As we put a close on 2014, we thought it was important to provide some statistical data regarding crime and public safety activity within our community this year. Each year the department provides year end totals for Part 1 Crimes to the FBI for inclusion in the FBI Uniform Crime Report. Part 1 Crimes are reported in two categories: violent crimes and property crimes. Aggravated assault, rape, murder and robbery are classified as violent crime. Arson, burglary, larceny/theft and motor vehicle theft are classified as property crimes. In Sunnyvale, Part 1 Crimes increased by 1% in 2014, with an additional 27 crimes being committed in comparison with 2013. While we are never pleased with an increase, it is important to note that the City of Sunnyvale continues to enjoy a very safe community with a low number of total Part 1 Crimes (2601 in 2014 versus 2574 in 2013). In breaking down the stats, the most notable crime increases were for the crimes of robbery (88 in 2014 versus 51 in 2013), and burglary from a vehicle (610 in 2014 versus 485 in 2013). The increase in robberies was attributed to a series of incidents involving suspects targeting specific pedestrians wearing expensive jewelry. The suspects were later arrested through the efforts of a multi-agency response, and these types of incidents have stopped occurring. Burglaries from vehicles continue to be a problem, especially along the El Camino Real corridor. Residents are reminded to not leave valuables in their vehicles. On the positive side, motor vehicle thefts decreased significantly (286 in 2014 versus 404 in 2013) and there was a reduction in residential/commercial burglaries (511 in 2014 versus 557 in 2013). Detailed information about these statistics can be found on our website at the following url:

http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/Departments/PublicSafety/PublicSafetyStatistics.aspx

What we have found throughout the year is that we are successful in preventing crime and apprehending criminals when our community is aware of the crime trends and can take proactive steps to safeguard themselves and their property. We also benefit greatly by community members contacting us immediately when they observe criminal or suspicious behavior. Over the last year, the department has made a concerted effort to share contemporary crime information through department and city-wide communication platforms such as Nixle, Nextdoor, Facebook and Twitter. The "Weekly DPS Blotter" is one example of the information sharing that we believe helps increase awareness of crime trends. Some residents have been surprised at the level of criminal activity found in the blotter resulting in an impression that crime has increased significantly. As mentioned above, this is not the case and we are hopeful that by sharing the information, residents will take an active role in safeguarding themselves and their neighborhoods. To receive the Weekly DPS Blotter follow us on the City of Sunnyvale Nextdoor Page at https://nextdoor.com/city/feed/, subscribe to the DPS Nixle Account at http://local.nixle.com/sunnyvale-department-of-public-safety/ ,or follow us on the DPS Twitter Account @SunnyvaleDPS

Stay informed, stay safe!

Chief Grgurina

TEL (408) 730-7140
TDD (408) 730-7501

or email to: pubsfty@sunnyvale.ca.gov

February is National Heart Month

The month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and increasing knowledge about prevention. We can use this month to raise awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it - both at home and in the community.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), including heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure (hypertension) is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. It is the number one leading cause of disability preventing Americans from working and enjoying family activities. Cardiovascular disease does not affect all groups of people in the same way. Although the number of preventable deaths has declined in people aged 65 to 74 years, it has remained unchanged in people under age 65. Men are more than twice as likely as women to die from preventable cardiovascular disease. Women are increasingly at risk to die from a heart attack. An alarming fact is that heart disease is the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year. That's approximately one woman every minute! But it doesn't affect all women alike, and the warning signs for women aren't the same in men. Many CVD deaths could have been prevented through healthier habits, healthier living spaces, and better management of conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

CVD symptoms may be different for men and women. Symptoms can include:

Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed.
Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back.

Heart attack signs for women may include:

Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you have any of these signs, don't wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.

Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. To lower your risk factor for CVD:

Maintain a healthy weight
Eat a healthy diet
Get your cholesterol checked
Monitor your blood pressure
Exercise regularly
Limit alcohol use
Manage your diabetes
Work with your health care team
Don't smoke
Take your medicine

For more information: American Heart Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

DPS Holiday Burglary Suppression Operation

For two weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays last year, DPS engaged in its annual holiday burglary suppression detail. This operation is intended to impact the increase in burglaries typically seen during the holiday season. The operation utilized officers in unmarked vehicles who used crime data trends in an attempt to predict where residential, auto and commercial burglaries were most likely to occur. The operation resulted in a number of arrests, including four individuals who were found to be involved in a stolen auto "chop shop." In total, seven stolen vehicles were recovered and a number of other outstanding suspects were also identified.

The ability to have plain clothes officers in unmarked cars to covertly observe areas identified in the crime data, coupled with information gathering/sharing with Patrol and Investigations, all contributed to the success of the operation. For further information contact Captain Jeffrey Plecque at (408) 730-7188, or jplecque@sunnyvale.ca.gov.

Sunnyvale Public Safety Dispatch Assisting Behind the Scenes

On Sunday, January 18, Sunnyvale Dispatch received several 911 calls from a male subject saying he was on a boat; the engine had quit and it was taking on water. The call kept dropping as wireless calls often do. Dispatch was able to determine he was on a 17' boat and did have life jackets. Sunnyvale Dispatch notified a variety of agencies, including Moffett Field Police, the Coast Guard, San Jose Fire, and Fremont Fire.

The Coast Guard was unable to launch a helicopter due to weather; they also advised they didn't have a boat small enough to get into the sloughs north of Moffett Field where the boater had become stranded.

An article posted online in Monday's San Jose Mercury News describes the outcome:

"The Coast Guard called in rescue units from San Jose and Menlo Park with smaller boats who eventually pulled the boat out of the muck at about 4:40 p.m. [The Coast Guard] said the boaters did not have a GPS tracking device or a marine radio, 'a lot of the things we advise mariners to set out with to help in a situation like this.'"

What those boaters did have was access to 9-1-1 via their wireless telephone - and Sunnyvale Dispatch was there to get them the help they needed.

DPS and Fleet Design Team Travels to Louisiana

In November of 2014, Council approved a collaborative initiative between Fleet and DPS to replace two existing ladder trucks and add an additional ladder truck to serve the growing Moffett Park business area.

The 2.5 million dollar project to design, construct and deliver the apparatus was awarded to Ferrara Fire Apparatus Inc. of Holden, Louisiana, the same builder of fire apparatus for the City of New York. After weeks of design review and specification development, our design team traveled to the factory where the fire trucks are to be built in order to meet with the builders to ensure the needs of the City of Sunnyvale are properly met. Over a three day period, Fleet and DPS discussed almost every "nut and bolt" with the builders. Several significant cost savings items were identified during the meeting, as well as design enhancements that will improve operations.

Construction of the vehicles should begin in the next few weeks, with delivery anticipated in late August or early September of 2015. For more information, please contact Captain Doug Moretto at dmoretto@sunnyvale.ca.gov or (408) 702-0904.

Cyber-scam - Business E-mail Compromise

The Business E-mail Compromise (BEC) is a sophisticated scam targeting businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. Formerly known as the Man-in-the-E-mail Scam. The BEC is a global scam with subjects and victims in many countries.

The victims of the BEC scam range from small to large businesses. These businesses may purchase or supply a variety of goods, such as textiles, furniture, food, and pharmaceuticals. This scam impacts both ends of the supply chain, as both supplies and money can be lost and business relations may be damaged.

It is still largely unknown how victims are selected; however, the subjects monitor and study their selected victims prior to initiating the BEC scam. The subjects are able to accurately identify the individuals and protocol necessary to perform wire transfers within a specific business environment. Victims may also first receive "phishing" e-mails requesting additional details of the business or individual being targeted (name, travel dates, etc). Some victims reported being a victim of various Scareware or Ransomware cyber intrusions, immediately preceding a BEC scam request.

VERSIONS OF THE BEC SCAM Based on Internet Crime Complaint Center complaints and other complaint data received since 2009, there are three main versions of this scam:

Version 1
A business, which often has a long standing relationship with a supplier, is asked to wire funds for invoice payment to an alternate, fraudulent account. The request may be made via telephone, facsimile or e-mail. If an e-mail is received, the subject will spoof the e-mail request so it appears very similar to a legitimate account and would take very close scrutiny to determine it was fraudulent. Likewise, if a facsimile or telephone call is received, it will closely mimic a legitimate request. This particular version has also been referred to as "The Bogus Invoice Scheme," "The Supplier Swindle," and "Invoice Modification Scheme."

Version 2
The e-mail accounts of high-level business executives (CFO, CTO, etc) are compromised. The account may be spoofed or hacked. A request for a wire transfer from the compromised account is made to a second employee within the company who is normally responsible for processing these requests. In some instances a request for a wire transfer from the compromised account is sent directly to the financial institution with instructions to urgently send funds to bank "X" for reason "Y." This particular version has also been referred to as "CEO Fraud," "Business Executive Scam," "Masquerading," and "Financial Industry Wire Frauds."

Version 3
An employee of a business has his/her personal e-mail hacked. Requests for invoice payments to fraudster-controlled bank accounts are sent from this employee's personal e-mail to multiple vendors identified from this employee's contact list. The business may not become aware of the fraudulent requests until they are contacted by their vendors to follow up on the status of their invoice payment.

FILING AN Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) COMPLAINT
If you believe your businesses is the recipient of a compromised e-mail or is a victim of the BEC scam (regardless of dollar amount), you should file with the IC3 at www.IC3.gov. Please be as descriptive as possible, identify your complaint as "Business Email Compromise" or "BEC" and try to include the following information:

Header information from e-mail messages
Identifiers for the perpetrators such as names, e-mail addresses, websites, bank account information (especially where transfers were requested to be sent), and beneficiary names
Details on how, why, and when you believe you were defrauded
Actual and attempted loss amounts
Other relevant information you believe is necessary to support your complaint

Complainants are also encouraged to keep all original documentation, e-mails, faxes, and logs of all telecommunications. You will not be able to add or upload attachments with your IC3 complaint; however, please retain all relevant information, in the event you are contacted by law enforcement.

FEBRUARY ASSET OF THE MONTH --- Youth as Resources

Young people are given useful roles in the community.

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH AS RESOURCES

People of all ages need to feel that that they can make a contribution and play a meaningful role in
their community, whether it's at home, at school, or in the neighborhood. Research shows that youth who feel valued and useful have higher self- esteem, a greater sense of personal control, reduced delinquency, greater social and personal responsibility, reduced substance abuse, and better social skills.

This asset for the month of February focuses on including youth in decisions that affect them and
creating participation and leadership opportunities where their contribution can make a difference.
The following discussion topics can help young people recognize opportunities to serve as resources.

What would you like to share with adults about your experience in your home, school, neighborhood or faith community?
Who are some adults that you could talk to about making positive changes?
How will you know when these changes happen?
How would you like to be recognized for your contribution?

Keep in mind that serving as a resource doesn't have to be a large effort. Adults can help youth serve
as resources simply by asking them to share their opinions, skills or knowledge, such as how to play a game or use technology such as text messaging.

Remember!

It's important that young people's efforts be recognized and celebrated!

Be sure to create opportunities to show that you value each individual's unique contributions.

ACTIVITIES

FOR FAMILIES

Hold family meetings. For example, one meeting can focus on discussing which kinds of tasks each household member is best at and enjoys the most. Then, review everyone's current chores and make changes based on each other's skills and interests.
Involve children in planning events such as holiday celebrations or trips. For family events, young people can help plan menus and cook, or plan games and activities for younger children; for vacations, they can research destinations and activities.
Ask children what they do or don't like about their daily routines, and find ways to improve them.

FOR ALL ADULTS

Ask a young person to teach you something new-a game, a hobby, a computer skill, etc.-or to share their favorite music or YouTube videos with you. It's empowering to be able to introduce adults something that they don't already know.
Ask a young person for advice on solving a challenge or completing a task. You'd be surprised at the quality of suggestions you receive.
Be sure to notice young people's contributions and talents in every aspect of their lives.
Help a young person find age-appropriate opportunities to serve as resources in their community. For example, many cities and towns have a youth advisory committee or other group of young people who provide input regarding issues affecting youth.

FOR ADULTS WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH YOUTH

Does your organization allow young people to sit on boards and committees that affect its mission and programs? Including youth input at the highest levels not only creates valuable opportunities for young people but also helps your organization ensure that it's in touch with the needs and desires of the youth you serve.
Be sure to create opportunities for all youth to feel like valuable resources. For example, a county sheriff's office found that youth with low grades wanted to volunteer in the community as much as better students, but the community rarely asked those underachieving students to contribute. All young people deserve the opportunity to feel that their opinions and contributions are valued.

AT SCHOOL OR IN YOUTH PROGRAMS

Create leadership and contribution opportunities in your classroom or programs. Groups such as student council, playground peace monitors, traffic safety patrol, and others are great ways for young people to feel like their contributions are valued, especially if they have some responsibility in making decisions for the group. In younger grades, classroom responsibilities like line leader help students feel like their contributions make a difference to the class. Middle and high school students can even help interview new staff and participate in school improvement teams.
Invite students to share their opinions and suggestions about activities, and incorporate their suggestions in the future. Give young people choices about which activities they take part in.
Encourage young people to write letters to the editor, to companies, or elected officials to share ideas or express opinions. Help them develop and share constructive suggestions to address their concerns.

This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.

Dodge Ackerman Memorial Boxing Event at Gateway Neighborhood Center

Nixle

What is Nixle?

Nixle is a free community messaging system which utilizes a secure network to ensure creditability and reliability of information. DPS will use the NIXLE system to notify residents about important events happening within, or affecting the city. Residents receive updates via text, web, and email to stay informed of important notifications.

How can I sign-up for Nixle notifications?

Go to www.nixle.com
Click on "Sign Up Free!"
Enter information on this screen (There is no need to enter home phone since the cell will be used for text alerts)
Your account is started. Go to "Settings" and sign up for "Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety." Just be sure to click "Save" when completed. (You can sign up for other agencies by using either their name or a zip code to receive alerts.)

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For questions and comments about the Sunnyvale DPS newsletter Beyond the Badge, you can e-mail us at: DFontaine@sunnyvale.ca.gov
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