05-2005 Newsletter - Laserfiche WebLink

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fflghfigLts Page 1 Mayor's Letter SBPD Initiatives City of South Bend Page 2 n Parks Season Preview Newsletter Commercial ComdorAllocation Weed& Seed Funding Building d Honoring Old Glory Fridays By the Fountain May 2005 Mayc'Steve Luacke Letter from the Mayor COMMUNErYOUI'REACH We are proud to announce that 2005 marks the •Under the umbrella of Community Oriented Policing(C.O.P.),the completion of the major renovation of the South SBPD reaches out to the commummity through Town Hall/ Bend Police Department(SBPD)Headquarters and Neighborhood meetings and Partnership Centers, as well as sponsoring Training Facility. specialized educational programs that strive to impact and serve the Building on the past and focusing on the entire range of our citizens'needs. Programs include the Citizens future,the SBPD's"state-of-the-art"facility Police Academy, Youth Recreation Program,Safetyville program- integrates cutting-edge technology and security teaching kids safety, and Liaison for Mental Health, Geriatrics and features. For example,it will provide space for Adult Protective Services. enhanced forensic laboratory work,including a • The SBPD Crime Prevention Unit conducts security surveys for ballistics lab and evidence gathering equipment. residents and businesses, sponsors Neighborhood Watch and the Its innovative design not only brings our local law successful South Bend Area Crime Stoppers program. Other programs enforcement capabilities into the 21"Century but include Grajjiti Blitz to paint over vandalized property,and attending also closer to achieving national accreditation. job fans/community gatherings for recruitment and education. The official dedication ceremony for the new SBPD Headquarters and Training Facility,to City COLLABORATION of South Bend residents,is planned for May. • Securing grants and other funding from the Department of Justice,the Officers and staff have had to endure much SBPD participates in the Cops in Schools program,placing law disruption throughout the long process,but it has enforcement mentors in our Intermediate and High Schools. Project been worth it. The renewed facility includes an Disarm teams local law enforcement with Federal ATE agents to lockup indoor shooting range, large classrooms, criminals with guns,and the Weed and Seed program helps re-build conference space, and better public access. The South Bend neighborhoods. facility matches the professionalism of our •In union with Robinson Learning Center,the SBPD is pleased to department,provides comfortable,efficient work support Cease Fire-South Bend, a community-based outreach program space,and will serve as a model training facility. modeled after a successful program in Chicago,and featuring a Each and every day,up to 350 men and women grassroots approach addressing incidents of violence in the community. of the SBPD-sworn officers and civilians alike- •The SBPD will also continue as stakeholders in important law dedicate themselves to protecting and serving the enforcement initiatives such as the St.Joseph County Metro Homicide citizens of South Bend through their combined Unit,Family Violence/Special Victims Unit,the St.Joseph County Anti- strengths of community,collaboration and Terrorism Task Force and the Metro Special Operations—Narcotics Unit. commitment(see box right). COMLn'17M]ENT Locally,responding to the needs in South • Volunteers play a special role in the SBPD's mission to promote public Bend's neighborhoods is ever-important.In this safety. The Civilian Volunteer Ojjicer, or CVO's,and the Volunteers in new em of law enforcement,community outreach is Policing, or VIP's,donate countless hours to help police by patrolling a priority,alongside partnerships with other neighborhoods and assisting with traffic and crowd control at organizations and law enforcement entities. With community events. this major expansion near completion,the SBPD • Joining more than 250 sworn officers,new officers join the SBPD will be able to lead a diversity of proactive annually through recruitment efforts geared to attract qualified strategies, as well as share resources and support individuals from all sectors of society. Enhanced tutoring and training for the greater good of the community. sessions have been initiated to assist applicants throughout the process. /6/ • SBPD's Training Department provided more than 27,000 hours of )(CI J(— training for officers,regional academy members and personnel in an ongoing commitment to providing the leading edge in delivery of law Stephen J.Luecke enforcement protection and services. Mayor Visit the City of South Bend online at www.ci.south-bend.in.us