A Message from Community Relations Division Administrator Karen Owens:
 

A NEW YEAR BRINGS A NEW COMMUNITY RELATIONS

As most of you know, the City of Long Beach was challenged by significant budget reductions to all of its departments during the past year.  Within the Police Department, the Community Relations Division was impacted with the elimination of several community outreach positions.  The Division has also relocated to a smaller office in the same building, so please note that we are now located on the third floor of the SeaSpray Building at 333 W. Broadway, Suite #308. Our phone number remains the same at (562) 570-7215. 

Although these reductions have been challenging, they have also provided us with an opportunity to redesign some of our key community outreach programs to partner with the community in a more efficient manner.  We will also be utilizing new and innovative technologies to provide you with information regarding crime prevention and public safety.  The new “Crime Prevention Connection” newsletter format is one of those efforts. Our dynamo Webmaster, Erik Deck, is also modernizing our website, making it much more user-friendly. Among other improvements, you are now able to locate your neighborhood's reporting district on a map and look up your own crime statistics! Access to press releases, job opportunities and other information is at your fingertips. Take a look, at www.longbeach.gov/police

 

CRIME PREVENTION UNIT UPDATE

The Crime Prevention Unit now consists of Sergeant Paul Sanford and Police Services Specialist Lisa Massacani, who we are welcoming back as our Neighborhood Watch Program Coordinator.  Many of you may remember Lisa when she previously served as the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator from 2002 to 2007.  Lisa can be reached via email at Lisa_Massacani@longbeach.gov, or by calling (562) 570-7229.   The Neighborhood Watch Program remains the cornerstone to our efforts to partner with the community in preventing and reducing crime in our city.  For 2009, we have implemented a redesigned Neighborhood Watch format that combines program topics and allows us to reduce the number of required “core meetings” from four to two meetings.    

The division will no longer be coordinating separate Apartment Watch and Business Watch Programs, but will work to provide prevention and education materials on these topics upon request through the Neighborhood Watch Program.  Neighborhood Watch Sign installations have also been impacted by these fiscally challenging times.  Although we are still providing and installing the signs, it can take 6 months or longer to get the signs installed since they are now done by an outside contractor on a quarterly basis in geographically grouped batches.  We will keep you posted as new developments occur. 

On behalf of the Community Relations Division and the entire Police Department, we wish you and your families a safe, health and Happy New Year. I am confident that with your continued involvement, 2009 will be another great year for the Neighborhood Watch Program. Thank you for being part of our team!

LBPD TOY PATROL 2008... GREAT SUCCESS


The lack of staffing in the Community Relations Division did not hold us back from spreading some good holiday cheer! This year's drive was coordinated by Sergeant Paul Sanford, who coordinated dozens of toy pick-ups from individuals, groups, and businesses throughout the city who generously donated to this good cause. This year we collaborated with the Fire Department, and with the assistance of our kind and loyal volunteers who prepared, sorted, and bagged thousands of food and toys, many needy families enjoyed a hot meal on their table, and clothes and toys for their children. Special thanks to those that donated to the program, including the Neighborhood Watch groups that organized their own toy drives to contribute.

 

 

GOLD SHIELD RECOGNITION PROGRAM

The Neighborhood Watch Gold Shield Recognition Program was created to recognized individuals and groups, who, as participants of the Neighborhood Watch Program, have significantly contributed to the improvement of their neighborhood and community. Recognition should be given for the following Neighborhood Watch related efforts:

  • Significant accomplishments at the block or community level
  • Significant neighborhood or community improvements
  • Improving the quality of life for neighborhood residents
  • Helping other Neighborhood Watch groups
  • Significant efforts in supporting the Neighborhood Watch Program

Nominees must be members of an active Neighborhood Watch group, meaning the group has had at least two meetings on record for the year of 2008. The nominations will be judged by the Neighborhood Watch Advisory Group and the Community Relations Division. The winners will be recognized at the March Crime Prevention Meeting.

Click for Gold Shield Award Nomination Form

All entries are due by Thursday, February 5, 2009!

01-2009