comments about Sunnyvale City Logo Colorthe Sunnyvale DPS newsletter Beyond the Badge, you can e-mail us at:
pubsfty@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us

� 2010 City of Sunnyvale, CA

Chief JohnsonMessage from the Chief

The June issue of Beyond the Badge is a milestone for Public Safety as it marks the end of our second year in print. My hope is that you've learned a bit about how  our department works and that you've been able to "meet" many of the people on the front lines - from crossing guards, to officers, to our professional civilian support staff - all of whom we are extremely proud. I really think our electronic newsletter helps to keep us in contact with those we serve and helps us tell our story. - Speaking of stories, I think you will appreciate the one that follows.
 
In an earlier issue I mentioned how we are trying to leverage technology to not only make our jobs easier, but to help us fight crime as well. One of our recent technology grants is already producing positive results. About a month ago, we acquired a grant to purchase and install Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) for two of our patrol cars. The ALPRs are in essence, cameras that recognize and photograph license plates, then run those plates through all state systems to see if the plate is "hot" for any reason. I am happy to say that in the few weeks on the road, this technology has been directly responsible for the recovery of several stolen cars - one of which our officers were able to associate with a bank robbery series in northern California and Oregon. This capture alone solved six bank robberies and put our suspect in jail for a long time! This turned out to be a very complex investigation, and is a shining example of just how smart and tenacious your officers are!
 
We've got a lot ahead for the next year, but I want to end with some very good news. Last year, I reported in July 2009 that our Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association raised more than $20,000 dollars to fight Muscular Dystrophy with their "Fill the Boot for MDA" fundraiser... Well this year, they smashed that amount and raised $31,169 in a single day as they braved the heat and crowded intersections! My thanks to each of our officers and dispatchers, along with kudos to our community for being so generous - many lives will be changed.


Chief Johnson
408-730-7140, TDD 408-730-7501
or email pubsfty@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us
 

Soccer

Local Soccer Camp for Kids
 
The KICK, LEAD, AND DREAM SOCCER (KLD) CAMP is a collaborative venture between MVPAL (Mountain View Police Activities League) and Challenge Team Sunnyvale, that brings the police, teens and at-risk youth together to help develop on and off field skills.

The camp, running this year from July 26th through August 6th (1 PM through 4 PM), will be held at Cherry Chase Elementary School (1138 Heatherstone Way, Sunnyvale CA) will feature drills, scrimmages, motivational speakers and the chance for high school students to reach out to at-risk youth.
 
The two week experience brings together professional soccer stars, police officers from Sunnyvale and Mountain View, community volunteers, all acting as coaches, and at-risk youth on the playing field to develop both soccer and life skills.
 
The campers are 3rd through 8th grade boys and girls from Sunnyvale and Mountain View families who have been selected based on a risk assessment conducted by Sunnyvale and Mountain View Police in conjunction with school administration. We anticipate an enrollment in excess of two hundred "campers."
 
The thrust of the KLDS camp, in addition to improving soccer skill, is to foster basic values of leadership, teamwork and integrity in the campers. For the coaches, this program promotes leadership skills and teaches the young adults about the importance of volunteerism in a fun and motivational way. Truly a collaborative effort, in addition to the coaches and guest speakers, the camp is enhanced on a daily basis through the participation of personnel from Sunnyvale DPS and Mountain View Police, at-risk youth counselors and motivational speakers.

 

Camp will conclude on Friday, August 6th with a final scrimmage and a formal awards ceremony featuring presentations from Sunnyvale Public Safety Chief Don Johnson, Mountain View Police Chief Scott Vermeer and other community leaders. However, the primary celebration will focus on the fact that this initiative is a true example of how a community can collaborate to create a positive and constructive environment for vulnerable children.

If you have questions or comments about the camp, please contact Sunnyvale Public Safety Officer Bradley Militano at 408-730-7142 or email him at BMILITANO@CI.SUNNYVALE.CA.US. You can also visit the following site:  http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/Portals/0/Sunnyvale/DPS/KLD%20Flyer%202010.pdf

 
Bike Safety Fair at Ponderosa Elementary School

On Friday June 4th, the crew from Sunnyvale Fire Station #4 located at Wolfe Road and Maria Lane and several other members of Public Safety hosted a Bicycle Licensing and Safety Fair at Ponderosa Elementary School. Ponderosa is Station #4's local school which is located in the same neighborhood.  

Sunnyvale's Traffic Safety Unit provided valuable bike safety and "rules of the road" to the students and their parents. The attendees learned the laws governing bicycle operation on the roadway, much like a driver's safety class for vehicles. Bike Patrol Officers Fekete and Hui Hui provided general bicycling safety information to the kids and showed how police officers use bicycles too.  

Neighborhood Resource Officer Jim Davis assisted parents with issues and concerns regarding children refusing to wear proper safety equipment and general parent/child issues regarding bicycling.  

Walt's Cycles of Sunnyvale provided free bicycle check ups and safety inspections. Minor repairs were made on the spot and several soon-to-be safety hazards averted. Fire Station #4 personnel issued bicycle licenses to students and parents and provided helmet fitting brochures courtesy of TSCN (Traffic Safe Communities Network). The Bicycle Licensing and Safety Fair was a huge success for the neighborhood with more than 300 people in attendance.  

 
 
 
 
 

Thanks card
 
 
Summer Movie Nights @the Firehouse

Open to children in K-5th grades and their families.

Showtime is at 5:30 P.M. at the respective fire stations. For reservations, call: 408-730-7140, TDD 408-730-7501.  Space may be limited.
 


 
 
Challenge Team Sunnyvale

NOVA recently selected the Challenge Team Sunnyvale as one of CONNECT!'s 2010 Outstanding Community partners. CONNECT! one-stop collaborative is a partnership of more than 30 organizations in the workforce community, including NOVA. The event was held on Wednesday, May 26th at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara.
 
Challenge Team Sunnyvale, a partnership of organizations representing education, government, nonprofits, faith-based groups, and the private sector, has proven to be an invaluable tool in the local community's ability to best serve the young people of Sunnyvale. The group meets monthly to discuss the challenges facing at-risk youth and their families and to share programs and services that best serve local youth.
 
Each member of the team, including staff of NOVA's Youth Employment Programs, has benefitted from this collaborative approach and the team has not only improved communication between diverse organizations, but also streamlined services and identified and filled gaps in the offerings to this target population.

Many of the organizations on the team have participated as worksites for youth through NOVA's summer work experience program, and many others have been key in identifying and recruiting youth. Fresh Lifelines for Youth, a local nonprofit organization and member of the team, has also provided assistance in providing youth in trouble with the law with crucial work experience.
 


Captain Doug Morretto of Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety accepts a CONNECT! 2010 Outstanding Community Partner Award on behalf of Challenge Team Sunnyvale.

 
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