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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1995 0405 CC REG ITEM 08ML 4 r -1 L J C 0 Larry Carpenter Sheriff /Chief of Police Moorpark Police Department 1994 A.46 NUAL REPORT �'APBJ'OU!'CB �0 t //B COOIMUDI�f'.�" Dear Reader, As I reflect on the past year, I find myself feeling a sense of both accomplishment and gratitude. Again, Moorpark received recognition for providing a safe environment for us to raise our families and operate our businesses. Our community's low crime rate has received national recognition. Your city council and police department play a significant role in this accomplishment, as do the law abiding citizens who choose to actively role model society's values. Crime rates are an important tool to measure our success. Perhaps more importantly though, is the perception of the crime problem by our citizens. Most Moorpark residents feel safe and secure living in their neighborhoods. We will continue enforcing a zero - tolerance policy towards gangs and drugs and will not ignore "minor" crimes that are reported. Our goals from a criminal standpoint this past year were to continue our aggressive street level enforce- ment towards both gangs and narcotics violators. I firmly believe this enforcement posture plays a significant role in reducing both violent and property crimes. From the community interaction stand- point, it was exciting to see the grand opening of the Moorpark Police Department Resource Center. In this time of limited resources, Moorpark deputies depend on citizen volunteers to provide some of the traditional police services. A Moorpark deputy said it best, "Why not call it the Resource Center? We want to be a resource to the community." These dedicated citizens donate their time and energy on a daily basis to serve the community they live in. We have critical challenges facing us; rising emergency response times along with a significant increase in emergency demands for service, increased narcotic arrest rates, increased gang contacts and docu- mented violations of probation all place a drain on limited resources. We will continue to work closely with city government and the community to explore all avenues available to ensure that we maintain our high level of service In the "Looking Back" section of this report, you will find significant impacts and changes that have occurred this past year. One that deserves mention is Lieutenant Geoff Dean's reassignment. Geoff moved on to a new administrative assignment in the Detention Services Division last May. We thank Geoff for his many accomplishments and dedication to Moorpark. Having been assigned to the Moorpark Police Department for close to five years has given me some perspective of what we, as your police department, have accomplished. I am reminded daily of how fortunate we are as a community to have well trained and dedicated deputies patrolling our streets. Many of our deputies are involved, on their own time, in various community groups or special events. Ranging from teaching at the high school to participating in the Country Days events or the Boys and Girls Club, these individuals are an integral part of this community. These men and women truly make a difference and are "a resource to the community." On behalf of Sheriff Larry Carpenter, myself, and the deputies and volunteers who provide service to the Moorpark community, we thank you for your support and the opportunity to serve you. Together as a community, 24 /?N.4AQ, Marry Rouse, Lieutenant March 15, 1995 14 resource M Ike evmmuNif y! " M I I 0 i K I Overview The Ventura County Sheriff's Department provides law enforcement services to the City of Moorpark on a contract basis. Sheriff Larry Carpenter is the Chief of Police, with operational control of the contract under the leadership of Lt. Marty Rouse. Administrative officers and patrol personnel work out of the East County Police Services Division, led by Chief Deputy Robert Brooks. This Division provides law enforcement services to the residents of Moorpark, Thousand Oaks and the unincorporated areas of eastern Ventura County. Commander Bruce McDowell is the administrative officer overseeing deputies in Moorpark and the unincorporated areas. East County Police Services Mission Statement We are committed to safeguard the lives and property of residents of Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and unincorpo- rated eastern Ventura County and respond to public concerns in a manner which promotes neighborhoods free from the fear of crime Strategy Our strategy for accomplishing this mission is to preserve the peace, prevent crime, facilitate problem solving partnerships, enforce laws, apprehend offenders, provide secure and humane detention for persons lawfully entrusted to our care and display empathy and respect for the dignity of all individuals. Personnel 1994 was a year of change for the Moorpark Police Department's personnel. At the start of the year, Marty Rouse was the Investigations Unit supervisor. In the spring, he was promoted to Lieutenant and then assigned to Moorpark as the Police Services Manager. In addition, many of our deputies promoted to Senior Deputy and were transferred out. Some even returned to Moorpark in their new rank. The new deputies taking an assign- ment to work here bring a real sense of excitement as they join the Moorpark Team! Our thanks to everyone who worked in Moorpark in 1994. Police Services Manager: Lt. Marty Rouse Police Services Supervisor: Sgt. Keith Parks Investigations Unit Supervisor- Sgt. Wm. T. Hughes Community Services Officer: Sr. Dep. Ed Tumbleson Traffic Officer . Dep. Bud McCracken Motorcycle Officer: Dep. George Fitzgerald Detectives: Sr. Dep. Dave Lea Dep. Larry Bull Patrol Senior Deputies: Sr. Dep. Ron Nelson Patrol Deputies: Dep. Mike Baker Dep. John Brockus Dep. Allen Devers Dep. Jerardo Gomez Dep. Eric Hatlee Traffic Detail Cadets: Debbie Runkle Management Assistant: Diane McCrossen City of Moorpark Mayor.• Paul Lawrason Councilmembers: Patrick Hunter Bernardo Perez City Manager: Steve Kuem Deputy City Manager.- Richard Harc Sr. Dep. Don Aguilar Dep. Jody Keller -Smith Dep. Jose Lopez Dep. Albert Miramontes Dep. Jose Rivera Dep. Brian Roberts Juan Ponce Scott Montgomery John Wozniak 2 Introducing the Moorpark Police Department Team ... Left to right: (Adjacent to sign) Mgmt. Assistant Diane Mc Gi-ossen and Lt. Marty Rouse. (First row) Sgt. Wm. T Hughes, Dep. Bud McCracken, Dep Jody Keller- Smith, Cadet Debbie Runkle and Sr. Dep. Ron Nelson. (.Second row) Dep Allen Devers, Dep. Brian Roberts, Dep. Eric Hatlee and Sgt. Keith Parks. (Back rows) Dep. Jose Rivera Sr Dep. Ed Tumbleson, Dep. John Brockus, Dep. Jerardo Gomez, Dep. Albert Miramontes, Del lose Lopez, Sr. Dep. Dave Lea and Sr. Dep. Don Aguilar. (On motorcycle) Dep. George Fitz�,.c mld Management Team Lt. Marty Rouse (center) Sgt. Keith Parks (left) Sgt. Wm. T. Hughes (right) ",A resource {o Ike commseKily!" Your Patrol Deputies PPatrol deputies are the primary service providers and Police Department resource involved with the on a daily basis. They are on duty 24 hours per day, seven days a week. They will respond to virtually any type of request, by dealing with the situation or by referring the citizen to the most appropriate public or private A assistance. Deputies take reports, initiate criminal investigations, make arrests, enforce traffic laws, investigate traffic accidents and prevent crime through routine and directed patrol. T The patrol officers are the basic component of "Problem Oriented Policing." As such, deputies are given the authority to work with the community to identify specific problems which cause crime or that may foster the perception that crime is increasing. We embrace this philosophy and involve all of our staff in it. For example, patrol deputies know city and school district staff and are encouraged to work with them on mutual concerns. R This might involve a deputy calling Public Works to have graffiti quickly removed. Or it could involve a traffic officer working with a school principal to improve the traffic flow in and out of the school parking lot during the peak driving times. In other words, deputies are not here just to take reports, make arrests and write tickets. 0 They are an integral part of the community and they strive to use their imagination to make Moorpark one of the nation's safest communities. Patrol Operations There are 12 deputies assigned to Moorpark as patrol officers. They staff two 24 -hour a day patrol cars and two 56 -hour per week overlap cars The city is divided into two "beats,' allows for the deputies to be assigned to a specific area. Deputies can then gain a better understanding of their patrol responsibility area, becoming personally acquainted with residents and business people in their beat. They are more aware of local crime trends and are able to take responsibility for improving the "safety climate" within their beats. This type S of policing is generally referred to as "Community Oriented Policing." The patrol deputy, in order to be a true resource for the community, must understand the community and the needs of those who live or work there. Pj Patrol Beat Configuration Geographically, each of the two patrol beats is responsible for half of the city. The western and southern beat R (2A) includes the Peach Hill, Mountain Meadows and Buttercreek neighborhoods. It also extends to the downtown area west of Moorpark Avenue and south of L,os Angeles Avenue. The central and eastern beat (213) covers the remainder of the city, including most of downtown, Campus Park and the Moorpark college neigh- borhoods. The 2C patrol car overlaps the two main beats, serving as a backup or replacement car, when the V beat deputy is busy on another call. The 2C car is oil duty iR hours each day, during the busiest times of the day. I Beats are further broken down into "reporting districts.' Reponing districts were originally formed out of Federal census zones These are physical locations that may include an entire community, such as the Peach Bill residential neighborhoods or a light industrial area, like that off of Commerce and Poindexter Avenues. Reporting districts are defined by the type of neighborhood or the separation of that neighborhood from areas C with differing land uses. For example, the residential blocks in the downtown area between Moorpark Avenue, Spring Road, Los Angeles Avenue and the train tracks are completely surrounded by commercial zones. For that reason, the neighborhood is identified as a single reporting district. There are 16 reporting districts within Ethe cite. This number will grog as development occurs and land use changes. By tracking crime within reporting districts, we are able to look for trends within the reported crimes. Since many criminals repeat a specific style of criminal act over and over in the same neighborhoods, we can use S information from specific reporting districts to identik possible acts committed by a known suspect. We are also able to focus our patrol deployment to these distnc(s �Nith a clearer picture of what is happening in them. This also allows us to identify those areas in town that have the highest incidence of crime. Our community services officer is also able to direct tiffs neighborhood ;)r busincs; match programs to the people who need it when they need it 4 (Above) Dep. Don Aguilar is congratulated by Sheriff Larry Carpenter after being presented the Officer of the Year award from the Rotary Club of Moorpark. (Below left) Community volunteers in front of the Resource Center. (Below right) Dep. George Fitzgerald. °14 Peldkrce Ile Me COmmumily! c 0 x U N T Y S 8 B V I C E S Your Community Services Officer Senior Deputy Ed Tumbleson is the Community Services Officer for the Moorpark Police Department. He serves as a resource to the community in a number of ways. These include present- ing the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) curriculum to all of the fifth grade students in the Moorpark Unified School District; coordination of the city wide Neighborhood Watch Program; and review of all new development plans to identify ways to reduce crime before projects are built in the city. Sr. Dep. Tumbleson spends 20 hours a week on community services programs and 20 hours a week as the DARE officer. Neighborhood Watch "Neighbors Helping Neighbors " contin- ues to be our motto for Neighborhood Watch. In 1994, the community services officer worked with the City Manager's office to help create a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) made up of residents who were members of the local neighborhood watch groups and who were interested in additional ways to be a resource to their neighbors. The DART team members were trained to go to the aid of the community in the event of a disaster. This can be vital especially in case of a widespread event, such as last year's Northridge earthquake. If emer- gency services are delayed in reaching hard -hit neighborhoods, DART team members may be able to organize their neighborhoods into self sufficient en- claves until help arrives. DART team members have also learned how to teach their neighbors to prepare for a disaster, such as stockpiling supplies and earth- quake- proofing their houses. In 1994 we welcomed six new neighbor- hoods to Neighborhood Watch, including portions of the large Le Club apartment :omplex. We currently have 19 neighbor - Soods participating in Neighborhood Watch, with over 200 families. Communication and education are important ways to reduce the opportunities for crime to occur. The Community Services Officer communicates with residents through both a monthly newsletter and a new Crime Alert information phone line. "The Liaison" newsletter recaps reported crimes and their y locations by specific community. Neighbor- hood Watch members are able to understand what is happening in their own neighbor- hoods. They are also able to talk to neigh- bors to make them aware that we must all be part of the team to reduce the incidence of crime Crime preNention tips and other information about the police department are also included in the newsletters. The Crime Alert phone line is a means for residents to call and hear a recording that explains significant criminal events that have recently occurred in their neighborhood. It is hoped that people who may have witnessed a situation that they did not know was a crime, will find out about it from Crime Alert and then give that information to the police department. Drug Abuse Resistance Education As a certified DARE instructor, Sr. Dep. Tumbleson is part of a collaborative effort among educators, students, parents and the community to reduce the incidence of substance abuse and other destructive behavior by our children. He spends two semesters each school Near teaching DARE to every fifth grade student in Moorpark. The emphasis in the classroom is to help students recogm/c the many direct and subtle pressures that influence them to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, of other drugs or to engage in violent behavior. Sr. Dep. Tumbleson and friends Cl A new lesson was included this year that teaches our children about the criminal activities that gangs are involved in and explores the destructive effect that gangs have on young lives and our community. To offset the often glamorous image of the gang life -style portrayed in the media, DARE teaches our children to recognize the personal and societal consequences that are the realitv with gangs. At the conclusion of their semester - length DARE pro- gram, each of the over 600 fifth graders in our schools write a personal essay to say why being drug free is important to them and to make their commitment to lead a drug and violence free life. Along with other school based prevention and early intervention programs, DARE is a comprehensive substance abuse program that meets the goals of the federal Drug -Free Schools and Communi- ties Act. Sr. Dep. Tumbleson, in partnership with Sandy Brown of the Moorpark Business Service Center, designed collect- ible milk caps (POGS) that helped to spread the message of DARE to our children. These POGS, printed with the help of donations from the public, are very popular with the kids in our community. POGS were handed out to children by patrol deputies as a positive reinforcement to safe behaviors. When an officer has a contact with a child who is wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, he or she would give the child a milk cap to reward them for being safe. The program became instantly popular and kids were always approaching the deputies to ask for POGS. This goes a long way in helping the kids to knoA the deputies as friends. Funding The Community Services Officer position is funded by the City of Moorpark and the Moorpark Unified School District's D.A.T.E. program. The Parent, Teacher, Student Associations (PTSA) at both Flory and Arroyo West Schools, where DARE is taught, provide additional funding. Community donations from local businesses and service organizations are used to purchase items for the children who participate in the program. Other Programs Throughout the year, the Community Services Officer provides a number of specialized programs for different groups. "These range from taking Officer McGruff, the Crime Dog, to speak with preschool children to present- ing a program on business protection to local store owners and employees. Sr. Dep. Tumbleson is also a "special friend" who visits with the children at the Moorpark Boys and Girls Club throughout the year. He is also available to work with individual home owners to identify ways to protect their homes. Crime Prevention Through Design An important way to reduce the opportunity for crime to occur is to study plans for new residential, commercial and public development within the community to identify ways to "harden the target." Sr. Dep. Tumbleson might recommend landscaping that makes it difficult for thieves or vandals to approach a structure or he might list materials that will better withstand vandalism or misuse. The intent is to reduce the opportunity for crime to occur or to reduce the impact on a structure or its users caused by crime. He also looks at the projected traffic flow patterns of roadways with the understanding of a traffic officer who will have to ensure public safety by recom- mending changes that might improve traffic patterns or rethice speeds. In November 1994, Sr. Dep. Tumbleson completed the 40 hour Environmental Design class, sponsored by California's Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST). This course is a supplement to the basic Crime Prevention training and it provides the student with an understanding of the design process and how to look at plans from a law enforcement and public safety perspec- tive With the potential for growth and development throughout the city, it is necessary for the police depart- ment to partnership with city planners and private developers to create neighborhoods that enhance public and traffic safety In this process, the Police Department gain serves as a "resource to the community." "A resouree {d the G1mmkKlfy!" N V E S T f� 0 u �1 N S Overview The Investigations Unit is responsible for handling the vast majority of criminal investigations in the city These include all felony property crimes, such as burglaries, thefts and forgeries as well as domestic abuse cases. The team is also responsible for com- pleting investigations on misdemeanor crimes. Felony crimes against the person, such as homicides. sex offenses and robberies are handled the Major Crimes Details within the Sheriffs Department. Because of their understanding of local criminals. Moorpark detectives frequently assist in these investigations as well. All reports of crimes or suspicious activities in Moorpark are reviewed by the Investigations Unn supervisor, who then assigns them to a detective for follow -up. Every effort is made to ensure that a majority of these cases are investigated, depending upon the leads, the type of crime and the workload of the investigators. Some cases that have no apparent investigative leads are followed -up with a phone call to the victim from either a detective or a volunteer at the Resource Center. This is done to let the victim, know that we take their reports seriously, even if u; have little chance of solving the case, and to find o it if they have become aware of information that mis;lit help to solve the case To serve as a resource to the community, the Invest - gations Unit prides itself on its "Team Concept' approach to community oriented policing. Detectives work closely with probation officers. school office; ; and, especially, the patrol officers in Moorpark Your Investigators Through information sharing and coordination of resources, problem areas can be identified in order to both solve crime and proactively prevent criminal events from happening. For patrol deputies, detec- tives have conducted training in narcotics symptomatology and investigation and have encour- aged aggressive enforcement of those who use or distribute drugs. Often, narcotic abusers commit Property crimes to support their drug habits. Their arrest and subsequent monitoring by court and probation officials can have a significant impact on our property crime rates. One example of this coordinated approach, or "problem oriented policing," was seen in the investigation of several residents who were selling narcotics and receiving stolen property from one house in the city. By working closely with probation and patrol officers, detectives were able to solve a number of serious property crimes and conduct timely searches and recovery of stolen property. Patrol deputies were kept aware of what was occur- ring at the house and they were able to initiate additional investigations that resulted in more arrests and the recovery of over $45,000 in stolen property. We know that the successful approach to solving and preventing crime mandates that the criminal justice system join with the public to get the job done. The Investigations Unit is a vital part of that team and it tiN ill continue to take the lead to help Moorpark rem;iin one of the country's safest communities. Our Investigations Unit is comprised of Sergeant William T. (Terry) Hughes, who serves as the Unit supervi- sor, Sr. Deputy Dave Lea and Deputy Larry Bull Detective Lea, who has worked in Moorpark since incorpo- ration in 1983, is responsible for investigating the felon} property crimes, forgeries and domestic abuse cases. Det. Bull covers the misdemeanors, missing persons reports, runaway juveniles and traffic accident hit and run investigations. The misdemeanor investigator position is a one -year rotational assignment that serves as a career enhancement for patrol deputies. At the conclusion of this assignment, the deputy returns to patrol with additional skills to better serve the comnuinnl� The Moorpark detectives are committed to helping the patrol deputies not only with their day to day opera - [ions, but by teaching them how to enhance their ou n skills in investigating crime. Our patrol deputies learn about the investigative tools and sources of information used by the detectives by spending several days each ✓ear working directly with a detective. In most lax% enforcement agencies, patrol deputies do not remain nvolved in a case after the arrest has been made and their reports have been completed. Sgt. Hughes and his nvestigators show the deputies how to prepare a case for presentation to the District Attorney's Office to seek I filing. The patrol officers then take a case, complete the investigation and prepare the "packet" and then file he case themselves "f hey get a first hand look at NN hat the District Attorney requires for a successful prosecu- ion. The skills that they learn help them to do an �,v en better job back on the streets. 8 Analysis 1994 was the first complete year that the Investigations Unit operated with an in -house supervisor. The position was approved by the City Council in August 1993. The objectives were to provide supervision of the detail and to ad- equately respond to more cases that required investigation. It was our intent that the detective supervisor identify more cases for follow -up and to reduce the number of pending cases that historically were not followed up. By doing so, more cases could be fully investigated, resulting in an arrest or other form of closure. Other closures would include a determination that no crime occurred or that the victim desired that we not follow up on the report. The workload indicators data shown below indicate that we are meeting these goals. Even though there was only a 7% rise in reported cases requiring• follow -up in 1994, the detective sergeant increased the cases to be investigated by 35% and reduced the total pending cases by 15 %. In other words, we were able to place a greater emphasis on the investiga- tion of all cases, including the cases that do not have good suspect information. We believe that we can.prevent larger criminal events from taking place if we can deal with them before they grow in scope. The most important result of the formation of the Investigations Unit supervisor position is that we were able to successfully close 133 more cases in 1994, an increase of 40 %. We believe that 1994 served as an important test of the Investigations Unit. The unit met the challenge and proved that they are a tremendous resource to the community! Investigation's Workload Indicators All crime reports and reports of suspicious activity are reviewed daily by Sgt. Hughes, who decides if the case will be actively investigated. He bases his decision on the facts pre- sented in the report or if the report matches reports of possibly related offenses. Reports that will be imme- diately investigated are assigned to a detective, or they may be handled by Sgt. Hughes if necessary. Reports that require immediate handling by an investigator are called "Follow- ups." Investigators must actively pursue leads in an effort to close these cases. These also include cases where a suspect has been arrested and the case must be pre- pared for presentation to the District Attorney's Office. Cases that have little information which would indicate a suspect are called "Penders." These are followed up if information is later obtained that might point out a possible suspect. Later follow -up with victims, for more information, is the key to closing these cases. "Closures" are those cases that have been solved, either by arrest or other means. 1992 1993 1994 Total Cases: 843 779 831 (7 %increase in 1994) FollOW -ups: 381 339 457 (35% increase in 1994) Penders: 462 440 374 (15% decrease in 1994) Closures: 298 130 463 (40% increase in 1994) 600 500 acu 300 2N 100 Cases per year (1992, 1993, 1994) F*.f 'enders Clashes The first bar in each category represents 1992 data, the second is for 1993, and the last is 1994's. "A resource {o eke communify!" T n F F r, �_i� E 0 Y C E S Overview Traffic services is a vital._ part of municipal police services. Protecting motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and others who use the local streets, sidewalks and bike lanes is accomplished through a number of means. These may include the design, construction and renovation of roadways, the preparation, installa- tion and updating of traffic control devices, and the enhancement of traffic safety through enforcement and public awareness programs. The Police Depart- ment plays an important role in each of these areas. In the design stage for new private and public developments, plans are reviewed from the perspec- tive of a traffic officer. For example, the California Vehicle Code has certain legal requirements allowing the use of radar to enforce the posted speed limits. Improper roadway design can limit the use of this effective tool to control excessive speeds. It is a better use of scarce public funds to ensure that the roads are designed and built correctly from a traffic safety perspective. For existing roadways, traffic officers are able to recognize hazards or changing conditions that will become hazards and then make recommendations for change. This may be some- thing as simple as re- striping the roadway to the installation of a regulatory sign. Even though law enforcement officers are not typically trained in design, they look at roads and traffic patterns from a unique viewpoint that can provide valuable insight to assist the public, decrease the accident rate anci1 reduce the potential for liability claims. Certainly the most visible aspect of law enforcement traffic services is the enforcement of traffic laws. Through both high visibility and violator enforce- ment, the accident rate can be reduced. Deputies enforce unsafe driving violations and hazardous mechanical problems. They also enforce the rules of the road on bicyclists and pedestrians. The actions of deputies may occur in response to complaints from citizens about specific types of violations or they maN be the result of routine patrol or directed patrol Public traffic safety programs are another key aspect. of our traffic services agenda. These may be formal prepared presentations given to public groups, such as school classes or homeowner associations. Whery a deputy stops someone to warn them about a minor violation, the traffic safety presentation takes on an informal approach. All of the deputies may all be called upon to make traffic safety presentations Overall, the goal of our tra$c services program is to enhance the safety of all of the users of roadway s within the city. This is another way that we serve :i� a "resource to the community." Commercial Enforcement With two state highways traversing the city, the monitoring of commer- cial vehicles is a priority of city officials. State Route 118 is a major east -west route that is impacted by heavy commercial vehicle traffic avoiding the steep Conejo Grade and the C1HP scales and inspection station on the parallel State Route 101. State Route 23 is a north -south route that passes through town as a two lane road. With the desire to ensure that commercial drivers Obey traffic laws as they pass through the city on the surface (non - freeway) streets that are state highways, the city has funded a special team of deputies to stop commercial trucks for violations and to then inspect them for mechanical violations that are hazardous to the public. Sr. Dep. Ed Tumbleson and Deputies Jose Lopez and Albert Miramontes comprise the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement detail for the city. Dep. Miramontes completed the extensive two week CUP training program during the summer. Inspecting trucks is a collateral assignment that takes place in addition to their regular duties. These deputies are equipped with special inspection tools and a portable scales to check trucks for overweight violations. Trucks that exceed weight limits can cause costly damage to city streets. After a truck has been stopped, a detailed inspection can be conducted. This safety inspection looks at the condition and operating function of the brakes, lights, coupling devices, frame structure, wheels, tires and the load placement and weight. Deputies also check the operator's license to guarantee that he is permitted to operate that type of vehicle. They also study the driver's log book to make sure that he has taken enough breaks on the trip. In some cases it is necessary to inspect the driver for being under the influence. During one of our inspections this year we arrested a driver for being under the influence of narcotics and for being in possession of a controlled substance_ 11'a truck is found to have a hazardous mechanical violation, the inspecting deputy can take the truck out of service until it is repaired. They may also prohibit drivers who have not had enough rest from continu- ing their trip until they have rested. Citations can be issued to the owners of the vehicles for mechanical .,iolations and the drivers can be cited for moving 10 Traffic Summary 1994 was a year of change for the traffic flow, enforcement of traffic laws and parking regulations in the City of Moorpark. Changes in each of these areas are reflected in the year end totals of accidents and citations. The overall accident rate rose slightly and fewer citations were issued in 1994. The number of parking tickets, issued by deputies and civilian cadets, rose sharply. We wrote fewer citations in 1994 because many of our more heavily travelled streets were not authorized for radar enforcement. California law requires that streets which have been rebuilt or have not been surveyed within 5 years to be resurveyed. The survey identifies the maximum speed that 85% of the motorists drive at or below. The State Legislature has decided that 85% of all drivers will drive at a speed which they consider to be safe, taking into account all of the factors such as roadway design, type and amount of traffic, obvious hazards and other conditions. In order to use radar on most streets (other than 25 MPH residential streets or to enforce the maximum speed limit of 55 MPH), the posted speed limit must be within 5 MPH of the street's 85th percentile speed. This law prevents cities from creating speed traps in order to raise revenue. A survey was conducted during the summer and the new posted speed limits were recommended to the City Council in order to bring the streets into compliance. After the speed limits were changed, radar enforcement could begin. Prior to the adoption of the speed survey, it was often difficult to enforce the speed limits by pacing vehicles. As a result, the total number of citations dropped in 1994. The accident rate in Moorpark increased slightly in 1994. A number of streets were changed, which resulted in increased usage and higher average speeds. Together, they resulted in more accidents. As speed enforcement increases in 1995 and as motorists become more familiar with the new street designs, the accident rate should lower. Another factor that affected our traffic services in 1994 was the implementation of a local ordinance designed to prevent parking on all city streets during specified time periods to allow the unhindered operation of street sweepers. As a result.of enforcing this ordinance, the total number of parking citations rose 113% in 1994. Parking citations are generally issued by cadets, who are part time employees. The cadets monitor public streets for all parking violations, including the time limited parking in the residential neighborhoods adjacent to Moorpark College, the street sweeping violations and other sign violations. They also patrol public and commercial parking lots for fire lane and disabled persons parking space violations. Traffic Accident Statistics ACOVENT 1993 — 1992 SUNN4IARY' 1994 1993 1992 Total Non -Injury 81 Accidents' 149(+15%) 130 138 Total Injury Accidents` 78(-13%) 90 Total Persons Injured' 127(+21%) 100 220 111 Total Accidents ' 227(+3%) 210 * Includes State Route 118 statistics Parking citations 1994 2537 +65% 1993 1540 1992 1345 State Route Accident Summary Injury Accide Non- Injury Occident Total Accidei 118 1994 1993 — 1992 nts 19(-62%) 51 30 49(-40%) 81 60 Its 68(-48%) 132 90 Enforcement Statistics Moving violations / mechanical citations 1994 3643 -16% 1993 4328 1992 5441 "A resource to the cdmmunily!" T N E 0 E S El U M c S Resource Center One of the most significant events to occur for the Moorpark Police Department in 1994 was the creation of a Resource Center in downtown Moor- park. By establishing a small office at the intersec- tion of Moorpark Avenue and High Street, we were able to bring a vital law enforcement presence to the residents, shoppers and business people in the heart of the community. The Resource Center opened October 1st, with a dedication ceremony held during the annual Moorpark Country Days celebration. Inspired from a proposal made by the city council, the idea for a police storefront took off when Charles Abbott, who contracts with the city to provide building and safety engineering services, offered to allow the police department to use a front room in their office for free. Abbott's leased offices, in a former bank building owned by the city, was completely remodeled. The city then purchased some furniture and equipment to make the Resource Center operational. Lt. Rouse, Sr. Dep. Tumbleson and Deputy Jody Keller -Smith then embarked on a quest to find local residents who would be willing to share their time as volunteer staff for the Resource Center. 21 residents quickly signed up and their training into the opera- tions of the police department began. The volunteers were trained to be able to respond to general ques- tions likely to be asked by people who would come into the Resource Center. The volunteers also learned how to take fingerprints, making us able tc provide the only local resource for residents to ha-%,a their prints taken for licensing requirements. A white "uniform" shirt, with the city seal and "Police Department Resource Center" emblazoned across the front, was then designed. The volunteers purchased their own shirts, which they wear while working their shifts at the center. With subsequent training by Dep. Allen Devers, a number of volunteers have learned how to take . certain police reports. These reports range from minor crime reports to lost and found property reports. By having volunteers taking these reports. we are able to save significant patrol duty time, which can better be used for calls that require a sworn police officer. In order to establish a team spirit and efficient avenue of communication between police department staff and the volunteers, Kathy LeClair was chosen as the lead volunteer for the Resource Center. Kathy is a special person who brings a tremendous level of energy and talents to the police department. Even though she is a resident of Thousand Oaks, Kathy has adopted this ,program as her way of serving the community. We are very fortunate to have her, and all of the volunteers, serve as a "resource to the commu- nity." Resource Center Volunteers Presenting those citizens who assist the police department as a "resource to the community:" Jean Atzei Lori Barondess Jonas Casas Marie Corning Judi Daufeldt Leona Grossman Frank Judah Karl Kesler Jane Lavallee Kathy LeClair Jackie Lipka Judie Loncaric Holly Lorenz Cathy Lousen Sue Nordman Juan Sanchez -Chew Claudia Sarmiento Robert Silver Alan Wunderlich Operations The Resource Center, located at 18 W High Street, is open Monday through Saturday, from 10:00 AM until 5 00 PM. It is staffed by one or two volunteers at a time Volunteers are able to provide the following services Fingerprinting for licensing purposes Take minor police reports Call in a deputy to handle a citizen request at the counter, Present crime prevention information Loan out engraving tools to local residents Answer questions or direct people to the appropri- ate public agency 12 Adelante The Moorpark Police Department recognized the need for a unique traffic safety program directed towards recent immigrants from Mexico and Central America who were now driving on Moorpark's streets. Because of differing laws and social behaviors between California and their home countries, and due to language barriers, we decided that an educational program conducted by patrol deputies in Spanish would be a viable method of improving the -safety of these drivers, their passengers and other motorists. Late in 1993, we received a grant from the California Highway Patrol to train deputies on how to conduct traffic safety classes in Spanish. The grant also funded the purchase of child safety seats and bicycle helmets for these families who could not afford them. The bulk of the program, named "Adelante" (Spanish for "moving forward "), was conducted in 1994 Sr. Dep. Jerry Hernandez started the Adelante program. After he promoted to sergeant early in the year, Deputies Albert Miramontes and Jerardo Gomez took over. Working closely with the local Catholic Charities program, they conducted public meetings with the targeted audiences. In these talks, the deputies stress the importance of wearing seat belts and of placing children in approved child seats. They also explained that the public and law enforcement have a zero tolerance for drunk driving. Other important issues such as proper licensing and insurance were discussed as well. The Adelante deputies used a variety of presentation methods to reach the audience. Radio spots on Spanish language stations were recorded and played as part of the stations' public broadcast commitment. T- shirts, pencils and stickers bearing the Adelante logo were given out to participants and their children during the meetings at public information booths set up during community-wide events. Using a decorated classic truck as a float, Dep. Miramontes recruited several young students to ride along and cheer on the Adelante message as they drove down the annual Country Days parade route. Adelante has provided a unique opportunity for deputies to not only educate on traffic safety, but to interact with a segment of our community that typically has little understanding of law enforcement. The deputies were able to explain how and when to call a police officer and what authority that officer has. Adelante served to improve our relationship with this part of the public as well as improve community traffic safety. The formal Adelante program ended in 1994, but we were granted an extension to continue opera- tions under the CHP grant into early 1995. After the grant is concluded, we will continue this viable program by having the participating deputies make their presentations as collateral assignments to their regular patrol functions. This will allow them to continue to serve as a resource to this segment of our community and to serve as a channel of communication between many of the downtown Moorpark residents and the police department. The Adelante program enhances our citywide traffic safety and community services programs by bringing the message of public safety to a part of our community that typically is underserved by law enforcement. Adelante Statistics Total presentations made: 14 Total persons attending: 800 Child seats given: 20 Child bicycle helmets given: 20 G CuT R EA Cy A Q �j "ELANTE 2;A t� '9 QP cOGNrY SHERIPVS�� Cl� 40f MOOrpariz "A resource fo the communify!" CRIME RATE CCrime rates are important tools to measure our performance, both 1� as a police department and as a community. Perhaps a more important measure is the perception of the crime problem by our citizens. We have continued R our pro - active approach of crime prevention programs and education along with enforcement. Our goals this past year were to continue taking a zero - tolerance approach towards gangs along with targeting street level narcotics users. The Police Department, as always, served as a resource to those agencies and organizations who promote intervention programs for youth at risk. IPart I crimes are those which are more serious in nature and Part II crimes are the less serious offenses. e ses. PART I CRIMES I During 1994 in the City of Moorpark there were 531 Part I reported crimes (see adjacent page). This repre- sents a rate of 19.23 crimes per 1000 population, which is the lowest rate of all of all the Sheriffs contract cities. Regarding violent Part 1 crimes, we experienced a slight increase in homicides (1 to 2), rapes (3 to 5) and robberies (12 to 13). There was a significant drop of over 25% in aggravated assaults. Aggravated assault includes all assaults on a person that would constitute a felony. This is partly attributed to the reduction in gang violence we have experienced this past year Moorpark experienced an overall 13.6% reduction in violent crime. S Of serious ro crimes, p perty es, burglary continues to be the leading Part I crime within the city. On a positive note, residential burglary was reduced over 13% and commercial burglary over 21 %. Of concern is the 88% T increase in vehicle burglaries (46 to 88). This is partly attributed not only to narcotics users taking advantage of a crime of opportunity, but also to other individuals who desire to obtain money illegally in a quick man- ner. In more than one instance where individuals were arrested for vehicle burglaries, additional burglaries were cleared after the fact. One example was an arrest of two local adults who had recently burglarized a A vehicle in the Campus Park neighborhood just prior to Christmas. After interviewing the suspects, Moor- park detectives cleared 14 other vehicle burglaries TPART II CRIMES Moorpark reflected a 7.4% decrease in reported Part II crimes. Arrests for driving under the influence and I reports of vandalism reflected the largest decreases (38% and 31% respectively). It appears more citizens are designating a sober individual to drive. Graffiti offenses, both gang and tagger related, continue to decline. Simple assaults, in contrast to aggravated assaults, increased over 35% (1/3 of these reported as domestic violence related). As a result of our increased effort to target narcotics related offenses, there were over 45% S more arrests of people for being under the influence of narcotics. A good portion of these arrests were of those who claim some type of gang affiliation. T 1994 Highlights for all Sheriffs Jurisdictions Combined I 1. 1994 represents the lowest overall crime rate in 22 years 2. Nearly 2 out of every 10 charges filed by deputies were narcotics related C 3. Charges brought against juveniles for violent crimes increased 6.4% 4. Deputy initiated public contacts are up 14% 5. 7 out of 10 violent crimes are Aggravated Assault 6. Charges brought against juveniles for violent acts have increased over 440% since 1988 S 7. Deputies are dealing with more serious offender, every year 14 Part I Crimes ACTUAL NUMBERS RATE PER 1000 OF POPULATION How Are Crimes Counted? The Department utilizes the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR). In this method, only crimes reported to the police are counted. The UCR provides a uniform method of classifying and reporting selected criminal offenses on a national as well as statewide basis. Not all crimes are counted nationwide. In order to maintain consistency across jurisdictional boundaries, government agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Bureau of Crime Statistics, have collected selected offenses from all law enforcement agencies. These crimes are specifically defined and were selected because of their seriousness and frequency of occurrence. Part I crimes are divided into two sections: violent and property. Violent crimes include homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crimes include burglary, thefts. and arson. Other crimes fall into a category called Part II crimes. The % Change column represents the change in figures fron 1993 to 1994, adjusted for the change in Moorpark's population. "A rerource fd the coaununily!" 1993 1994 1993 1994 % Change HOMICIDE 1 2 0.04 0.07 96.7 RAPE 3 5 0.11 0.18 63.9 ROBBERY 12 13 0.44 0.47 6.5 AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 50 38 1.84 1.38 -25.3 TOTAL VIOLENT 66 58 2.43 2.1 -13.6 RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY 112 99 4.13 3.59 -13.1 COMMERCIAL BURGLARY 51 41 1.88 1.48 -21 VEHICLE BURGLARY 46 88 1.69 3.19 88.1 GRAND THEFT 61 52 2.25 4.83 1.88 5.32 -16.2 10.3 PETTY THEFT 1 31 147 AUTO THEFT 44 43 1.62 1.56 -3.9 ARSON 8 0.29 0.11 -63.1 TOTAL PROPERTY 453 473 16.69 17.13 2.7 19.12 19.23 0.6 TOTAL PART 1 519 531 How Are Crimes Counted? The Department utilizes the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR). In this method, only crimes reported to the police are counted. The UCR provides a uniform method of classifying and reporting selected criminal offenses on a national as well as statewide basis. Not all crimes are counted nationwide. In order to maintain consistency across jurisdictional boundaries, government agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Bureau of Crime Statistics, have collected selected offenses from all law enforcement agencies. These crimes are specifically defined and were selected because of their seriousness and frequency of occurrence. Part I crimes are divided into two sections: violent and property. Violent crimes include homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crimes include burglary, thefts. and arson. Other crimes fall into a category called Part II crimes. The % Change column represents the change in figures fron 1993 to 1994, adjusted for the change in Moorpark's population. "A rerource fd the coaununily!" Emergency Demand for Deputy Deputy Demand is a means of counting the number of specific incidents where a citizen requests that an officer respond. They range from emergency calls to requests for public service. Typically, emergency calls require two or more deputies to respond, while report calls necessitate only one. We obviously place a higher priority on emergency calls and deputies are dispatched to them regardless of other calls that have been pending. Demand does not include officer initiated activity, such as traffic citations, investigative stops, O special enforcement, or public relations contacts. Total Demand in 1994 decreased slightly, after having risen 4% from 1992. Demand was 7597 in 1992, 7878 Rin 1993 and 7626 in 1994 (down 3.2 %). However, emergency Demand has risen dramatically. We experienced a 65% rise in this category of calls, from 296 to 484. This may be attributable to several factors, one of which would be a reclassification by nj Sheriffs Dispatch of all domestic disturbance calls to the emergency category. The other factor might also be �l the increased public sensitivity to domestic violence as a result of increased media scrutiny and, specifically, the O.J. Simpson case publicity. For the entire Sheriffs Department, Demand for domestic incidents grew from 12% to 56% of the total emergency Demand. Because emergency calls necessitate at least two deputies to respond, and take longer to resolve (average range is 55.7 to 69.2 minutes each), other pending calls typically wait a longer period for a deputy to arrive. SWe also look at the Demand for deputies from the perspective of how long it will generally take a deputy to arrive at the scene of an emergency call after the dispatch center has been notified. We study that by looking at the range of time it takes to respond to 95% of the calls. After establishing that range, we can say that in T 95% of all emergency calls, a deputy will arrive within that specified range. In 2.5% of the cases, the deputy will arrive before the range and 2.5% will have a deputy arrive after the range. A 1994 Emergency response range 5.7 to 7.1 minutes 1993 Emergency response range 4.2 to 7.4 minutes It appears that we are taking a slightly longer period of time to respond to emergency calls. This is in T proportion to the increased numbers of emergency Demand calls, which require more deputies to handle and which take up more deputy time to resolve. IDomestic Violence As mentioned above, we have experienced an increased Demand to handle domestic violence incidents in S 1994. Demand includes both domestic violence crimes and domestic incidents. Incidents are those situations where a domestic argument may have occurred, or it may have been perceived as having occurred. Domestic incidents are not crimes. Domestic violence crimes are situations where a spousal battery has occurred. TSpousal battery is a felony. The crime defines those situations where a spouse, cohabitating partner or co- parent is injured as the result of an intentional assault by their partner. When deputies respond to domestic calls and they find an injured party, regardless of the degree of the injury, they must arrest. IIn many domestic incidents, a spouse is assaulted but not injured. these cases are misdemeanors and require that the victim place the offending spouse under citizen's arrest With the increased public awareness of domestic violence, it may be that victims are more likely to report the crime to law enforcement. Additionally, victims of simple assault may be more willing to request prosecution and will make a citizen's arrest as a means to prevent future incidents that could then result in serious injury. SIt is important to note that both homicides in Moorpark in 1094 were domestic violence cases. Domestic Incidents 1994 65 1993 33 Domestic Crimes 1994 58 1993 39 16 Our Response to Gangs The Moorpark Police Department has made a commitment to the community to proactively deal with gang members and their criminal behavior. We have a "zero tolerance" for criminal behavior and we will arrest gang members whenever we have the probable cause to do so. We also work closely with probation officials to monitor gang members and to ensure that they comply with the court ordered terms and conditions of their probation. Deputies document any probation violations and forward the reports to the probation officers who then present them to the Court to show how a gang member is intentionally disregarding the Court's orders The key factor in having an effective gang intervention program is the patrol detail. Street deputies in Moorpark know who the gang members are and they know the individual probation terms for each of the gang members. We have selected several experienced deputies to mentor the newer deputies in order to teach them how to deal with gang incidents and gang members. These "mentor" deputies comprise our Gang Detail. Sr. Dep. Ron Nelson heads up the detail. Deputies Jose Lopez, Allen Devers and Jerry Gomez assist him. Among all of the officers in Moorpark, Dep. Devers made the most contacts with gang members in 1994. Dep. Lopez was instrumental in preparing an easy to use chart listing specific probation terms of each of the gang members. Cadets Juan Ponce and Debbie Runkle assisted the gang detail by tracking all of our statistics. In 1994 we had a significant increase in the monitoring of gang members and a reduction in gang incidents. 1994 Gang Data Substance Abuse Enforcement Gang Incidents are crimes committed by gang members (acting as a gang), reported gang graffiti and incidents (such as distur- bances) where no crime occurred, but the deputy felt it was significant enough to document. Gang contacts are the individual contacts of gang members, either through the completion of a Field Interview (FI) card or by documen- tation in an official report. Violations of Probation reports are written documents that identify how a gang member on probation violated their probation, even if no criminal offense occurred. We recognize the benefits of maintaining a proactive approach in policing in order to reduce criminal activity within the community. Experience has shown that there is a direct correlation between substance abuse and crime. With this in mind, we have made every effort to ensure that our patrol officers are given the training and tools that will enable them to investigate people who are using narcotics. Our emphasis on narcotics enforcement has resulted in a signifi- cant increase in arrests. Since many of our property type crimes are the result of substance abuse, this means that our deputies are addressing the root causes of crime, and are not .just treating the symptoms. The role of law enforcement is to prevent crime and to investigate those who commit crimes. As just one part of the criminal justice system, we work to enhance public safety. People who are arrested for narcotic abuse are referred to the court system, which then can make a decision to incarcerate or to assist in rehabilitation. In this manner, we believe that we can not only aid in public safety, but we may be helping people to move onto the road to recovery. 1993 1994 Under the influence arrests: 93 125 (50% increase) Possession and sales arrests: ,7 49 (32% increase) "A resource to the community!" GANG VOID GANG GANG INCIDENTS REPORTS CONTACTS ARRESTS 1994 57 155 1139 269 ( -29 %) ( +26 %) ( +36 %) (-52 %) 1993 80 115 836 177 1992 193 205 509 N/A Substance Abuse Enforcement Gang Incidents are crimes committed by gang members (acting as a gang), reported gang graffiti and incidents (such as distur- bances) where no crime occurred, but the deputy felt it was significant enough to document. Gang contacts are the individual contacts of gang members, either through the completion of a Field Interview (FI) card or by documen- tation in an official report. Violations of Probation reports are written documents that identify how a gang member on probation violated their probation, even if no criminal offense occurred. We recognize the benefits of maintaining a proactive approach in policing in order to reduce criminal activity within the community. Experience has shown that there is a direct correlation between substance abuse and crime. With this in mind, we have made every effort to ensure that our patrol officers are given the training and tools that will enable them to investigate people who are using narcotics. Our emphasis on narcotics enforcement has resulted in a signifi- cant increase in arrests. Since many of our property type crimes are the result of substance abuse, this means that our deputies are addressing the root causes of crime, and are not .just treating the symptoms. The role of law enforcement is to prevent crime and to investigate those who commit crimes. As just one part of the criminal justice system, we work to enhance public safety. People who are arrested for narcotic abuse are referred to the court system, which then can make a decision to incarcerate or to assist in rehabilitation. In this manner, we believe that we can not only aid in public safety, but we may be helping people to move onto the road to recovery. 1993 1994 Under the influence arrests: 93 125 (50% increase) Possession and sales arrests: ,7 49 (32% increase) "A resource to the community!" L 0 0 K I N G B A C K January Sr. Dep. Tumbleson and several Explorer cadets spend a Saturday at Mountain Meadow School fingerprinting kids for their parents' records. 150 youngsters are printed and 100 bicycles are engraved with a parent's driver's license number. February Our second Emergency Medical Technician training class begins. Five deputies and three municipal employees participate. Pruner Health Services provides the instructors at no charge to the City as part of their community outreach program. Three Moorpark residents participate in the Citizen Acad- emy, sponsored by the Thousand Oaks Police Department and East County Police Services Division. This program gives interested residents an in -depth look at how the Sheriffs Department operates. Participants tour most of the Sheriff Department facilities as well as ride -a -long with patrol deputies. March The Neighborhood Watch Crime Alert phone line is activated for the first time. The Community Services Officer records a short message regarding significant criminal activity or crime trends in various parts of the city. Residents can call in and select that part of the community that they are interested in hearing about. Crime Alert encourages residents to become more aware of what is happening in their neighborhoods so that we can all "Take a bite out of Crime " April The EMT class graduates. Each of the Moorpark deputies and munici- pal employees are provided with an emergency medical kit that con- tains the equipment they were trained to use to help save lives. Deputies Craig Smith, Kent Adlof and Ron Nelson are promoted to Senior Deputy and transferred to their new assignments in the Detention Services Division. Dep. Don Aguilar was selected as the 1994 Officer of the Year for the Moorpark Police Department. He was recognized by Sheriff Larry Carpenter at a ceremony hosted by the Rotary Club of Moorpark. Dep. Aguilar was given the award because of his outstanding work, especially when dealing with gang members. This award also coin- cided with his promotion to Senior Deputy. (See photo on facing page) May Marty Rouse is promoted to Lieutenant and remains in Moor- park. Lt. Geoff Dean moves on to a new administrative job in the Detention Services Division. Deputy Larry Bull is selected as our misdemeanor detective. June Sgt. Wm. T. (Terry) Hughes is brought on board as the Detective Sergeant. This is Terry's second assignment in Moorpark, having served as the Administrative Sergeant 8 years ago Sgt. Parks borrows the Camarillo PD radar display trailer for a tnal run on Moorpark streets. The trailer provides a large visual notice to passing motorists of their speed. Drivers can then compare their speed with the attached speed limit sign. This is a positive means to remind motorists to slow down and drive safely. The trailer is a success, resulting in a number of residents calling in to recommend that Moorpark purchase their own trailer. Lt. Rouse begins intensive plan- ning for the opening of a "store- front" police office in the down- town area. August We receive the Moorpark milk caps (FOGS) and begin distribut- ing them to local children. Our POGS are the first ever used in the Sheriffs Department. They are an immediate hit with the youngsters and the deputies who pass them out. Dep. Albert Miramontes is selected as our newest commercial vehicle enforcement officer and heads out for two weeks of training with the CHP. September Sr. Dep. Tumbleson and Dep. Jody Keller -Smith begin training the 17 citizen volunteers who will staff the new downtown Resource Center when it opens in October. October The grand opening for the Re- source Center was a success. Held in conjunction with Moorpark Country Days, the opening was well attended. Many residents dropped by during the day to check out the facility. A number even signed up to help out as volunteers for the Resource Center. 18 The Country Days parade and street faire on High Street was well -run and we had no problems. The commu- nity enjoyed a great parade and a pleasant afternoon visiting under the pepper trees on High Street. Lt. Rouse joins with Thousand Oaks to prepare a grant request to seek state funding of a deputy to enforce Alcoholic Beverage Control laws. The officer would both educate local business owners and conduct stings to ensure that minors are not able to purchase alcohol. The Roamin' Relics car club held their annual car show in Moorpark this year. Almost 300 cars and trucks, along with commercial vendors, spread out along the entire length of High Street. The police department established a site and traffic plan for the event, ensuring the best use of downtown streets. The event was very popular, attract- ing participants and spectators from throughout Southern California. The beauty of High Street was a real enhancement to the event and the club plans to repeat it next year in Moorpark. December Moorpark's new radar display trailer arrived. It will be outfitted with a sign that invites residents to call us to request that the trailer be used on streets that they are concerned about the speeds of passing vehicles. The trailer will be ready for daily use in January 1995. Moorpark deputies helped to identify several needy families in town who would be candidates to receive a visit from "Santa," delivering food and toys just before Christmas. This is a long running program that deputies and staff from throughout the Sheriffs Department organize to bring some joy to others during the holidays. Acknowledgments We would like to thank all of the personnel who worked in the Moorpark Police Department in 1994 for being part of "The Team!" In addition to the people listed on page 2, the following individuals worked here during the %ear Sr. Dep Kent Adlof Cadet Jeff Brooks Sr Dep Tim Cowgill Lt Geoff Dean CLU student Richard Elias Sgt. Jern Hernandez Sr. Dep Steve Lengyel CL,U student Gloria Sanchez Sr. Dep C raig Smith Dep. Randy Watkins Dep. Gregg Willson We would also like to thank the following people for their help in preparing the Annual Repot Vern C'o( K Research and Analysis Manager for the Ventura County Sheriffs Department Stack tinot� Sheriffs Department Statistician Glenn (,iossnian Technical Reserve Deputy and photographer This report was designed and written by Sgt. Keith Parks. "14 resource lo 1he community!"