Community policing initiatives took the forefront for the City of California Police Department in 2015. Chief Mike Ward believes in the positive work his officers are performing. "The goal of the California Police Department is to serve its citizens," Ward said. "Our focus is building relationships and supporting programs to assist the residents of our community."
In 2015, the deportment launched a mass text alert system through Nixle. The purpose of this system is to allow real-time communication to citizens for general information such as road closures to more critical situations.
This was the first year safety training was offered for local day care facilities. The department continues to offer security training for banks. Through the Business watch program, classes are offered to local businesses on a variety of topics such as workplace violence, loss prevention and fraud. Site surveys are also offered to help businesses assess safety concerns. The Night Eyes program is still in full force.
A MedReturn box is located in the police department and is available for citizens to safely dispose of unwanted prescription drugs.Vacation Watch is a service where officers check a residence during periods of owner absence.
Another strong focus for the year was officer training. Officers participate in monthly in-house training on a variety of topics. Additionally, officers attended numerous specialized training seminars or schools throughout the year. Three officers attended crisis intervention training. This is designed to better equip officers on how to handle situations dealing with the mentally ill.
Chief Ward is proud of the accomplishments of 2015, but looks forward to the coming year. "For a department of our size, we are proud to offer citizens the array of programs and services," he said. The department is at full staff with eight full-time law enforcement personnel. There are also three reserve officers.
In 2016, Ward plans to add to the Business Watch program as well as launch a women's self-defense class.