August 2015 - Vol.08, No.08 
In This Issue
National Stroke Awareness
Public Safety Recruits in Hawaii
How Your Landscaping Can Keep Burglars Away
Coffee with a Cop
In Memory of Charles Fraker
Family Day at the Ranch
ASSET OF THE MONTH
Nixle
Event Calendar
Message from the Chief
Hiring and training continues to be a main focal point for the department. There are currently 25 Public Safety Officers in the training program, with another seven officers set join the department in the upcoming weeks. The officers are in various parts of the training program which consists of separate Police, Fire and EMT academies. A group of the trainees will begin the Alameda County Police Academy at the end of August, while another portion of the group will begin a Joint Fire Academy with the Palo Alto Fire Department, hosted by our department in mid-August. Other trainees have graduated from the academies and are completing their field training components. The training timeline for an entry level Public Safety Officer is 18 months and 12 months for a lateral officer. All of the hiring is to replace current and future anticipated vacancies.

While we are very excited to have all the new officers, we also recognize the tremendous amount of work it places upon the current members of our organization, including trainers, supervisors, instructors and professional staff who support the new employees. We also know that new employees take a bit longer to complete tasks as they learn their new positions. For members of the community, please know that each of our trainees is accompanied by training officers up until their final phase where they are closely monitored while acting in a solo officer role. Therefore, for the next several months, you will see some patrol vehicles with two officers and you may see more than the ordinary amount of officers responding to calls for service.

In addition to the new sworn staff, the department continues to recruit and hire for a variety of other professional positions. This includes entry level Dispatchers, Neighborhood Preservation Specialists, Fire Prevention Inspectors, Senior Office Assistant and Part-Time Crossing Guards. If you or someone you know is interested in any of our employment opportunities, please visit our Human Resources web page at http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/Departments/HumanResources/GetaJobwiththeCity.aspx  or the Public Safety Recruitment Web Page at http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/Departments/PublicSafety/Recruiting.aspx
 
Finally, I would like to acknowledge all of the hard work by our Recruitment and Training Units, the Department of Human Resources and each of our employees who assist with hiring and training of all the new personnel!   Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable end of summer.

Chief Grgurina         
TEL (408) 730-7140
TDD (408) 730-7501            
or email to: [email protected]    
National Stroke Awareness   

Stroke Prevention Starts Here
There are nearly 130,000 stroke deaths each year-that's 1 in 20 deaths. Although you can't control every risk factor, there are steps you can take today to reduce your chances of stroke. Make your choice-how your story ends is mostly up to you.

Healthy Eating
Healthy eating can play a significant role in reducing your risk of stroke and many other serious health conditions-such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.
 
Healthy eating is not about diets and restrictions. Instead, it's about making small, everyday changes in the way you eat and drink.  These tools will get you on your way to your choice of embracing healthy eating habits.

Physical Activity
Physical activity is instrumental to your health. This can be any kind of activity that makes you breathe hard and gets your heart and blood pumping. You don't have to run a marathon. You just have to get moving, whether it's dancing in your living room or taking a 15-minute walk every day. Everything you do adds up to greater health benefits-you'll notice:
  • a better mood,
  • more energy,
  • reduced risk of disease,
  • better sleep, and
  • less stress.
Medical Risk Factors
There are over 20 factors that put you at risk for a stroke, which can be very overwhelming. Sometimes even with eating well and exercising regularly, you can still be at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Also, your family history and conditions like atrial fibrillation (Afib) can put you further at risk-through no fault of your own.

Make the choice to have regular healthcare check-ups. This will help you know and manage your health conditions, leading to a healthier life. These tools will get you on your way.

For more information about Stroke Prevention, please click here.
Public Safety Recruits in Hawaii   

On May 1, 2015, a team comprised of ten sworn public safety officers and two professional staff members, including the HR Recruitment Manager, embarked on a 16-day recruitment trip to Honolulu, Hawaii with the purpose of hiring new public safety officers. In the past few years, the Department has experienced many challenges in hiring qualified candidates to fill vacancies caused by an increase in service retirements. Realizing other agencies were facing similar circumstances, the Department, with support from the City Manager, decided to reinitiate recruitment in Hawaii hoping to repeat the success of prior years when a total of 32 applicants were hired between 1999 and 2002. At that time, the hiring success rate in California was 1:65 applicants, compared to 1:11 in Hawaii. Currently, the hiring rate in California for our Department during this fiscal period has soared to 1:82 applicants. In fact, according to statistical records provided by HR, 1.28% of the 1537 applicants that met the minimum qualifications were hired during the past two years.

Immediately after landing, the team hit the pavement running and started preparing for an unprecedented process that promised to be both physically and emotionally demanding. Unlike in California where a single hiring process could run several months, the process in Hawaii was significantly compressed to meet the demands of a shortened timeline. As a result, staff worked long hours with little or no downtime.

After the initial screening, 44 applicants participated in the testing process, of which 23 moved onto the background phase. Similar to California, the entire testing process included a two hour written exam, a 30-minute oral interview, a four hour written psychological suitability test, a two hour polygraph test, a physical agility test, an extensive background investigation and a 30-minute command interview. 12 candidates were given final job offers after completing the post-offer testing which included another polygraph test, interview with the psychologist, and a medical exam. This process proved to be a huge accomplishment as our efforts surpassed our prior success rate by hiring 1:4 candidates. These new hires will start their 93-week training cycle in mid-August. For additional information contact Captain Vince Chetcuti at (408) 730-7220 or [email protected]

How Your Landscaping Can Keep Burglars Away   
How Your Landscaping Can Keep Burglars Away Environmental design is a visually appealing way to promote home safety.

Environmental design is a visually appealing way to promote home safety, taking into consideration natural surveillance, territorial reinforcement, access control and "target hardening" to deter crime.

Increase visibility by trimming all bushes and hedges to three feet or shorter. Anything taller and you create a hiding place for criminals. Lower shrubs also increase visibility for your neighbors and pedestrian onlookers who may observe and report suspicious activity.

Cover the ground near your windows with gravel. The loud crunch of footsteps on gravel is enough of a deterrent for a burglar to search for another target.

Plant low, thorny bushes beneath your windows. Bougainvillea, barberries, roses or citrus trees discourage criminals from climbing over these prickly specimen to enter a home. Yuccas and other large succulents are a lower-maintenance option. Regardless of your choice, keeping the bushes and trees thinned out increases visibility and decreases places to hide.

Light up dark exterior corners with motion-activated lights. A solar-powered LED motion-activated light is ideal for outdoor use. It frightens would-be trespassers, who think a person has switched on the light. No need to worry about connecting a power source or about the batteries' running out, either.

Patios and porches free of clutter. Keep spaces up against your home free of places for criminals to hide.

Prominently display signage that may deter a criminal. Alarm, surveillance camera, Neighborhood Watch and "Beware of Dog" signs discourage criminals from approaching the yard or home.

Be a good neighbor. Pick up the newspaper, mail and flyers in your neighbor's yard and/or on their front door while they are on vacation. In addition, report suspicious activity by calling the police  department's non-emergency phone at (408) 730-7180. Or call 9-1-1 for crimes in progress.

Coffee with a Cop  
On July 28, Sunnyvale Public Safety held its second Coffee with a Cop event of the year. This time, Starbucks Cherry Orchard hosted the event which ran from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Many residents took advantage of the opportunity to meet public safety officers, ask questions and share stories. Several people expressed their gratitude to the officers for providing a safe place to live and work.


Officers got to interact with a wide variety of people including long time residents, people new to the area/country, school employees and employees from several different businesses around the city. Many children also stopped by to meet the officers, ask questions and received fire hats, stickers and bookmarks. 

For more information about Coffee with a Cop please call (408) 730-7140.

In Memory of Charles Fraker  
Thirty-nine years ago, PSO Charles Fraker became the third Public Safety Officer killed in the line of duty. In his memory, all city flags will be flown at half-staff on Saturday, August 1 and all officers shall wear 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 daughters survived him.

Family Day at the Ranch for Children on the Autism Spectrum     
Sunnyvale Public Safety partnered with the Sunnyvale Elks Lodge, Sunnyvale Elementary School District and Dream Power Horsemanship to host Family Day at the Ranch for Sunnyvale children on the Autism Spectrum in K-8th grade and there families. Close to 50 guests attended this very special event held at the Sunnyvale Elks Lodge.

Activities included Horse-themed Crafts, Water/Bubbles Sensory Station, Stick Horse Pony Express, Face Painting, Parent/Child Obstacle Course and the highlight for many: learning about DreamPower's awesome mini horses, Choco,  Trigger, Zach and Sweetpea, and their adorable mini donkey Patches. Guests were able to groom the horses and, if they wanted, they could learn to take Patches for a short a walk. 

The Elks Lodge outdoor venue was the perfect setting for families to enjoy the day together with lots of volunteers helping to make the day extra special. In addition, to the venue, the Elks also provided a delicious BBQ lunch of burgers and hotdogs with all the fixin's followed by ice cream sundaes for all.
 
ASSET OF THE MONTH 
Asset #41: Young person feels comfortable with and proud of his/her identity, including but not limited to disabilities,ethnicity, faith/religion, family status, gender, language, and sexual orientation.
THE IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE CULTURAL IDENTITY
 
Research shows that positive identity is linked with several positive outcomes, including self assurance a sense of belonging, a positive view of personal future, and better adjustment in school.
But, developing a sense of positive cultural identity-a critical element of personal identity-can be
difficult for young people, especially if their identity lies in two or more cultures: their identity in the
majority culture as well as in their own cultural group.

The way that youth are treated in regard to their ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender directly affects their ability to develop a positive personal identity. As adults, it's critical that we
model recognition, understanding, and celebrating all cultural identities, including the cultures to which we and/or our children do not belong. Sharing and celebrating different cultural identities increases individuals' self-esteem and promotes cultural competence among all young people. Every community can benefit from building greater esteem and understanding both within and among the many cultural groups in our region.

The following discussion topics can help families talk with young people about their cultural identity:
  • What is our cultural background?
  • What are some things that you value because it's valued by our culture?
  • What are some things about our culture that you would like other people to know?
  • Do you know anyone who's from a different culture? In what ways are your cultures? Similar and different? Do your cultural differences make it difficult to be friends?
     
ACTIVITIES     
The activities below are a starting point to help build positive cultural identity in youth.
   
FOR FAMILIES  
  • Make sure that your children learn the story of where they come from-including both family history and the history of their heritage-from an early age.
     
  • Even very young children are aware of racial and cultural differences among people. Address the issues of stereotypes, myths, and cultural differences in a positive, age appropriate manner.
     
  • It's normal for young people to explore different aspects of personal identity, including cultural identity. Children, whose parents promote a positive cultural identity, while allowing them the freedom to explore, tend to develop a healthy personal identity.
     
  • Some elements of a child's identity-such as sexual orientation-might not be shared in common with the rest of the family. Parents should make special efforts to ensure that everyone feels understood, respected, valued, safe, and loved within the family.
FOR ALL ADULTS
  • Serve as a mentor for youth from your culture. They will benefit from learning how to successfully maintain a positive cultural identity from someone outside their family.
  • Help your children maintain a positive attitude about school, and make sure they know that you will be their advocate to resolve any problems or challenges that they encounter.
  • Adults should be careful to strike a balance between celebrating the youth's difference and including the youth as part of the group as a whole. Sometimes, focusing too much on a youth's differences-no matter how good the intention-can further isolate youth from their peers.
AT SCHOOL OR IN YOUTH PROGRAMS
  • Support home languages as much as possible. Children who are bilingual in their home language and English tend to maintain a positive connection with their families and cultural communities.
     
  • All students need to be valued and appreciated for their unique characteristics regularly. Be aware of the cultural diversity in your classroom or program, and try to understand its dimensions.
     
  • Make a personal effort to learn about the culture of the youth in your classroom or program. For example, students from cultures where children are not expected to ask questions of adults may have difficulty letting you know when they don't understand the lesson. Help students understand the culture of your class or program without devaluing their cultures of origin.
     
  • Young people can discover and share their cultural identity through lessons and projects that highlight their cultures and experiences while engaging them in active learning. For example, develop lessons and activities around the gifts that different cultures have given the world, and discuss how "cultural borrowing" allows everyone to thrive.
     
  • Sometimes even the most innocent activities can be exclusionary. For example, celebration of "Crazy Hair Day" may exclude youth whose religion requires that they cover their heads. Be sure that your planned programs and activities take everyone's culture into account 
This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.
  
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?

  1. Go to www.nixle.com 
  2. Click on "Sign Up Free!"
  3. Enter information on this screen (There is no need to enter home phone since the cell will be used for text alerts)
  4. 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.)
     
Follow us on Twitter
 
Sunnyvale City Logo ColorFor questions and comments about the Sunnyvale DPS newsletter Beyond the Badge, you can e-mail us at: [email protected]
� 2010-2015 City of Sunnyvale, CA