Thousand Oaks City Watch Alert - May 1, 2008

Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Deputy Jim DeSoto of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you are interested in receiving these updates directly from him via email, click here for more information.

Greetings to everyone:

I apologize for not sending out an e-mail recently but other commitments have kept me away from my desk. I still receive quite a few messages on my work phone regarding suspicious persons, vehicles, or other incidents that are in progress. Please, call the Sheriff’s Communications Center (805-654-9511) for all calls that are in progress.

My partner, Dennis, and I give talks frequently to many Neighborhood Watch areas, churches, social groups, etc. During the course of our talks, many good questions are asked about the Thousand Oaks Police Department so I want to share some of the resources we provide our city that you may or may not be aware of.

First, we have an excellent program with our Volunteers in Policing (VIPs). These people help us immensely by helping reduce the workload of our deputies in order to free them to respond to other calls for service. The VIPs assist with report writing, traffic control during accidents, vacation home security, home security surveys, and most importantly they are extra eyes that help make us a safer community.

If you or someone you know is going on vacation, you can arrange to have the VIPs periodically check the status of your house while you are away. This will help ensure proper safety measures are taken before you leave and that the security of your residence is maintained while you are enjoying your vacation. Another great service the VIPs provide is the home security survey. The VIPs are trained to evaluate your home in regards to locks, landscaping, lighting, fencing, etc. in order that your residence presents a burglar resistant target. For more information on these services or to become a VIP, please call 805-449-2760.

The Thousand Oaks Police Department offers two collaborative ways for the public to come together with the community. First, we have a citizen’s academy where you attend once a week and learn about the department on topics such as patrol procedures, narcotics, internal affairs, SWAT and bomb teams, and the canine unit. These are only a few of the areas covered and at the same time you will be able to ask questions to the experts while meeting the various members of police department including the police chief and other management personnel within the department. It is a great way to truly learn about law enforcement and the different components that make the Thousand Oaks Police Department one of the best agencies around. For more information about attending the citizen’s academy, please call 805-449-2760.

We also have a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) that is comprised of local, dedicated residents who devote their expertise, time, resources, and energy in order to help you, your neighbors, and the Conejo Valley in times of emergencies. Members get the needed training to become a part of a well-organized, disciplined, and professional team. I invite you to attend the DART meetings that are open to the public and held at 7pm on every fourth Thursday of the month at the Thousand Oaks Police Station. Before becoming a team member of DART, you will go through prerequisite training regarding the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This training is to equip and prepare you to help manage areas in mass casualties, fire suppression, medical triage, and disaster psychology. For more information on becoming a DART member please call 805-373-2316 or 805-371-8362 or go to the DART website at www.todart.org.

All have a great weekend,

Take care,

Jim (DeSoto)