Help Us Identify Suspect Involved in a Drive-By Shooting

This is a sketch of one of the suspects involved in the drive-by shooting on December 26, 2017.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, 30-35 years old, light complexion, wearing a dark colored beanie.

The victim is in stable condition and recovering from his injuries in a Bay Area trauma center.

Background:
On Monday night December 26th, 2016 around 8:59 Hrs., Santa Cruz Police responded to the intersection of Raymond St at Leibrandt St. for a report of a drive-by shooting. Officers found one victim who had been shot in the leg. Several witnesses had seen or heard the gunshots and were interviewed by officers while the victim was receiving aid from the Santa Cruz Fire Department and paramedics.

The victim is a 19 year old male. The victim received a significant wound to his upper left leg and was flown to a Bay Area trauma center.

The victim and witnesses said that victim had been approached by occupants of a vehicle and shot at. Several rounds were fired striking both the victim and a concrete wall in Beach Flats Park.

One round also struck a vehicle that was unoccupied and parked near the intersection. The shooting appeared to be gang motivated.

The occupants were last seen driving the wrong way on Raymond St towards Beach St.
-Suspect descriptions- 2 to 3 Hispanic males in a light colored 4 door compact with tinted windows.

The Santa Cruz Police Department is asking anyone with information or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact Det. Brian Warren at 831 420-5837. Anonymous tips can also be sent to the police department through our Tip Line (831) 420-5995, or from our Website www.santacruzpolice.com

NYE 2017 Safety Enhancement Zone & SCPD Top 5 Safety Tips For Your Night Out

SCPD is ready to ring in the new year and your safety is our #1 priority. We will have all hands on deck working New Year’s Eve.

Every available SCPD Officers will be patrolling downtown as well as our neighborhoods to ensure a safe environment for New Year’s Eve. SCPD has enacted a Safety Enhancement Zone designation for the downtown corridor in the City of Santa Cruz.

The City of Santa Cruz Safety Enhancement Zone boundaries and road closures is accessible on our Google Maps http://goo.gl/3VXQ0Y
Why create a Safety Enhancement Zone? 
Public Safety is SCPD's #1 priority. We want downtown to be a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone.

What time is the Safety Enhancement Zone in effect? 
The Safety Enhancement Zone in the downtown corridor will begin at 5:00 PM on December 31st and end at 5:00 AM on January 1st.

What happens in the Safety Enhancement Zone? 
The Safety Enhancement Zone allows for a “Triple Fine” to be levied on certain Municipal Code violations, such as possession of alcoholic beverages in public and other unsafe or illegal behavior related Ordinances.

WHAT is the purpose of the Triple Fines? 
The goal of triple fines is to deter unwanted behavior. The fines are very expensive. It's an extra incentive for rowdy people to keep their behavior in check.

Parks & Rec is hosting their yearly countdown at the Town Clock, starting around 11:40 PM.  The crowd rings in the new year with a DJ and light show. 

 

SCPD Top 5 Safety Tips for New Year's Eve 

#1 Don't Drink and Drive!
#2 Always designate a safe and sober ride home.
#3 If you plan on going anywhere for the New Year’s Eve, take friends with you! Stay with your group of friends.

#4 Have your cell phone with you and fully charged just in case anything negative occurs. Be prepared!
#5 Above all, go with your gut. If a street or bar feels unsafe, leave. Be aware of your surroundings and report anything suspicious.

Join SCPD Citizen's Police Academy Begins January 24th, 2017

2017 starts our 20th year presenting CPA! Thank you to everyone who has participated in this and previous Citizens Police Academies.

The next session of the extremely popular Citizen Police Academies are begin January 24, 2017. SCPD offers one academy in English and one in Spanish. The classes provide an inside look at the department and offer participants an opportunity to learn about how police investigations work, what traffic unit does, demos from the K9 program and even driving a police car.

It is a hands-on program taught by a number of officers in the department. If you've never done a class like this it provides a look at your local police that most haven't seen.

SCPD has been proud to offer CPA to our community since 1998. The CPA provides an up close and personal look at police work and SCPD. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, discuss issues, and perform some of the task that SCPD Officers do as part of their regular duties.

Register now for  the Citizen's Police Academy starting on January 24th, 2017,  Contact Officer Leo Gomez at lgomez@cityofsantacruz.com to sign up.

Community members spend 11 weeks learning all about SCPD through a dynamic mix of presentations and hands-on activities. The next session of CPA runs from January 24, 2017 to May 2, 2017.
http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/…/pol…/citizen-police-academy
Highlights from Fall 2016 CPA Classs

SCPD Announces Promotion of Lt. Dan Flippo to Deputy Chief of Police

The Santa Cruz Police Department proudly announces the promotion of Lieutenant Dan Flippo to the role of Deputy Chief of Police.

Introducing Deputy Chief Dan Flippo

Deputy Chief Flippo, a 25 year veteran of the Police Department was promoted on Thursday morning December 22nd following a rigorous and competitive testing process. "Deputy Chief Flippo displays integrity, innovation, and leadership at the highest levels," Chief Vogel said. “He has distinguished himself as an effective administrator and will be an asset to our executive team.”

Deputy Chief Flippo has worked for the Santa Cruz Police Department for 25 years and has filled many roles within the Department. Deputy Chief Flippo was a supervisor for 12 years and a Lieutenant for 4 years. Over his 25 year career, he has served in almost every capacity and assignment either as a patrol officer or Sergeant. He has served in Patrol, Investigations, Training, Traffic, in the Downtown Unit, in Street Crimes, and was a Team Leader and Team Commander in charge of the Tactical Team.

Deputy Chief Flippo has been an instructor in almost every area of training and is a court-recognized expert in the use of force.  He has authored policy and assisted with the adoption of training programs for the department and other law enforcement agencies within our county.

“I am truly humbled by this honor to serve our great city, its valued community members, and our Police Department as Deputy Chief,” Dan Flippo said. “I will strive to represent the highest standards of excellence in service to our community.”

Deputy Chief Flippo has established a good rapport and working relationship with a wide variety of stake holders within the community to include members of city and county governments, business owners, community groups, and concerned neighborhood groups. He looks forward to the opportunity to serve with the executive management team and believes that he possesses the skill sets, judgment, leadership, experience and passion needed for the position. He has strong ties with the community he serves and believes that his connections with the community will assist in pushing forward the goals and mission of both the Department and city leadership.

“Deputy Chief Flippo's promotion represents an important step forward in the Santa Cruz Police Department's succession plan” said Chief Vogel. "He demonstrates dedication and leadership skills at the highest levels and will enhance our department's core values of ethics, integrity, and respect.”

Please join us in celebrating and congratulating Deputy Chief Flippo on achieving a significant milestone in his career.

SCPD Launches Cold Case Webpage- Q & A with SCPD Cold Case Detective

The Santa Cruz Police Department has launched a new webpage dedicated to Cold Cases. We are aimed at taking the forces of communication and community engagement to a new level to solve cold cases in the City of Santa Cruz.      

December 22nd marks the 41st Anniversary of the UNSOLVED HOMICIDE - Case: 75-186030 
The victim, Deborah Jean Cargill, lived in Campbell, CA. She was 19 years old at the time she was kidnapped and killed. On 12/21/1975 at approximately 4:30PM just as she was parking her vehicle in the parking lot of the Albertsons grocery store, located at Hwy 9 and Bollinger in the City of San Jose, (where she worked) she was contacted and led away by an unknown male suspect. Her body was found on 12/22/1975 in the San Lorenzo River near the train trestle. 

SCPD is always looking for new information on cold

cases. Now, we are using social media and our website to reach more audience and share cold case details.

The Cold Case webpage and social media post include photos and review facts about unsolved murders under active investigation by the Cold Case Investigator.

“Our goal for the Cold Case webpage and the investigative efforts, said Chief Vogel, is to bring attention to these cases, so they are not forgotten. The Investigations Unit is committed to bringing justice and a degree of closure to the victim’s families.”

To solve a decades-old murder you have to be curious and dedicated in the search for the truth.

Meet SCPD Cold Case Detective Ron Truhitte

How do you solve a cold case?
“The only way to solve a decades-old murder is through hard work, thorough analysis of the evidence, and examining and re-examining old witness interviews.”
Why the dedication to cold cases?
“I am an advocate for victims. My primary mission is to bring peace to the family and friends of those that were tragically killed. And, as I do, SCPD recognizes the importance to the community of solving cold cases and bringing those accountable to justice.”
Besides case reports, what do you like to read?
Books by Tony Hillerman he writes about the Navajo Tribal Police. Great combination of history and mystery. John Sandford. He writes the "Prey" series. John Grisham. Everything he writes.
Do you ever stay in touch with your clients after the case is closed?
One homicide victim's family l'm still in touch with is the Karastamatis family. Their father, Father John Karastamatis was murdered in 1985.

SCPD is hoping to have this Cold Case Webpage shared as widely as possible. Even someone with second or third-hand information about what happened may hold the missing piece of the puzzle that helps us to crack the case, solve a mystery, and bring justice to the victim’s family and her friends.

Click SCPD Cold Cases are featured on our website. If you have information about any of these unsolved murders, contact SCPD through our anonymous tipline 831-420-5995 or SCPD Investigations 831-420-5820. Contact Ron Truhitte at RTruhitte@cityofsantacruz.com

SCPD Catches Suspect Purse Snatcher Who Stole Christmas Cash

SCPD Officers returned the victim’s purse with her belongings including all her money for holiday gifts.

On Sunday December 12, 2016 at around 1:00 pm, several SCPD Officers responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in the area of Pacific and Beach Street. Officers responded to the call within minutes. The victim, a woman, stated that her purse was stolen while she was sitting on a bus bench. The suspect robber grabbed her purse and wrestled it away from her and fled. The purse contained the victims wallet and about $250.00 in Christmas money. Fortunately, she was not physically hurt during the purse snatching.
  
Quick-thinking witnesses called 911 and also took several photos of the robber as he ran away.

The suspect robber was described as a Hispanic male in his 30's to 40's, 5'4" to 5'6 and of medium build. 

SCPD Officers efficiently set up a perimeter and in short order contacted the suspect robber Anthony Rodriguez, 40 years old, from Watsonville. 

Anthony Rodriguez, 30 years old from Watsonville

SCPD Officers recovered the victim’s Christmas cash hidden within Mr. Rodriguez’s pants. Helpful witnesses positively identified Mr. Rodriguez as the person who stole the victim’s purse.

 
Great teamwork delivers the best results! SCPD returned the Christmas money to a very sweet and grateful lady. Mr. Rodriguez was arrested and went to jail for grand theft.

Lobo Day! Tuesday Dec. 13th Official Proclamation

Today Mayor Mathews proclaimed December 13th as "Lobo Day". SCPD Officer Saul Rodriguez and his K-9 Lobo received the proclamation in honor for their years of service to the City of Santa Cruz as our K-9 team.

SCPD is also announcing the retirement of Police K-9 “Lobo” from its ranks.

Lobo is a black and tan German Shepherd, and is trained in patrol work, tracking, and narcotic detection.

After 5 years of service, and over 250 arrests to his credit, Lobo will be ending his service for City of Santa Cruz and its citizens.

Lobo leaves behind a legacy that includes: numerous drug seizures, and criminal apprehensions.

SCPD service dogs are partnered with a human handler to form a K-9 unit. Officer Rodriguez has been Lobo’s handler and full time caretaker since the beginning of his career at SCPD. Lobo will retire to Officer Rodriguez’s home, and live out his days enjoying his family there. 

Lobo is thankful for the relationships he has made with many of the community members who have attended one of his many public demonstrations.

Santa Cruz Police and the Future of Community Policing

Community-Oriented Policing requires constant adaptation to new needs and changing situations. The Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) has embraced innovation since it adopted a community policing philosophy in the early 1990s. Just as then, today’s efforts are about building personal relationships, being proactive in addressing community concerns and working with partners to innovate new approaches to police work.

 
SCPD Police Chief Kevin Vogel

In this spirit, the department is poised to launch three new or expanded initiatives focused on creating transparency and implementing solutions that produce meaningful results in the community.
The first initiative provides for all Santa Cruz police officers working in the field to be equipped with body cameras starting in 2017.

“Body cameras certainly increase the accountability and the transparency of the police department,” Police Chief Kevin Vogel said. “I think that’s the No. 1 benefit.”

The footage also will provide better evidence documentation, record use of force incidents and encourage good behavior for both police officers who wear them and community members who encounter them.

The department proposed body cameras during the 2016/17 budget planning process, but financial considerations led the city to delay implementation of body cameras. Data storage alone is estimated to cost $100,000 a year.

“This is a pretty costly expenditure for the city,” Vogel said. “One of the things I want to make sure of is we’re very careful and deliberate in the selection of body cameras.”

In addition to choosing the right equipment, developing policies around data retention and storage, when and how to release footage, and how to preserve privacy all will need to be considered as body cameras are implemented. The timeline for rolling out body cameras for officers will be discussed at the Tuesday, Dec. 13, Santa Cruz City Council meeting.

The second initiative begins this month: police officers will carry Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug. The one-year trial phase of the Overdose Prevention Program, funded through a Santa Cruz County-administered grant, will involve 12 SCPD patrol officers who have volunteered to participate.

“The logic behind law enforcement starting to carry it is on these types of calls we’re the first ones to show up,” SCPD Lt. Warren Barry, who is overseeing the program, said. “Minutes and seconds count when it comes to an overdose death.”

SCPD will be the first law enforcement agency in the county to carry a “rescue” drug. The Naloxone is administered through a nasal mist, which is easier to apply and doesn’t require officers to carry needles. Each participating officer will be issued a kit with two Naloxone doses.

“We are dedicated to helping people,” Barry said. “This is a problem where we can’t arrest our way out of it, so we’re treating it like a disease. This is a compassionate response to a nationwide problem.”

To encourage people to call 911 to seek medical attention for an overdose, California adopted a Good Samaritan law, providing immunity from violations and low-level offenses when a person is either experiencing or observing an opioid-related overdose. People who receive the rescue drug or those with them at the time will be given an outreach card with information about addiction services.

“The hope is they will get help and not use again,” Barry said. “Public safety isn’t just arresting people.”

The third Community-Oriented Policing expanded initiative is the expansion of the Maintaining Ongoing Stability through Treatment Team (MOST) program. The MOST liaison assists with calls involving potential mental health issues and provides mental health intervention and assessment services. Originally a 40-hour-a-week position staffed by one person, the role will grow to include a second half-time liaison working weekends.

“The MOST program increases our outreach when it comes to mental health and addiction,” SCPD Deputy Chief Rick Martinez said. “It’s ensures we have that referral system out in the field seven days a week.”

Community-Oriented Policing requires constant flexibility to respond to all emerging issues with proactive problem-solving approaches that involve the community as well as police officers.

“We have an ongoing commitment to reevaluate our policies and programs, and introduce new initiatives as needed,” Martinez said. “We know Santa Cruz is a special place with unique needs, and we want to be responsive to our community.”

Click the articles titles below to read the series about SCPD’s longstanding commitment to Community-Oriented Policing.
1st Highlights Community-Oriented Policing Tradition
2nd Community-Oriented Policing Provides Transparency, Accountability
3rd Community-Based Partnerships Reduce Crime
4th SCPD Youth Programs Help Community Policing Efforts Reach Kids
5th SCPD Use of Technology Supports Community Policing Policies
6th Santa Cruz Police and the Future of Community Policing

SCPD's Pioneering Use of Technology Supports Community Policing Policies - 5th Article in Series

The fifth article in the series about Santa Cruz Police Department’s longstanding commitment to Community-Oriented Policing.

Decades ago, the Santa Cruz Police Department equipped patrol cars with dashboard cameras and installed VCRs in the trunks to record officer interactions during calls. While it sounds archaic now, at the time, this was cutting-edge technology.

SCPD 1st law enforcement agency in the US to develop its own community engagement mobile app. https://youtu.be/UICUX6WHWwA

Fast forward 20 years and SCPD remains a leader in adopting new technology, in large part because use of technology and social media is a key element of the department’s Community-Oriented Policing.

Implementing new technologies gives SCPD the opportunity to engage with residents about their expectations for transparency, accountability and privacy. It also builds community trust and offers police officers additional communication channels to educate residents.

“We’ve made a lot of different technological advances over the years, starting with our mobile app, social media and predictive policing,” SCPD Chief Kevin Vogel said. “Anytime you can find a better way to engage it puts you at an advantage with serving your community.”

SCPD was the first law enforcement agency in the United States to develop its own branded community engagement mobile app. Launched in March 2011, the app provides access to the police department’s live scanner feed, interactive online crime maps, videos, photos, social media and the police department’s blog.

“Really, their goal was ‘How can we take all of our services and make them available in the way our community wants to access them?’” said Jamieson Johnson, a UC Santa Cruz graduate and Vice President of Business Development at MobilePD, the app developer.

“What the application does is centralizes a lot of different important services for the community to access.” VIDEO message from the app developer, Jamieson Johnson, a UC Santa Cruz graduate and Vice President of Business Development at MobilePD. 

Since SCPD launched its app, hundreds of law enforcement agencies have created their own mobile platforms. “But at that time it was unheard of and they were the first ones to do it,” Johnson said.

The department also was the first law enforcement agency in the county to utilize Nixle, an open communication forum that connects the police department with businesses and residents through text, email, a mobile app and more.

SCPD was an early adopter of social media, engaging with residents through multiple platforms to increase community awareness and access to department activities. The department’s current social media platforms include:
· Facebook – used to distribute press releases, request the public’s help in solving a case and share other items of community interest.
· Twitter – used for real-time updates during urgent situations and to share day-to-day activity with the public. Earlier this year, SCPD tweeted a “virtual ride-along” during a Friday shift to exhibit the scope and pace of a regular workday.
· Instagram and Pinterest – used to connect crime victims with their missing property. SCPD posts photos of lost, found and recovered property; proof of ownership is required to claim items.
· YouTube – used to share messages about safety with the public and help identify suspects in open cases where video surveillance is available.

SCPD also posts police logs online and shares updates about cases via its blog. Residents appreciate the access to information.

 
“The Santa Cruz Police Blog has been awesome,” said Deb Elston, co-founder of the community networking organization Santa Cruz Neighbors.

 “People love the blog, especially because neighbors do want to help find the bad guys.”

When crimes occur, SCPD’s online crime reporting portal allows residents to report minor incidents, like car break-ins, online. This saves officer time for more serious incidents and also gives a crime victim the option to file the report when he or she has time to do it and from the comfort of their own home. The SCPD website also accepts public comments and acclamations about officers. 

A recent — and well-received — addition to SCPD’s wide range of tech advances has been the development of the online bike registry. This program encourages cyclists to register their bicycles online and tags each registered bike with a blue and white California bike license.

The registry, the first in the county, is free and never expires.

Since the online bike registry program began in July 2016, more than 1,200 bicycles have been licensed through SCPD. Many are registered when they are sold at local bike shops, all of which have partnered with the police department to grow the program.“It’s going great,” said Linda Robinson, a SCPD records technician who leads the program. “It’s nice to see the enthusiasm.”

Linda with Bike Shop Owner Demonstrating Online Bike Registration

The hope is the license deters bike thieves. But in creating a record of the bike, which includes the serial number, a registered bike that is stolen and recovered by law enforcement can be returned to its owner.

“Bike theft is just rampant. It’s not just here; it’s all over,” Robinson said. “We have hundreds of bikes out back and we don’t know who they belong to.”
Click the links below for the past articles in the series about Santa Cruz Police Department’s longstanding commitment to Community-Oriented Policing. 
1st Highlights Community-Oriented Policing Tradition
2nd Community-Oriented Policing Provides Transparency, Accountability
3rd Community-Based Partnerships Reduce Crime
4th SCPD Youth Programs Help Community Policing Efforts Reach Kids

SCPD 1st Law Enforcement Agency in County to Issue Narcan to Trained Officers

On Monday December 5, 2016, the Santa Cruz Police Department became the first law enforcement agency in the county to issue Naloxone aka Narcan to trained officers.

Naloxone can be used by SCPD officers to provide emergency treatment to people who are suffering from a potential opioid overdose (i.e. heroin or opiate based pharmaceutical pills). The Santa Cruz Police Department and Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency have partnered to provide patrol officers with Naloxone (Narcan) an intranasal naloxone application.

Intranasal Naloxone Application

Training on Narcan and its use began today with a team of SCPD Officers. Officers were trained by the EMS Director, Dr. David Ghilarducci with the Santa Cruz County Health Agency on how Naloxone works, recognizing signs of opiate overdose, universal scene safety, the application of Naloxone, CPR & rescue breathing, notification of EMS, documentation, and legislation that allows law enforcement officers to use Naloxone. Santa Cruz Police Department members cross trained with the Santa Cruz Fire Department and AMR.

Santa Cruz County had 58 drug related deaths in 2015. Recognizing the seriousness of opiate use and the inherent dangers involved, a one year pilot program has been initiated by the Santa Cruz Police Department aimed at reducing opiate related injuries or death. This program is designed to provide Santa Cruz Police Officers another means to potentially save lives. Along with the deployment of Naloxone, Santa Cruz Police will be providing an outreach card to the patient in an effort to provide them with resources towards recovery.

While opiate related deaths are prevalent nationwide, a large amount of Police Agencies on the east coast are trained in the use of Naloxone. In general many law enforcement agencies within the state of California have not trained officers in the use of Naloxone. The Santa Cruz Police Department will be the first in the county of Santa Cruz to initiate this program.

The Naloxone was provided to the Santa Cruz Police Department by Janus of Santa Cruz who received the Narcan through a Substance Abuse Block Grant.

The Santa Cruz Police Department also would like to express its appreciation to “DEFIB THIS” for their donation of training equipment.

SCPD Tips to Prevent Package Theft From Your Porch

Online holiday shopping has many of us have ordering gifts for friends and loved ones.  Packages are being delivered by the truckload on front porches numerous homes in the Santa Cruz.

Packages that are left unattended make for easy targets for criminals. These thefts commonly occur during normal working hours, since many people are not at home. This is a crime that occurs in virtually community in our country.

 

Image: www.august.com 

SCPD recommendations to avoid becoming a victim of package theft:
1. If your employer will allow it, have packages delivered to your office.
2. Request that the shipper hold your package at their pick-up facility so you can pick it up in person at your convenience.
3. Have packages delivered to a place where they can be received in person, such as the home of a trusted neighbor who stays home during the day, or a retired relative.
4. If purchasing something from a large retailer, request that your package be delivered to a local branch of the store so you can pick it up in person at your convenience.
5. Request a specific delivery date and time from the shipper when you know you will be home.
6. Provide delivery instructions to the shipper so that packages can be left at a safe location at your home that is out of sight from the street.
7. Sign up for delivery alerts (text messages or e-mails) from the shipper; call a trusted neighbor when the packages are delivered, and ask them to take the packages inside for safekeeping until you get home.
8. Request that the shipper require a signature confirmation upon delivery; this will prevent your package from being left at an unattended home.
9. Check out other secure delivery options. For example, Amazon.com has an option for purchases made on their website called "Amazon Lockers," which delivers your package to a secure site. There are three Amazon Locker locations in Santa Cruz. For more info on finding an Amazon Locker location near you, see https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html…).

This is a great time of year to get to know your neighbors and encourage them to keep eye out for suspicious behavior.  Call 9-1-1 to report suspicious activity immediately in your neighborhood.

If you see a theft in progress do not attempt to stop the suspect on your own. Call 911 and give the operator a detailed description of the individual, including clothing description, physical description, vehicle description, and direction of travel.

SCPD Blog and Facebook are two of the many ways we provide crime prevention information to our community. Encourage your neighbors to connect with SCPD on social media to learn about crime prevention tips for your neighborhood (like package theft!).
Happy holidays!