Recent events, both locally and around the country, have had a major impact on both police officers and the citizens they serve. Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) received an out-pouring of support from the Chula Vista community following the police tragedies in Dallas, Baton Rouge, and the loss of San Diego Police Officer Jonathan DeGuzman, a resident of Chula Vista. The local public has come forward in many ways to show appreciation to CVPD during this time. Gifts of food and flowers were delivered to police headquarters as well as thank you cards and letters. At Sleep Train Amphitheatre, hundreds of attendees stood in a long line to shake the hand or say a kind word to CVPD officers working events. Officers reported that citizens in restaurants have picked up their lunch tabs and patrol officers have had citizens stop them on the street just to say thank you.

Your kind efforts have been noticed and appreciated by all the men and women of our outstanding police department. They, in turn, want to thank you, and emphasize how CVPD strives to be a transparent organization that focuses on community policing. Community policing is an approach that focuses on police officers building ties and working closely with members of the community. These efforts include the National Night Out event held on August 2 and attended by several hundred who watched demonstrations, toured the facility, and met S.W.A.T. members and other police personnel; a virtual ride-along that described events on the City's Facebook and Twitter as we patrolled the City for a few hours (and found a stolen vehicle through LoJack!); Coffee with a Cop where residents enjoy a cup of coffee and meet to ask questions of their local officers in various neighborhoods (next one September 30 - see events below for details); and most recently officers participated at HarborFest in the #HugThePolice nationwide social media effort as a way to promote trust and admiration for officers.