Excellent Proactive Policing
SCPD Officer Albert's self-initiated vehicle investigation recovers stolen car, bike, and arrests suspect on the spot. Great job!

Monday, 4/23/2018, in the eastside neighborhood near Branciforte and Fairmount, SCPD arrested Benjamin Smith, 22 years old from Santa Cruz who was in this stolen BMW.

When ordered to get out of the car, Smith exited through the sunroof. The car battery was dead which disabled the doors from opening. Smith had popped out the glass sunroof of the BMW to get in and out of the vehicle.

Mr. Smith also had in his possession a high end a stolen bicycle valued at over $3,000.00.

At the time of this arrest for auto theft, possession of stolen property and vandalism (damage to sunroof), Mr. Smith was on parole for prior theft-related charges.
#NeighborhoodPolicing #GreatPoliceWork #ProactiveCops

Another One For SCPD Facebook Force

Requesting assistance from the community in identifying a suspect who assaulted a store employee with a skateboard when confronted for shoplifting.

On Sunday, April 22, 2018, around 6:50 pm at the Outdoor World store on River Street, the suspect shown in the attached photos (wearing a black t-shirt and gray hat) was stealing items in the store. When a store employee asked the suspect to return the items, the suspect threatened and then struck the employee in the face with a skateboard.

The Santa Cruz Police Department is actively investigating this case #18S-03087. Anyone with information regarding this suspect is encouraged to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department (831) 420-5820. Anonymous tips can be sent through our Tip Line (831) 420-5995 or www.santacruzpolice.com.

De-escalation Success
SPCD Officers put into action de-escalation tactics. A recent example of an officer successfully defusing a potentially violent situation happened last night. Officers responded to the 300 block of Jesse Street for a man brandishing a gun and in a state of anger and distress.

This individual wanted to stage a standoff with the police. Fortunately, a family member was able to convince him to remove the gun from his waistband before leaving the residence to confront the responding officers. SCPD Officers met him outside and were able to negotiate with and convince the suspect to calm down.

Due to the officer's calm demeanor in establishing rapport, the subject shared that he wanted to commit "suicide by cop."

We are grateful to the relative who supported SCPD in persuading the man to relinquish the gun. The Airsoft replica Barretta handgun looks and feels exactly like a real handgun.

SCPD is committed to providing excellent training to our officers for de-escalating situations with people in crisis.

Happy #EarthDay! Let’s work together to respect and protect our planet 🌎 We are all so lucky to call this place home. #ProtectAndServe #EarthDay2018 #misstheparks

A+ Fastball! You still got it LT. Escalante
Thank you to @SJGiants for honoring Hometown Heroes on #FirstResponders Night! And a big thanks to @Alliance_CU for sponsoring the event. #WayToGo

Officer DeOcampo Delivers the 411 - TIPS TO PREVENT MAIL THEFT
#MailTheft #IdentityTheft #ThatsNotNice
• Do not leave outgoing mail in an unlocked mailbox.
• Use the letter slots inside the local Post Office for your mail, or hand it to a letter carrier.
• Do deposit mail at your local post office, especially if you are sending checks or documents with sensitive personal information.
• Promptly pick up your incoming mail once it is delivered to your mailbox.
• Purchase a locked mailbox or convert your unlocked box to the lockable type.
• Arrange for your mail to be delivered to a Post Office Box (P. O. Box).
• Consider having regular income checks deposited electronically right into your bank account via direct deposit. It’s easy, and in most cases, it’s free.
• Never send cash or coins through the mail. Always send a check or money order, and don’t forget to drop it off for delivery at the post office.
• Immediately notify the post office and mailers if you change your address.
• If you are going on vacation, notify the post office, or have a trusted friend or neighbor pick up your mail promptly after delivery.
• Be observant of activities on your street, including those near your letter carrier, his or her postal vehicle, residential mailboxes, and collection boxes.
• If you see a mail thief at work or suspicious persons at or near your mailbox, call the police immediately.
• Anytime you see a suspicious person looking into mailboxes, report them (831-471-1131). Provide the dispatcher with what the suspect person looks like, what color and type of car they are driving, and any other information you obtain about them. Do not attempt to contact the suspicious person on your own and do not put yourself in danger to get information.
Ofc. DeOcampo's Tips To Protect Yourself From Mail Theft at SCPD Blog https://goo.gl/Zy8RjB