[DPSDist] News From Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety

A sign that our Public Safety model is an effective system is the ability to provide services that maintain a safe community. As we ended fiscal year 2010/2011, the end of year report for crime statistics has been prepared. At first glance, we can see why Sunnyvale enjoys the distinction of being among the safest cities in America. During the past year, overall crime in the City dropped 16%. Statistics compiled by the Crime Analysis Unit showed that 423 fewer crimes occurred since last fiscal year. The most significant reduction in crime occurred in auto burglary which decreased by 366 crimes.

While three of four categories of violent crimes had statistical increases, the number of violent crimes was still relatively low, with FY 09/10 having 144 crimes and FY10/11 having 170. Public Safety will continue to analyze this data in an effort to identify trends and common factors. In conjunction to crime analysis, officers have been provided access to real time crime information, in the field, that assists with daily enforcement operations. This crime/statistical information has helped officers make approximately 200 more arrests and issue nearly

1,000 more citations during the fiscal year.

Impressive statistics like these do not occur by luck. It takes great partnerships with the community and with our partners from surrounding local law enforcement agencies. Even more important, is the hard work and professional, but aggressive police services our people perform daily. So with this information, I'd like to thank everyone at Public Safety for all of their hard work and giving their best to Sunnyvale. It's resulted in another great year of Public Safety service to our community.

National Back to School Month

Protect Kids as They Head Back to School

With summer ending and the start of school just around the corner, drivers need to be proactive to keep kids safe as they head back to school.

Whether you are taking your kids to school or driving through a school zone, you can do your part to keep kids safe.

Top Back to School Safety Tips:

Here are some simple reminders for drivers:

Slow down and be especially alert in the residential neighborhoods and school zones
Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs
Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully
Watch for children on and near the road in the morning and after school hours
Reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Put down your phone and don't talk or text while driving.

Reminder for your kids:

They should cross the street with an adult until they are at least 10 years old
Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks
Never run out into the streets or cross in between parked cars
Make sure they always walk in front of the bus where the driver can see them

Please click here for more information.

2011 Power Pull

Seven teams gathered at California's Great America on Saturday, July 30 to compete in the Power Pull for Special Olympics. Each team of 15 pullers raised $1,500 for Special Olympics to have the honor of participating in the competition.

Each team had two opportunities to pull a Central Concrete cement mixer which weighed more than 40,000 pounds over a distance of 20 feet. After that, each team pulled a Sunnyvale Fire Truck weighing in at nearly 70,000 pounds over the same distance. The fasted time for each team on each rig was added together and the fastest combined total was the winner.

The DPS Team was sponsored by Specialty Solid Waste, who also sponsored a team of their own. To round out the competition, Merriwest Mortgage, Star One Credit Union, Athletes for Life, J. Jos. Albanese, Preston Pipes and Central Concrete each had a team.

National Night Out

This year's National Night Out was Tuesday, August 2. The National Night Out is a unique crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.

Sunnyvale celebrated in style with 15 neighborhood block parties running simultaneously. The City Manager along with Council members and DPS personnel made the rounds to visit all the neighborhood events. Residents got the chance to meet the officers and check out emergency vehicles including fire rigs, patrol cars, motorcycles, K-9 Units and the Bear Cat.

Public Safety Makes Crime Prevention a "Kick"

The Kick, Lead and Dream Soccer Camp began as a joint venture between the Mountain View Police Activities League and private donors. It used soccer as a way in which to engage at-risk-youth in the community for a two week period. The message to the kids was simple, "Stay in school; Stay healthy and active; and Stay out of trouble." The Kick, Lead and Dream Soccer Camp was a huge success in Mountain View, but the program was driven by the Nigim Family who wanted to see it grow beyond their community. That's when Sunnyvale stepped up and helped them achieve this dream.

Beginning in Fall of 2008, Public Safety, Community Services and the Sunnyvale School District began planning to not only become part of the Kick, Lead and Dream event, but to host it here in Sunnyvale. Over the next eight months, staff reserved a field and equipment, identified donors willing to support this effort, and most importantly, found the kids that truly needed something to enrich their lives for at least part of the summer. The first session of KLD Soccer Camp was held in the summer of 2009.

This summer, KLD conducted its third camp season in Sunnyvale. Children between the ages of 8 and 13 kicked their way around the soccer fields at Cherry Chase School from July 5-15. Two hundred fifty kids from Sunnyvale and Mountain View learned about leadership, dedication and commitment to their family, friends and community. The kids were coached by local high school athletes, including some from Fremont and Homestead High Schools. The Kick, Lead, Dream message was emphasized each day by quest speakers from the San Jose Earthquakes, F.C. Gold, the San Francisco 49ers organizations, Mountain View Police Department and Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers.

The kids were treated to a truly special event because of the passionate efforts of all those involved, both from within our City organization and outside of it. The founders of the Kick, Lead and Dream program have commented that the efforts of the Sunnyvale city staff and the Sunnyvale School District made this year's camp such a huge success.

Tip a Cop at Faultline Brewing Company

On Thursday, July 28, DPS and Special Olympics hosted a Tip a Cop at Faultline Brewing Company. Officers assisted waitstaff with food service for extra tips which were donated to Special Olympics. The restaurant was bustling with "regulars," city staff on lunch break and after work, residents and friends from the community. The officers rotated throughout the day to provide service for both lunch and dinner shifts.

The annual Special Olympics events offers a unique opportunity for Public Safety personnel to interact with the community while raising funds to support sports training and competition for individuals with cognitive disabilities.

In addition to the "tips" collected by the officers, Faultline Brewing Company donated 10% of all food sales for the day. The total raised was $3,734.64, which was $2,712.50 in tips and $1,022.14 in food sales.

2011 Dinner at the Dump

Who would have thought the a "Dinner at the Dump" would be so popular?? More than 645 guests enjoyed a delicious meal barbecued by Sunnyvale Public Safety personnel at this year's Dinner at the Dump which raised more than $40,000. The money will be shared among four local non-profit organizations: Sunnyvale Rotary, Sunnyvale Community Services, Leadership Sunnyvale and Northwest YMCA.

In addition to the great food, guests participated in the silent auction, raffles and dancing to some fun music. They also got to try their luck at dousing local celebrities in the dunk tank!

The annual event was sponsored by Specialty Solid Waste, Sunnyvale Rotary, Sunnyvale Toyota and Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association.

More than 100 volunteers helped make this event a huge success. If you've never had the pleasure of attending a "Dinner at the Dump," it's not really at the dump. It's at Specialty Solid Waste's headquarters. They clean up the parking lot and transform it with tables, chairs, umbrellas and buffet stations.

Farewell to Officer Jim Davis

After 36 years in law enforcement, Officer James Davis is retiring. Officer Davis came to Sunnyvale DPS in 1986, prior to that he served 11 years with San Jose Police Department. During his time at DPS, Officer Davis worked as a Crime Scene Investigator, a Field Training Officer and was a member of the Gang Enforcement Team. He most recently worked as a Neighborhood Resource Officer in the Crime Prevention Unit.

Best wishes Officer Davis!

Brett off to College

Brett Carmody began volunteering for DPS in December of 2007. Once a week for the past three and a half years, he has reported to one of the six Sunnyvale Fire Stations to wash fire rigs.

Brett is starting college this month. His weekly visits to the fire stations will be missed, but we are very proud of him embarking on the next phase of his life. Among other things, Brett told us he'll be taking cooking classes at college so that when he comes back he can cook for the fire teams.

Best wishes, Brett!

Photo: Brett with Chaplain Bob McKee

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