It's hard to believe we are already a month into the 2016-17 school year. If you have family members who attend school in Sunnyvale, we hope you have settled into your daily routine and things are going well for you and your family. DPS is always focused on safety, and each year we partner with various school districts and other entities to place focus on the safety of our schools. Of particular importance is the safe passage of students to and from school. This includes pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety in and around the school campuses. To this point, the City Council approved the hiring of a Community Service Officer (CSO) to take over the Safe Routes to School Coordinator duties. This position is currently funded by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department but is set to expire at the end of the current school year. We recently filled the CSO position and have already started the cross training and transition of the program.

For those who are not familiar with the position or the program, the Safe Routes to School Coordinator's responsibilities include talking to students about car-free ways and commuter alternatives to get to school safely, including walking, biking, skateboarding, etc. In addition to student outreach, the coordinator assists with educating parents on the health benefits of walking and "rolling" to school, including the benefits for the community as a whole. The coordinator will act as a liaison between DPS, the schools, traffic engineers, and outside public health organizations. Finally, the coordinator will be in charge of recruiting volunteers to assist with events and activities promoting Safe Routes to Schools and to educate the school community about appropriate behavior to maximize safety to and from school. In transitioning the program to DPS, we will also be looking at how we can make modifications and improvements to enhance the already successful program.

We ask that parents and students join us in placing focus on safety in and around the schools. We also request that all residents be extra cautious in school zones, particularly during school hours. Thank you for your part in making Sunnyvale the safest community possible.

Chief Grgurina

TEL 408-730-7140
TDD 408-730-7501

or email to: pubsfty@sunnyvale.ca.gov

National Preparedness Month

If an emergency occurred tomorrow, would you be ready?

September is National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for emergencies and disasters, both large scale and smaller local events. We know that emergencies can happen unexpectedly in communities just like yours, to people like you. We've seen tornado outbreaks, river floods and flash floods, historic earthquakes, tsunamis, and even water main breaks and power outages that impact communities for days at a time.

As commendable as they may be in their profession of assisting those in need, police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach you quickly in an emergency or disaster. The most important step you can take in helping your local responders is being able to take care of yourself and those in your care for at least a short period of time following an incident; the more people who are prepared, the quicker the community will recover.

You are not helpless in the face of an emergency. With just a few simple steps, you can Be a Force of Nature by knowing your risk, taking action and being an example in your community.

Know your risk

Emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time. It is important to understand potential risks where you live. What you can do:

Bookmark weather.gov to stay informed on severe weather.
Learn about Wireless Emergency Alerts, messages that will be sent to your phone during an emergency.
Get practical tips on preparing for disaster at ready.gov.

Take action

Make sure that you and your family are prepared for an emergency. Ensure that you can go for at least three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket, or other local services.
What you can do:

Prepare a disaster supply kit with at least three days of food and water.
Create a Family Emergency Plan, so that your family knows how to communicate during an emergency.
Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio.

Be an example

Be a positive influence on your community by sharing your preparedness story. Let your friends and family know that you're prepared for an emergency - and that they should be prepared too. Research has shown that many people won't prepare until they see others doing so. What you can do:

Share your preparedness story on Facebook so that friends and family will know what you'll do in case of disaster.
Tell the world you're prepared on Twitter using hashtag #NATLPREP.
Get involved with your local American Red Cross Chapter or train with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

You don't know when an emergency might occur. These simple steps will help you be prepared for the worst.

Bookmark this site: Sunnyvale Office of Emergency Services OES.inSunnyvale.com

Meet The Sunnyvale DPS Canine Unit

Sunnyvale DPS has an active canine unit that consists of four German Shepherd dogs and their Public Safety Officer handlers. All of the canines are trained in protection, tracking, and searching for hidden suspects to enhance the safety of both Officers and members of the community. They are then cross-trained in one other specialized area. Two of the canines are trained to detect narcotics, one is trained in explosive detection, and the fourth dog is trained to detect the presence of flammable liquids often found at arson scenes. The canines are used in a variety of missions that include tracking and locating lost or missing persons and assisting officers during high-risk calls and searches. The canine officers patrol the streets with their respective patrol teams and are often called to assignments both within Sunnyvale and in neighboring cities to assist in emergencies and investigations. The canine unit also routinely works with Sunnyvale SWAT during their training and deployments.

The canines in Sunnyvale are typically born in Europe and are selected as puppies for police work based on their demeanor and intelligence. Further testing and evaluation is then conducted to ensure they are the right temperament for Sunnyvale DPS and for the handler they will be partnered with. The bond between handler and his canine partner must be so strong that a handler can "read" what his dog is detecting or sensing simply by looking at the dog's body language, behavior, and other visual cues.

The Public Safety Officers in the canine unit are committed to maintaining excellence through constantly training with each other and with the canine units of other neighboring cities. When not patrolling the streets of Sunnyvale or training, the canines live at home with their human partners and their families.

The life span of a German Shepherd Dog is about 10-12 years and most canines are assigned to patrol work for 5-6 years on average. At the end of their patrol careers, the canines are typically purchased from the City by their handlers and spend their well-earned retirement by being a family dog at home with their partner and their family.

The Canine Unit consists of:

Public Safety Officer Devon Klein & K9 Reno

Officer Klein has been with Sunnyvale DPS since 2001. Officer Klein was previously a Police Training Officer, firefighter, Desk Officer, and a former member of SWAT. K9 Reno is Officer Klein's third patrol dog. Reno was born in the Czech Republic and has served as a patrol K9 since 2012. Reno is trained and certified in the detection of dangerous explosives. Both Officer Klein and Reno enjoy going to community events and meeting children. Reno has made appearances on the DPS Twitter account numerous times.

Public Safety Officer Silas Mutz & Canine Zac

Officer Mutz has been with Sunnyvale DPS since 2003. He has served as a Police Training Officer, firefighter, and is a member of SWAT. K9 Zac was born in the Czech Republic and joined Officer Mutz in 2011. In addition to patrol work, K9 Zac is trained in the detection of narcotics. Zac's favorite thing is to test his strength by playing tug with his favorite rope toy.

Public Safety Officer Bill Whitaker & Canine Kodiak

Officer Whitaker has been with Sunnyvale DPS since 2002. He has experience as a former Police Training Officer, firefighter, and Crime Scene Investigator. K9 Kodiak was born in the Czech Republic in 2014 and has been with Officer Whitaker since 2015. K9 Kodiak is cross-trained as an arson dog to detect accelerants. On hot days, Kodiak likes to play with frozen cups of ice and eats them like a popsicle.

Public Safety Officer Steven Eckford & K9 Jax

Officer Eckford has been a Sunnyvale Public Safety Officer since 2010. He and K9 Jax have been a team since 2015. K9 Jax was also born in the Czech Republic and in addition to patrol work, is cross-trained in the detection of narcotics. Jax's favorite toy is his orange kong. He's also known for his great leaping ability.

Sunnyvale Police Officer Won the American Marksman Competition

In May 2016, Sunnyvale DPS Lt. Doug Sims competed in the American Marksman Competition, a nationwide competition held at local ranges across the country. Doug competed in the local competition held in Ripon, CA and finished in the top 25 of all Law Enforcement/Military class participants from California, Nevada, Hawaii and Arizona. As a result of his placement in the top 25, Doug was invited to compete in the Southwest Regional competition held in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 20 and 21.

The two-day competition involved five different weapons and courses of fire in over 100 degree temperatures. Doug finished in 2nd place overall, missing 1st place by a mere three seconds. Congratulations Doug, we are very proud of your accomplishment!

Good Samaritan Saves Sexual Assault Victim

On August 4, an attempted sexual assault occurred during daylight hours at Sunnyvale & Evelyn. The woman screamed for help and Bryan Reeve, a citizen who was on the opposite side of Sunnyvale Ave., immediately responded to assist the terrified victim. Mr. Reeve pulled the suspect off of the victim, threw him to the ground, and pinned him to the ground until DPS patrol officers arrived.

Although several people were in the area and witnessed the incident, Mr. Reeve reacted immediately to assist and was the only one who physically intervened to stop the assault. His actions resulted in the arrest of the suspect.

Thank you Bryan for your heroic action!

2016 National Night Out Donation

This year's National Night Out, neighborhoods throughout the country held block parties, barbecues, ice cream socials and more to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Fifteen Sunnyvale neighborhoods joined in and a couple added a special twist - they held a donation drive to benefit Sunnyvale Community Services! The Stevens Creek and SunnyArts Neighborhood Associations collected "TP" and diapers.

Stevens Creek

TP 479 rolls

Diapers 2801

Total 3,280 items! That will get distributed to 472 low income Sunnyvale residents

Sunnyarts

TP 1613 rolls

Diapers 4315

Total items 5,928! That will get distributed to 1,166 low income Sunnyvale residents!

Last year Stevens Creek won the show with a total unit count of 1,776 items - so both made HUGE gains over last year. Sunnyvale Community Services expressed their sincere thanks to the participating neighbors.

As part of the Sunnyvale National Night Out celebrations, Sunnyvale Public Safety personnel visited all events throughout the city. National Night Out is always the first Tuesday in August. For more information about National Night Out, please contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 408-730-7140.

Moose Lodge and the Community

The Sunnyvale Moose Lodge helps out in many ways

Over the past few months, the Sunnyvale Moose Lodge has partnered with local organization to provide resources to our community members. In May, they saved the day by contributing $500 to help fund the LEOS Project Family Day at the Ranch at DreamPower Horsemanship. The LEOS Project stands for Law Enforcement Officers Support Project. Family Day at the Ranch happens twice a year and is a casual fun event for law enforcement families to enjoy time together with while participating in a variety of activities including horseback riding, roping lessons, crafts, face painting, animal yoga and more.

On August 2, National Night Out, the Lodge donated two dozen Tommy Moose stuffed animals to the Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers to be used in traumatic situations involving children. The stuffed animals can help children feel safer in otherwise frightening situations.

The Jr. Giants season ended in August and the Moose Lodge sponsored there celebration BBQ by providing food and drinks for 400 attendees! Thank you Sunnyvale Moose Lodge for your support and commitment to youth and families in Sunnyvale!

Coffee with a Cop

Coffee with A Cop was launched in Hawthorne, California in 2011, as a result of a brainstorming session. Members of the Hawthorne Police Department were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens they served each day.

Community policing has long been considered a framework for establishing trust between the community and the police. However, over time the character and composition of our nation's communities have changed due to shifting demographics, more commuters, and the introduction of different communication methods such as websites and social media. The Hawthorne Police Department hit upon a simple plan to break through the barriers that have been built over the years-a cup of coffee.

In less than five years, Coffee with a Cop events have been hosted in all 50 states and is one of the most successful community oriented policing programs across the country. The program has also expanded to outside the Unites States to Canada, Europe, Australia, and Africa. The key to Coffee with a Cop's growing success is that it opens the door for interactions outside of the crisis situations that typically bring law enforcement officers and community members together.

Sunnyvale Public Safety recently held their sixth Coffee with a Cop event at Starbucks' Cherry Orchard location. Neighbors had the chance to visit with officers, ask questions and have coffee together in a casual environment with no agenda. The next Coffee with a Cop in Sunnyvale will be November 10 from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. at Specialty's Cafe 605 Tasman Dr.

Sunnyvale PAL Boxing Tournament

Saturday, Sept. 10 Sunnyvale PAL hosted a boxing tournament at the Gateway Neighborhood Center. The well-attended event featured opening ceremonies with the US Army Color Guard, Parade of Boxers and a live performance of the National Anthem. Participants from 12 - 21 years old represented cities from throughout California in 13 bouts. Spectators were treated to music by DJ Jeff Turner. Sunnyvale PAL Head Coach Jose Uribe did a fantastic job making the matches and Coach Juan Hurtado took the mike to announce the bouts. Los Tolucas Taco Truck and Crepe 'em Coming Truck provided a delicious variety of food choices for everyone.

Wade Jones from Stockton took the Championship Belt as Best Boxer of the Day.

Link to tournament photos

Sunnyvale PAL's Junior Giants Updates

The fourth season of Sunnyvale PAL's Junior Giants is in the books, but the families involved continue to reap the benefits of the program. Junior Giants is much more than baseball. It instills qualities of character in players, including integrity, leadership and teamwork. It includes a reading component during the season so that players are more prepared for school in the Fall by avoiding the knowledge drop that often happens over summer vacation. And it's a community of families who have developed into a supportive team aimed at improving the lives of participants. It's a lot of fun, too!

At the season ending BBQ, players and their families celebrated with food donated by the Sunnyvale Moose Lodge who provided lemonade, hot dogs and the fixings. FreshPoint, Union City, provided cole slaw, vegetable and fruit platters. Players picked up their final prize for completing assignments during the summer, a Brandon Crawford bobble head. The prize was extra special because of the pictures of Sunnyvale coaches and players on the box - the league was 'the face of Junior Giants' this year!

The Sunnyvale league is very fortunate to have excellent Coaches and Team Parents who provide hours of volunteer time to ensure that the games and practices run smoothly. They also promote the Word of the Week with players, and encourage families to support these weekly lessons. The strong volunteer involvement makes it difficult to select award recipients for the season, which is a nice problem to have. All volunteers deserve recognition, but the following special awards were given for 2016:

Volunteers of the year went to two coaches, Gregg Kato and Ryan Westlund. Gregg coached an 8 - 10 year old team. Ryan was assistant coach for his daughter's 11 - 13 year old team, and helped with is son's 8 - 10 year old team. He assisted in field preparation on game days and, like Gregg, could always be counted on for help at other activities such as the Fit & Fun Fair and Sunnyvale PAL fund-raising event.

The league chose two winners of the Willie Mac Award, named for legendary Giants player Willie McCovey. As a player, McCovey demonstrated spirit, leadership, teamwork, integrity, confidence and a great attitude. Coach Juan Moreno, who has coached with the Sunnyvale league for all 4 seasons, embodies all these qualities. He helped coach this year even though his son didn't play. Krystal Westlund, Ryan's daughter, was the player winner due to her leadership, confidence, positive attitude, teamwork, and willingness to help with whatever was asked of her. Her coach Chris Ochoa, a previous Willie Mac Award winner, said, "I am so proud to be her coach." Both Juan and Krystal will be honored by the Giants at a special luncheon in November where they will receive their official awards.

The Sunnyvale League is managed by Commissioner Ross Spencer, a DPS officer, and League Coordinator Carolyn Lutticken. For more information on the Junior Giants program, see jrgiants.org. For information on the Sunnyvale League or to find out about volunteer opportunities, email jrgiants@sunnyvalepal.com.

Animal Assisted Happiness

Animal Assisted Happiness (AAH) was founded at the home of Peter Higa and Vicki Amon-Higa in January 2009 as a place for children with special needs to interact with animals and find happiness, and began with Vicki and Peter's barnyard animals. We began by the inspiration of our mini horse, Lollipop, going to see Riley Church who could no longer leave her home given a battle with cancer. Lollipop went into Riley's living room and spent 1 � hours giving her love - the inspiration for AAH.

What began by creating our first smile for Riley has grown to have over 29,173 smiles for kids with need with over 1399 explicit visits as of September 2016. Our registered volunteers now number over 1170 who have donated more than 13,311 hours to help us create these smiles. We now have three programs - our AAH Mobile Barnyard Friends which visits more than 50 schools/programs/hospitals and events for kids with

special needs; our AAH Barnyard visits at the AAH Happy Farm located in Sunnyvale where families can visit with their children to 'experience a smile only animals can bring' and our new program of Vocational Education for kids with Special Needs to learn and contribute to our AAH Happy Farm.

Our AAH Happy Farm was built in the fall of 2015, with the help of 300 AAH Volunteers who donated over 200 hours over five weekends. More information can be found here: www.animalassistedhappiness.org

Animal Assisted Happiness will present at the next Challenge Team meeting Sept. 28.

ASSET OF THE MONTH - Parent Involvement in Schooling

Asset #7: Youth perceive that adults in the community value children and youth.

COMMUNITY VALUES YOUTH

Research shows that youth who feel valued in their community enjoy better mental health; a greater

sense of personal control and optimism; reduced delinquency, violence, and fighting; less substance
abuse; and higher academic performance.

All adults in the community have a role to play in showing their support for youth. If young people
perceive that they are valued only by the adults that they know, they are not fully connected to their
community and miss the benefits that such a connection can provide. But, it can be difficult for even
the best-intentioned adults to explicitly communicate that they value youth: frequently, adults feel that
youth already know that they're valued and appreciated.

The following discussions topics can help you work with young people to identify the ways that the community does, and does not; provide them with the empowerment associated with this asset:

Do you ever encounter adults who have negative perceptions about people your age? Do you know how to respond politely but effectively to their criticism or comments?
Are there good places for kids your age to hang out after school and on the weekends? If there aren't, what kind of place would you like to see?
Do you feel that adults at school and other organizations give you an opportunity to voice your opinion? Can you suggest some ways that adults could provide opportunities for youth to provide feedback and suggestions about programs?

Community Values Youth is intrinsically linked with other external assets-the more that adults provide
children with support, empowerment, boundaries, and positive expectations, the more children and
youth will feel that they are welcomed and valued by the community at large. In other words, the more
effective that we are as a community at building assets in general, the more effective we will be at
raising the levels of this woefully lacking asset.

ACTIVITIES

The activities below are a starting point to help adults find ways to show youth that they are valued
and appreciated.

FOR FAMILIES

One way to help young people understand that they are valued is as simple as pointing out that many of the programs, activities, and facilities they enjoy-e.g., libraries, parks, and playgrounds-are created and maintained by the community.
Your children can participate in civic life regarding issues that concern them. Help them identify issues that affect young people and write letters to newspapers or government officials about ways to address their concerns.
Encourage your children to write letters of appreciation to the organizations and businesses that treat young people well. Doing so will encourage them to continue their efforts, and your child's letter may be publicly displayed.

FOR ALL ADULTS

Remember to treat all young people-regardless of their age or appearance-with respect, and take their ideas and suggestions seriously.
If you work in a business where youth may be customers or clients, train your staff to treat young people respectfully make sure that your policies are youth-friendly. If your business serves adults who may have children with them, make sure the space is inviting and provides age-appropriate diversions.
Publicly celebrate youth contributions to your organization, and recognize individual contributions daily.
Attend and contribute to local government meetings to make sure that the needs of young people are being addressed.

AT SCHOOL OR IN YOUTH PROGRAMS

Ask businesses in the community to show support for your program. In addition to financial donations and sponsorships, they can display artwork, host tours of their facility, or find other ways to demonstrate that they care about the youth in the community. (Doing so makes good business sense-today's youth are Tomorrow's customers!)
With older children and teens, discuss whether the community has good places for kids and teens to hang out, and whether there are more positive opportunities for younger kids than for older ones. Use the results to create an action plan to make adults in the community more aware of the issue.
Invite distinguished members of the community to attend performances and events.

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?

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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