Santa Cruz City Crossing Guard Recognition And Commendation

Thank you Santa Cruz City Crossing Guards for walking children safely across streets to and from school, twice a day, every day.

Today, City Council and Santa Cruz Police Department proudly commend our Santa Cruz City Crossing Guards. Richard W. Bartlett, Jerry A. Cacace, Antonio Tovar, Stephen A. Fuehrer, Gail Marizette, Christine Nordquist Welch, Mark Steven Okamoto, William Poncetta, and Debra L. Stephens

Your dedication and enthusiasm play a pivotal role in the daily lives of our children. You are the first line of education for the kids and parents and a visible reminder to motorists of the presence of pedestrians and bicyclists.

Your commitment and reliability are deeply appreciated by all Police Department personnel, the City of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz School District.

On behalf of the residents of this community and your fellow city employees, we want to thank you for your vigilance in ensuring student safety around our schools.

Santa Cruz Police Department Receives Traffic Education and Enforcement Grant

The Santa Cruz Police Department has been awarded a $110,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long enforcement and public awareness program. The traffic safety program is intended to educate the public on safe roadway habits and deter people from violating traffic laws or practicing other unsafe behaviors that lead to injuries and fatalities.

“Santa Cruz continues to work towards improving our roadways for all users, and traffic enforcement is a key tool in achieving this. With the OTS grant, the department will focus on school zones surrounding bell times, strategic enforcement at locations with a history of collisions, and nighttime enforcement during weekends targeting driving under the influence.”-Santa Cruz Police Chief Andrew Mills

The grant from OTS will fund various education and enforcement activities for the 2019 federal fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019):

· DUI saturation patrols to take suspected alcohol/drug-impaired drivers – and those unlicensed or with a revoked/suspended license – off the road.

· Patrols at intersections with increased incidents of pedestrian and bike collisions.

· Speeding, red light and stop sign enforcement.

· Compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets” identifying repeat DUI offenders

· Specialized DUI and drugged driving training to identify and apprehend suspected impaired drivers.

In 2016, 3,623 people were killed in crashes across the state, a 7 percent increase from 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Particularly alarming is the rise in pedestrian deaths, with 867 pedestrians killed on California roadways in 2016, a nearly 33 percent increase from 2012. Along with the growing dangers of distracting technologies like phones and drug-impaired driving, this grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these dangerous and illegal behaviors.

“Almost all crashes are preventable,” OTS director Rhonda Craft said. “Education and enforcement go hand in hand helping change behaviors that cause devastating crashes.”

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Another Arson Arrest - Case 18S-08311 Santa Cruz Police Media Release

On Thursday, November 1, 2018, at approximately 12:13 pm, the Santa Cruz Police and Fire Departments responded to a structure fire located at Vapor Cleaners on 285 Water Street. Fire Inspectors determined that the fire was intentionally set and classified it as an act of arson. Detectives recovered video surveillance from several nearby locations.

The following investigation led to the identification of the arson suspect Laurentino Lopez-Gomez, a 31-year-old transient in Santa Cruz.

On Sunday, November 4, 2018, while on a routine patrol, an alert Santa Cruz Ranger observed Mr. Lopez-Gomez sitting in the area along the 200 block of River Street. Ranger Roskelly recognized the arson suspect from an SCPD wanted poster and alerted patrol officers to his location.

Officers took Laurentino Lopez-Gomez into custody without incident. During an interview, Mr. Lopez-Gomez made incriminating statements and was subsequently booked for the arson.

2018 Halloween Stats and Case of Interest

An estimated 6,000 people converged on downtown Santa Cruz to celebrate Halloween last night. This event has become the largest single informal gathering in the city. The Santa Cruz Police Department is pleased to announce that Halloween 2018 transpired without any significant incidents of violence during the festivities downtown. 

The Santa Cruz Police Department is pleased to announce that Halloween 2018 transpired without any significant incidents of violence during the festivities downtown. 

Notable arrest downtown on Halloween Case 18S-08284

Around 9:49 pm on 10/31/18, Santa Cruz Police officers on foot patrol contacted a man too intoxicated to take care of himself. Officer located a Highpoint 380' caliber pistol inside his backpack. The gun was loaded with a magazine and a bullet in the chamber. The serial numbers on the gun were scratched off.

Jimi Carrozzo, 34-year-old transient in Santa Cruz was arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct, carrying a concealed weapon with an altered identification and an outstanding warrant.

The Santa Cruz Police Department kept busy over the 24 hours of Halloween through the night and into the early morning hours of November 1st. We handled 352 calls for service. SCPD deployed officers throughout the city as well as a significant contingent of officers on foot in the Downtown corridor. The Halloween crowd demeanor on Pacific Avenue was relatively calm and celebratory.

The Downtown Deployment reported the following activity for Halloween Night 2018:
17 Arrests
For Public intoxication, Warrants, Drugs

57 Citations Issued
36 were for Triple Fine violations. Of the Triple Fine citations issued, most were for open containers of alcohol and public urination.

For comparison, in 2017 there were 18 arrests and 42 citations. Overall, downtown Santa Cruz, arrests were down by one, and citations were up from 2017.

Halloween police presence required extra officers from law enforcement agencies, including the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office, Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, Capitola PD, Watsonville PD, Scotts Valley PD, UCSC PD, Santa Cruz State Parks, California Highway Patrol, and Santa Cruz County Probation. Law enforcement officers from Alcohol Beverage and Control, State Parole and the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Gang Team were present to support SCPD.

We want to thank all of the agencies who dedicated personnel and resources to assist the City of Santa Cruz throughout the night.