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PBPD Annual Report 2019PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT A N A T I O N A L L Y A C C R E D I T E D L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A G E N C Y 02 | Chief’s Welcome 03 | Highlights 04 | Goals 05 | Operations Division 06 | Special Assignments 07 | Support Services Division CONTENTS 08 | Communications & Records 09 | Recognitions 10 | Citizen Volunteer Program 11 | Statistics 12 | Staying Connected 13 | Community Involvement Police Officer’s Memorial CHIEF’S WELCOME I am pleased to present the 2019 annual report for the Pismo Beach Police Department. It seems like we were just bringing out the 2018 report when time came again to report on the accomplishments and progress made by your police department. As with most annual reports, this is just a glimpse of the year ’s developments and we always welcome questions, clarification, or additional information when requested. I hope you enjoy the following report and what you find inside. The year started off with the planning and ceremony of life for Sergeant Trevor Blevins. As you may remember from the 2018 annual report, Sgt. Blevins succumbed to injuries sustained in a tragic off duty accident on December 30, 2018. 2019 started with every member of the department assisting tirelessly to plan, procure, decorate and participate in a memorial service which included full honors. I would have never thought my pride for this agency could be greater than normal but, the men and women of the Pismo Beach Police Department, yet again, found a way to amaze and impress with their strength, professionalism, and compassion for everyone and each other during such a difficult time. The staff continued to design goals in 2019 that encompassed internal change, external connection, and overall performance. We feel this approach keeps us moving in a direction that promotes our professionalism by evaluating our processes, developing new efficient procedures, and then getting out in the community where we can make the most positive impact possible. We focused on internal methods that over the years needed updating. These ranged from personnel evaluations to reporting procedures to enhance data acquisition and improve officers down time. While not flashy, the numerous internal changes were utilized immediately after authorizing and improved efficiency in the department which hopefully translated to better service in the community. To increase our engagement and connectivity with the community, I am proud to say we finally caught up to the new millennium and can now be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! We formally launched our platform in the fall of 2019 and it was great. I’m grateful for the staff who understands the age of social media and can speak that language. Please find us, friend us, and spread the word. Please bear with us as we try and remember to message information beyond emergency level status and show our other side. In addition, we upgraded our department app which is still available on the applicable app store to your devices. This allowed us to continue to enhance our MyCop Program which allows residents to connect with their Zone officer directly. We also started advertising and accepting emails of interest for the new Pismo Beach Police Department Chief ’s Advisory Committee. The representatives on the Chief ’s Advisory Committee were chosen from each of the MyCop Zones to incorporate the committee into the MyCop Program and gain representation city -wide. We will report its launch and achievements in the next annual report though it was formed at the end of this one. 2019 was an interesting year that kept us busy from the first day. We continued to recruit for open positions, hire some positions, promote a few folks, train for all positions and job tasks, and culminated the year with the retirement of a caree r long Pismo Beach Police Officer. I invite you to the back of this report to read a brief biography of Commander Tom Portz who began his career in Pismo Beach and worked his full professional life here. These are just a few of the highlights from 2019 and there is much more in the following pages. I hope you take a moment and enjoy a brief look at how 2019 shaped up for your police department. As always, do not hesitate to contact us at any time for any information. Please do not forget that “Brief the Chief” is going into its 6th year and occurs every first Monday of the month from 5pm to 7pm on a first come first served basis. This is just another opportunity to connect with me and discuss any topic. Chief Jake Miller ANNUAL REPORT 2019 2 6 3 PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT RECRUITMENT & PROMOTIONS Hiring for police officer positions throughout the country has become increasingly more challenging. The economy, the philosophy of the new generation of employees, and the public perception of law enforcement may play a roll in limiting the candidate pool for police officers. Regardless, Pismo Beach has maintained very high standards in the selection and retention of its employees. It selects employees for best fit in the position based on the culture and ideals of the City and its citizens. Honesty, integrity and professionalism rank high among those ideals. Also as an accredited police department, the agency has an obligation to provide the highest caliber of police services. In a long tradition of hiring the most professional and ethical people, the Pismo Beach Police Department is proud to present 3 of our newest members who fit that philosophy: Officer Rockwood, Officer Laughlin, and Officer Lim. The Pismo Beach Police Department is also proud to announce the promotion of Adrian Souza to the rank of Sergeant. HIGHLIGHTS DEPARTMENT INSPECTION The inspection is a process by which a review is conducted of all department administrative and operational activities, facilities, property, equipment, and personnel outside the normal supervisory line inspections. This year the Chief of Police performed an inspection of his staff to review equipment readiness and professional quality standards. Implement an electronic parking citation system. Maintain and expand the community camera program. Implement an explosive detection dog into the K9 program. Perform school safety talks. Develop a field evidence technician program. Implement a youth services program. Develop a peer support program. ANNUAL REPORT 2019 4 GOALS The Chief meets annually with the command staff and sergeants to assemble goals for the coming year that are measurable, obtainable, financially feasible, and beneficial for the department and community. Some goals are cyclical, like accreditation, others upgrade or plan for new programs or equipment, and still others address problems or proactivity design new enhancements to police services. Goals are set for both divisions in the department, Operations and Support Services, and progress is reviewed at monthly staff meetings. OPERATIONS DIVISION Implement an electronic parking citation system. Maintain and expand the community camera program. Implement an explosive detection dog into the K9 program. Perform school safety talks. Develop a field evidence technician program. Implement a youth services program. Develop a peer support program. SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION Develop a social media plan. Conduct sting operations to include shoulder tap and tobacco. Host a Citizens’ Academy. Implement new Records Management System/Computer Aided Dispatch. Develop and initiate massage ordinance. Redesign the Annual Performance Evaluation process and forms. Perform quarterly sex registrant compliance checks. Research and obtain redaction software to comply with recent laws. Implement a Chiefs Advisory Committee. 6 OPERATIONS DIVISION 5 PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT The Operations Division encompasses all aspects of the Patrol function which includes the Traffic division, reserve officers and citizen volunteers and oversees the Parking Bureau, K -9 team, S.W.A.T team, temporary holding facility, the D.A.R.E program, the “MyCop” program, Special Events planning and the Emergency Operations Center. PATROL The Pismo Beach Police Department provides patrol services 24/7 and will prioritize responses to requests for emergency services using available resources to enhance the safety of the public and department members. Patrol will generally be conducted by uniformed officers in clearly marked law enforcement vehicles in assigned jurisdictional areas of Pismo Beach. The function of patrol is to respond to calls for assistance and reports of criminal activity, act as a deterrent to crime, enforce state and local laws, identify community needs, provide support and assistance to the community and respond to emergencies. Self-Initiated Activity 10,085 Traffic Stops 4,321 Traffic Citations 1,490 Arrests 1,227 Commander Singleton ANNUAL REPORT 2019 6 S.W.A.T. The Pismo Beach Police Department dedicates four members of the agency to the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT Team. This team train on a monthly basis and is comprised of seven agencies spanning the county: Arroyo Grande PD, Grover Beach PD, Morro Bay PD, Paso Robles PD, Pismo Beach PD, San Luis Obispo PD, and Cal Poly PD. These officers may be called out to any of the participating cities in the event of a critical incident for hostage situations, high -risk warrant service, special protection detail, and civil disturbances. D.A.R.E. The D.A.R.E. curriculum is provided to our public elementary school within the City of Pismo Beach. Our D .A.R.E . of f icer visit s kindergarten through sixth grade students. The curriculum focuses on crime prevention, personal safety, drugs, gangs and violence. There are 12 classes over the course of the Spring quarter with a culmination ceremony at the end. K9 The K9 team brings a diverse form of police benefit to the department. The team is used for suspect searches, drug searches, and search/rescue efforts for this agency as well as other agencies needing assistance. The Pismo Beach PD’s K9 program is fully funded by donations. Costs include food, supplies, medical expenses, training, and specialized equipment for the canine. Donations supporting the K9 program can be made payable to the City of Pismo Beach and mailed to 1000 Bello St., Pismo Beach, CA 93449, c/o K9 Team. SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENTS The Support Services Division consists of Administration, Communications Bureau, Records Bureau, Crime Analysis Bureau, Investigations Bureau including the Special Problems Unit and Property and Evidence. The Support Services Commander also oversees budget, facilities and fleet, personnel and hiring, internal affairs, training and accreditation. SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION 7 PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION BUREAU The Investigation Bureau works directly with the FBI, US Secret Service, Homeland Security, Joint Regional Intelligence Center, local and outside law enforcement agencies, and the San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office in order to solve and help reduce crime in the City of Pismo Beach. Investigators are responsible for solving numerous counterfeit and fraud related investigations, burglary cases as well as cases involving rape, child molestation, child pornography, robbery, assault on officers resulting injury, kidnapping, and suspicious death cases. Investigators also conduct Tobacco and Alcohol stings with the assistance of the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) with great success. Commander Portz In 2019, Investigators reviewed over 348 cases, booked 2,953 pieces of property, served 22 warrants, and conducted 1 Alcohol/Tobacco Sting Operation. ANNUAL REPORT 2019 8 COMMUNICATIONS Public safety dispatchers are responsible for answering all 9 -1 -1 and business phone calls coming into the police department as well as maintaining radio communications with police officers in the field. Dispatchers are charged with determining the type of assistance needed and sending emergency personnel to police, fire and medical emergencies. Dispatchers also answer “ring -down” lines which link the communications center to the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department and Cal Fire. Pismo Beach dispatchers are also trained in Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD), which is designed to further assist the public during medical emergencies. In 2019, our dispatchers received 34,838 Administrative Calls 23,447 Calls for Service 5,152 9-1-1 Calls RECORDS BUREAU The Records Bureau provides variety of services to the department and the public. These services include furnishing copies of crime and traffic reports in compliance with the Public Records Act, maintaining all police records, entering incoming police reports into the automated Records Management System (RMS), coordinating officer subpoenas and responding to subpoenas for records. Working hand -in-hand with the District Attorney’s Office, Superior Court, Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies, the Records Bureau oversees dissemination of confidential information for appropriate disposition of cases and statistical purposes. In 2019, our Records Technician processed: 2,398 reports, 2,055 citations, and 212 Field Interview cards. served 22 warrants, and conducted 1 9 PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOGNITIONS The “2019 Officer of the Year” recipient is Officer Maria Espinoza. Officer Espinoza is enthusiastic, displays a high level of dedication and elevated sense of duty. She has an impressive work ethic and is dedicated to providing the highest level of public service to the guests and residents of Pismo Beach. The “2019 Employee of the Year” recipient is Records Technician Nicole Robles. Nicole is valued for her positive work ethic and skills that help contribute to her ongoing successful interactions all she comes in contact with. Her talent as a photographer earned her the title of Pismo Beach Police Department Photographer, and her infectious smile, from behind the lens, spreads throughout the department. 2019 EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR 2019 OFFICER OF THE YEAR ANNUAL REPORT 2019 10 The men and women who volunteer for the Pismo Beach Police Department provide an invaluable service to the department and the community that deserves to be recognized and to whom we are extremely thankful. This year our Volunteers donated a total of 1,938 hours. This included 262 hours patrolling the city/ providing vacation house checks, 303 hours assisting with over 20 special events including the Classic Car Show, Fourth of July, and Amgen Tour of California, 1151 hours performing administrative tasks for the Records Bureau and transporting records to the County Courts and laboratory, and 222 hours in training and other tasks. Converted to overtime salaries of an officer, the savings estimates to $124,000 in salary. Through their commitment and dedication, our volunteers are truly part of the Pismo Beach Police Department family. They represent the Department with the utmost professionalism and as our ambassadors in the public, they show care, compassion, and resourcefulness. The Department is always looking for citizens who would like to volunteer with the Pismo Beach Police Department. Volunteers must complete a Citizen’s Academy, which is a short orientation program. The Citizen’s Academies are hosted jointly with Grover Beach Police Department and Arroyo Grande Police Department. They are held once or twice a year. We look forward to bringing on new volunteers to join the team in the coming year. CITIZEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Volunteers give law enforcement officers the opportunity to reduce crime and increase law enforcement services in a variety of ways including neighborhood patrol, vacation house checks, traffic control and many more. 11 PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT STATISTICS 554 543 418 493 378 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 5-YEAR PART 1 CRIMES TREND 2018 2019 % CHANGE ARSON 1 1 0% ASSAULT - A 24 16 ↓ -33% AUTO THEFT 14 18 ↑ 29% BURGLARY 151 126 ↓ -17% HOMICIDE 0 0 0% LARCENY 298 211 ↓ -29% RAPE 1 0 ↓ -100% ROBBERY 4 6 ↑ 50% TOTAL 493 378 ↓ -23% PART 1 CRIMES Part 1 crimes include felony crimes against people and property. Larceny (theft) has proven to be the most common Part 1 crime in Pismo Beach. In 2019, the City of Pismo Beach experienced a 23% reduction in Part 1 Crimes compared to 2018. A majority of this reduction is attributable to the decreases observed in reported aggravated assault, burglary, and larceny. Areas of increase this year were auto theft and robbery. INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS The Pismo Beach Police Department considers the investigation of complaints regarding an employee’s actions or our policies to be one of our most important missions. Supervisors who have received specific training in internal affairs have received specific training to investigate all complaints objectively and thoroughly. At the conclusion of the investigation the findings are provided in writing to the complainant. Citizen complaints consist of an allegation of misconduct or improper job performance against any police department employee that if true, would constitute a violation of department policy, federal, state, or local law. Complaints may be initiated externally by a citizen or internally by a department employee. All complaints received whether in person or anonymously are investigated. The Pismo Beach Police Department is very proud that its employees attract very few formal complaints. It is and will always be the goal of this department to reduce the number of complaints and continued training has proven the success of this endeavor. During the calendar year 2019, the Pismo Beach Police Department received three external complaints. STAYING CONNECTED APP & MYCOP The Pismo Beach Police Department created an App in 2017 to assist in partnering with our community to keep our little corner of the universe a paradise for citizens and visitors to enjoy. The App allows quick access to information such as press releases, contacts, and links to report an issue, as well as parking information and available city services. One component of the PBPD App is the “MyCop” program. This program is designed to connect Pismo Beach locals, residents and business people, with an officer assigned to handle quality of life issues within specific zones in the city. The police department has divided Pismo Beach into 12 zones. The registration process assigns users to a zone based on their address and allows them direct contact via email and voicemail to the officer who oversees their zone. The Department will also be able to send push notifications to one, several, or all zones and post crime stats specific to each zone. The app is available for free on both Android and Apple devices. For those that do not reside in Pismo Beach but would like to register for MyCop, we recommend using the department’s address, 1000 Bello St, which is in zone 8. ANNUAL REPORT 2019 12 What's all the Hubbub?! The Pismo Beach Police Department is now on Social Media! Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @PismoPolice We thought it was about time we joined the social media world. We will be providing information on upcoming events, PD news, fun facts, safety & best-practices, and much more. Please keep in mind that our social media platforms are not monitored at all times. If you need to contact us please call the station at (805) 773-2208 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CALL 9-1-1 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 13 PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT Back to School Safety Clam Festival City to the Sea Cops ‘n Kids Field Day Easter Eggstravaganza Educational Tours of the Station July 4th Celebration Halloween Safety Holiday Harmony Just Cruzin’ Car Show K-9 Demonstrations Memorial Day Service Operation Surf Pismo Paw’p Fest Pizza on the Pier POA Thanksgiving Dinner Pumpkins on the Pier Red Ribbon Week Relay for Life St. Anthony’s Celebration Secret Santa’s Elves Christmas Delivery Sheriff’s Day at the Ranch Special Olympics Torch Run Taste of Pismo Tip A Cop Dinner for Special Olympics Veteran’s Day Service Pismo Beach Marching Band Review Valentine Wine Walk Wine, Waves and Beyond Stride with the Tide Project Hero POA Thanksgiving Dinner Police Officers Memorial Pizza on the Pier 2019 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EVENTS Red Ribbon ANNUAL REPORT 2019 14 Run with the Cops Pumpkins in the Park Halloween Safety Talks Cops n Kids Pismo Beach Police Department Staff In 2017, the department celebrated the retirement of Lead Dispatcher Elvia Ramos. Elvia’s career spanned almost 4 decades with 35 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Pismo Beach. Her unprecedented professionalism and infectious laugh will be missed. PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Produced by Crime Analyst Jennifer Truong 1000 Bello Street, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (805) 773-2208 www.pismobeach.org/police Happy Retirement! PISMO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Produced by Crime Analyst Jennifer Sun 1000 Bello Street, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (805) 773-2208 www.pismobeach.org/police In 2019, the Pismo Beach Police Department celebrated the retirement of Commander Tom Portz. Tom spent 27 years serving the citizens of Pismo Beach and was known for his charitable spirit and absolute calm in even the worst of situations. We would like to wish Tom the best for a well deserved retirement . Happy Retirement!