16 - Laserfiche WebLink

Adult Community Engagement Programming. Adult programming takes the form of the Citizen's Police Academy (CPA) and Volunteer in Police Services (VIPS). The CPA is designed to strengthen relationships with the community through education and exposure to law enforcement. Dating back to 2000, the CPA has become an educational fixture at the police department and covers topics such as patrol, K-9, crime prevention, and use of force. This 15-week program offers a rare, in-depth learning experience for community members to meet with the police department, learn from subject matter experts and engage in productive Q&A sessions. As a supplement to the curriculum, activities include a guided tour of Santa Rita Jail and hands-on training with a force options simulator. Upon completion of the CPA, graduates are able to apply to the Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS) program. VIPS is another component of community policing and has been a vital part of the department since 1999. Volunteers are a force multiplier providing patrol officers more flexibility, faster response times, and more time to conduct investigations by handling calls that embrace the department's service-oriented philosophy but do not require the attention of a police officer. Our 19 volunteers are essential to the department's focus on community outreach. Volunteers can regularly be seen at community events as well as performing vacation checks at houses, assisting with searches for missing persons or with traffic control. Volunteers also assist with criminal investigations, records, background checks, and the juvenile diversion program. The dedicated women and men in the VIPS program donate over 6,000 hours each year which represents a monetary value of over $163,000 to the City of Pleasanton. Like most of our programs, the volunteers have seen limited duty due to COVID-19 and the returned to service on July 28. Social Media. The police department's communication and engagement on social media has grown in recent years. As of July, 2021 the department has over 15,000 followers on Facebook, 9,300 on Twitter and over 4,800 on Instagram. Additionally, the department is active on NextDoor. By using these resources, the police department quickly and easily relays information to the public and media. Overall, the Department is careful to maintain a thoughtful and intentional cadence, so the public remains informed and empowered with important information. The Department also follows other social media accounts to be aware of posts from the public that may impact public safety or have misinformation about an incident involving the police department. A recent example occurred when someone posted officers were involved in a shootout after a vehicle pursuit. In reality, there were no shots fired by the suspect or officers and officers arrested the suspect without incident. The department quickly dispelled this misinformation, and the post was deleted shortly thereafter. In addition to the above-described programming, the department also hosts several community engagement events throughout the year. In 2020, prior to the pandemic, the Pleasanton Police Department hosted a Coffee with the Cop. Unfortunately, all other events were canceled due to safety precautions. For 2021, the Pleasanton Police Page 4 of 11