August 2012 - Vol.05, No.08 

Most of us enjoy our warm summer evenings relaxing with our family and then retiring for a restful night of sleep.  As we sleep, we find comfort in knowing that there is a dedicated group of Public Safety Officers keeping our city safe.  This last week, our night shift officers made multiple arrests, in three different incidents, each of which is sure to make our community a little safer.

 

The first case was a home invasion robbery that started at about 3:40 a.m. on July 16.  In short, officers were dispatched to suspicious subjects in the 100 block of Florence.  When officer's arrived, three subjects fled - one female in a vehicle and two males on foot.  In the end, the two male suspects were taken into custody for robbery.  The female was identified by detectives from a similar case that occurred in Santa Clara the night before.  

 

A few nights later, on July 20, at approximately 1:47 a.m., PSO Chris Kassel was driving by a storage business located on Arques Ave. and noticed something strange.  He observed four open storage doors which appeared out of place at such an early morning hour.  He immediately suspected an unknown number of suspects may be inside the storage facility breaking into the individual storage units.  His suspicions were correct.  After several hours of searching the facility with other officers and a police canine, three suspects were taken into custody.  In total, 11 storage units were burglarized.  All of the property was recovered, and all three suspects spent their night in jail.

 

Then on July 24 at approximately 12:25 a.m., officers responded to the 500-block of E. Ahwanee Ave. to investigate an interrupted auto burglary. The victim, a resident of the apartment complex, found the three suspects in his vehicle.  They all fled the scene when he approached them.  Arriving officers located the three hiding nearby.  All three were positively identified by the victim as the individuals he saw in his car, and they were in possession of the victim's property. 

 

On the weekend of July 7 and 8, the 911 Angel team participated on the 10th Annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco. Our team walked 39.3 miles in memory, honor and support of all of those who have been touched by this deadly disease. This year's San Francisco walk raised over $4.8 million dollars in the fight for a cure!

 

The 911 Angels was formed in 2001 after suffering the devastating loss of a dear friend and co-worker, SJPD police dispatcher, Teresa Arruda, who battled a 19-month fight with breast cancer. The team participated in their first walk in 2002 and, since then, has grown from six members to nearly 40. In 2008, we suffered another loss of a friend and co-worker when, SJFD dispatcher Cindy Hawke, lost her battle with breast cancer. Over the years, we have had many other family, friends and co-workers diagnosed with breast cancer. The team today has grown to family and friends and other dispatchers representing nearby agencies, all who have been affected in some way by this disease. The 2012 team consisted of representatives from San Jose Police Department, San Jose Fire Department, Sunnyvale DPS (Andrea Atkinson, Catalina Cruz and I), Campbell Police Department, Los Gatos Police Department, Seaside Police Department and San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. This year alone, our team will have raised $60,000, the most raised in just one year. Over the past 10 years, we have raised over a quarter million dollars, $260,000 to be exact!!

 

We all have our stories, the people we walk for and the reasons we support this event. Anyone who has lost someone to breast cancer knows that feeling, and you don't want anyone else to experience that feeling of desperation and loss. We walk for those who can't walk and for those who are courageously fighting the battle. It is the fight of a lifetime and we are fighting back.

 

Participating in the walk is inspirational. We spend miles together sharing stories, crying, laughing and nursing our blisters. The sense of camaraderie is inspired by our single goal - to put an end to breast cancer. We are a part of something so big and meaningful, it is empowering.      

We could not do this without the support of our generous donors. I want to thank each and every one of you who gave unselfishly to our walk. Your donations will provide funding for research, early detection and prevention.   

 

A special thank you to SJPD Bike Patrol for providing bike security for us throughout the walk, and to our tireless crew for making sure we are well taken care of along the route.   

 

By Jill Ahearn, Senior Public Safety Dispatcher  

Neighborhoods throughout Sunnyvale celebrated National Night Out on Tuesday, August 9 with block parties, potlucks, ice cream socials and barbecues. In addition to meeting the residents of their neighborhoods, participants had the chance to meet public safety personnel and City Councilmembers while getting a close up look at public safety response vehicles.

 

National Night Out is an annual event designed to heighten crime prevention awareness; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships; and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

 

For more information about crime prevention programs in Sunnyvale, please visit  CrimePrevention.inSunnyvale.com 

 

 

The 2012 Special Olympics Power Pull took place on July 28 at California's Great America. This annual fund and awareness raising event pits the strongest of the strong and toughest of the tough in a battle to see who can pull a 38,000 pound Central Concrete cement mixer and a 66,000 Sunnyvale Fire Truck the fastest. Teams of 16 pullers including an honorary Special Olympics athlete pulled each rig two times. The team with fastest combined score was the winner of bragging rights for the year. Santa Clara Police Department, Sunnyvale Public Safety, Preston Pipeline, J.J. Albanese, Specialty Solid Waste, Central Concrete and Tom Albanese all had teams. In addition, Star One Credit Union sponsored the Special Olympics G-Team. 

 

This year's champion was Team J.J. Albanese. Central Concrete came in second, Preston Pipelines in third and Sunnyvale Public Safety placed fourth. The event raised more than $20,000 to help Special Olympics to provide year round sports training and competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities at no cost them or their families. For more information about Special Olympics Northern California please visit their website www.sonc.com

 

Thirty-six years ago, PSO Charles Fraker became the third Public Safety Officer killed in the line of duty. In his memory, all City flags were flown at half-staff on Wednesday, August 1 and all officers wore black ribbons on their badges.

 

On Sunday afternoon, August 1, 1976 , PSO Fraker was working patrol when a structure fire was broadcast at 301 Acalanes.  This location is a multi-unit apartment complex and the fire was in an upstairs bedroom of one of the apartments. PSO Fraker responded and arrived at the scene before the fire apparatus. He immediately exited his patrol car and went to the involved apartment. When the fire apparatus arrived, a pre-connect line was advanced from the rig into the apartment by Officer Fraker and another officer. The small fire in the bedroom flashed over and Officer Fraker suffered fatal injuries from the flashover.

 

Officer Fraker was 25 years old and had been on the department for two years. His wife and two children survived him.