Community Police Academy Concludes

Throughout the month of March, the San Bernardino Police Department (SBPD) continued to present an array of topics at the Community Police Academy which included an introduction to the firearm simulator and a tour of the police department. Overall, the whole event was an eye-opening experience for all participating residents who each received a personalized Certificate of Completion and a photo with Chief Jarrod Burguan. Lieutenant Paul Williams began his comments by sharing his role in the Investigations Bureau, which oversees all investigative units within the police department. Unlike television shows that present the crime, the investigation, and the court case all within an hour, Lt. Williams expressed, "There's a time frame for everything. Unfortunately, sometimes those time frames are very extended." For example, a trial that commenced just this month was from a 2005 homicide. Part of the reason the process has taken so long is because an arrest was made just two years ago. But whether the process takes months or years, either way, every criminal case follows rules. So, what is the criminal investigation process? After a crime has occurred and the authorities have been notified, a report is taken. Depending on the crime, a particular department oversees the investigation of the crime, be it burglary, homicide, fraud, etc. When substantiated, an arrest is made. Either way, the case is sent to the detective of the appropriate department who begins the investigation. If the case completes "the crime triangle" (i.e. it has a victim, a suspect, and a location), the case is submitted to the district attorney and charges are filed with the court. After this, warrants are issued and the court process proceeds. Following Lt. Williams' presentation, the class learned about the K-9 Unit. The breed of dog used by this unit is the Belgian Malinois (pronounced malenwa). Starting from one and half to two years of age, the dogs are trained by unit officers in aiding with narcotics searches and patrol. Narcotics training focuses on the scents of marijuana, heroine, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Their training is conducted in life-like scenarios. Nurtured via play with a tennis ball, the dogs are conditioned by reward after finding drugs or a suspect. As Officer Chris Emon stated, "Everything we do out here is fun to the dog. When he bites somebody (i.e. a suspect hiding or on the run), to him it's fun." These four-legged crime fighters serve 6 to 8 years, typically remaining as the officers' family pet for the duration of their lives. After the K-9 class, a presentation by Officers Sochi Martinez and Clint Walton focused on extremely demanding and sometimes dangerous work in the Homeless/Transient Unit which deals with dispersing homeless camps. The number of camps throughout the city can range from 75 to over 100 at any given time. Once one camp is dispersed and a clean up is organized, most times, one or more homeless camps form somewhere else. "Everyday, there's a complaint about a new homeless camp," Officer Martinez stated. This comment is not surprising in light of the fact that the City of San Bernardino houses 40% of its homeless. "We're doing our best to get a handle on it," Officer Walton stated, but "it's one of those issues that will never disappear." Officer Martinez shared that, at times, a homeless person will be at the police department's front door seeking help in the form of food, shelter, or they're ready to get cleaned up. For that reason, part of the officers' duties include attending meetings sponsored by local nonprofits such as The Salvation Army to discuss ways in which to address and curb the growing epidemic of homelessness and its relationship to numerous other social ills. Another class talked about the volunteer units in the SBPD. Attendees were introduced to programs in the city's police department such as Horse Patrol, Citizen Patrol, Reserve Officers, as well as Explorers. Volunteers make up a huge part of the San Bernardino Police Department's workforce, saving the city tens of thousands of dollars each year. Among the volunteers are the Horse Patrol's Reserve Officers Diane Holmes and Eric Morales, both of whom retired from the police department some years ago. Still, when called upon to disperse homeless camps or to break up late-night raves, for example, Officers Holmes and Morales bring their sturdy and extremely well-trained, four-hoofed partners along with them to get the job done. "The size is the intimidation factor," stated Officer Holmes. One class was delivered by Citizen Patrol Officer Craig Scott, who has been with the unit for over 10 years. Retired from a career in government accounting, Officer Scott is not a sworn officer, yet his duties are many. To help maintain a safe and responsible community, Citizen Patrol volunteers can participate in tasks like DUI Checkpoint assistance, Parade Patrol/Crowd Control, dispensing municipal tickets for parking violations, such as improper handicap parking, towing cars with improper registration or have been reported stolen, Traffic Control in the event of a major traffic accident or Little League Patrol. Citizen Patrol also assists San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force (SANCATT) in the search for stolen vehicle. Citizen Patrol officers will run the VIN number on a car that has no plates. Although Officer Scott typically puts in 8 hours a day, a minimum of "four hours or more is a good starting point." Volunteers my work a minimum of 16 hours a month and attend monthly mandatory meetings to be elegible for the Citizen Patrol. There are also indoor volunteer jobs available including assistance in such units as investigations, community affairs and records. Last year, 18 Reserve Officers contributed 8954 hours in patrol, traffic control and investigations and a number of other units in service of their community. With all the credentialing required of regular officers, Reserve Officers basically have the same arresting powers and go through the same training and qualification screening as regular employed officers, not to mention being equally accountable to Internal Investigations. Another volunteer group in the SBPD is the Explorers. Young, ambitious high school students, these cadets and potential future officers of the law take their jobs very serious regardless of their age. Approximately ten Explorers invest over 2000 hours per year volunteering their assistance to the department and the community. Volunteer and 14-year veteran, Sergeant Christine Keil runs a tight ship, ensuring that cadets maintain a 2.0 GPA or better, among many other cadet demands. Each Explorer goes through an extensive screening and training process to be part of the team. In addition to their own school related work, Explorers must learn radio, vehicle and penal codes. Training is conducted mimicking real-life scenarios, similar to the training of regular officers. Explorers will role-play various situations. Keil explains, "They have to go in. They have to control the people. They have to diffuse the situation. They have to determine if a crime has been committed." Another class talked about Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), the Gang Unit, and Forensics. SWAT and Gang Unit Officers Imran Ahmed and Brian Alvera are among 27 full-time officers coming from one or more departments, be it "SWAT guys," regular patrol officers, sergeants and detectives as well as medics from the local fire department paramedics team, Officer Alvera shared during the presentation. SWAT is on-call 24-hours a day. Each SWAT officer is issued, among the tools of the trade: a Kevlar helmet weighing approximately 5 pounds, a ceramic chest plate for the vest with numerous pockets, a gas mask, a few different fire arms both lethal and nonlethal, a huge bow cutter, and a sledge hammer. Officer Alvera shared how some calls can require the whole unit, but smaller calls are typically handled by 8 to 10 officers. To be part of SWAT is quite a challenge. One must pass several hurdles to be part of the team, including a physical agility test, interviews, SWAT school and more. The next unit to present was the Gang Unit. Officers John Stacks and Nelson Carrington, who run the San Bernardino County Movement Against Street Hoodlums (SMASH ) unit, delivered the slide presentation. Gangs throughout the city comprise Crips, Bloods, and various Latino gangs. The legal definition of a gang is a group of 3 or more individuals who share common signs or symbols who routinely engage in criminal activity. For this reason, SMASH programs are held throughout the county and consist of multiple city and county agencies aiding in gang prevention. The basic job of the Gang Unit is to saturate targeted areas in order to suppress gang activity. San Bernardino currently has 7 active gang injunctions, which is the city's restraining order that limits gang members from visibly conducting any sort of gang activity throughout the city. The citizens that attended the classes were advised that they can help the Gang Unit by being a good witness, observing and reporting criminal activity, and getting involved in programs like Citizens Academy and Neighborhood Watch. Lastly, Forensics expert Ricardo Tomboc shares the various methods of forensics identification. After 30 years with the department, Tomboc retired last year; however, he continues to be called upon to testify in court cases involving homicide. Most often, though, burglary was the crime Tomboc worked, as he suggested that if such a situation should happen to you, it is best not to touch anything until Forensics comes and does their job, otherwise the crime scene becomes contaminated. Finger prints are successfully identified only 30% of the time. The next Community Police Academy is scheduled for the fall. Residents are encouraged to participate. Officer Mata of Community Affairs stated that as long as the community continues to come out, they'll continue to have it. To view a sample of K-9 training, access the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8r3bvtnrf8ox6dj/Dog%20Training%20Sample.MOV To hear more about the Horse Unit, feel free to access the following link: https://app.box.com/s/kdvasiv5ffjbe69x0202 Those interested can contact Community Affairs Officer Cheri Williams at (909)388-4946 for more information. Those interested in hearing the SWAT presentation, feel free to access the following link: https://app.box.com/s/igy4x6o575yvvjflq0f0 WE-TIP HOTLINE 1-800-78-CRIME (an anonymous tip-line) For more info, residents can reach the Gang Unit at (909)384-5742