172536_CPCA_2020_Spring Magazine - Final | Page 34

Placentia Police Department Experiences Resilient Community Partnerships During COVID By: Brad Butts Captain – Placentia Police Department A residential street lined with law enforcement vehicles in support of Joshy Like other law enforcement agencies across California, the Placentia Police Department (PPD) had to adapt to the COVID-19 threat, suspending non-essential policing services and public access targeted at keeping our community safe and the organization mission ready. Although necessary, we feared distancing and reducing non-essential services would isolate us from our community and reduce the participative relationship that we rely upon. However, we have discovered that our partnership with the community is resilient and we are encouraged from the care and support the community has shown to its first responders and for each other. We found collaboration increased during these challenging times. We want to highlight a few of these inspirational events. With the school district and police department being natural public safety partners, we continued to work with school staff through the COVID-19 school closure. One of the teachers from Placentia Elementary School hosts a live story time from her residence to her virtual classroom of special needs students. This dedicated teacher also happens to be a founder of the PPD Support Team, which is comprised of Placentia residents who provide meals and support to the members of the Department. As an advocate for law enforcement, she reached out to the Department to highlight National Police Week and to build student awareness for the many sacrifices law enforcement officers make. One of our Motor Officers volunteered for the detail. While she broadcasted live to her virtual classroom, the officer responded Code 3 onto her driveway. She introduced him as part of her lesson and the officer read the class a short story, titled “The Officer’s Ball.” He also engaged the class answering questions about our profession and all his intriguing police equipment. Since COVID -19 began, we have had an increase in requests for our officers to attend celebrations and community functions. Over the past two months we have attended over 30 birthday drive-by requests. We attended an incredibly special birthday for a child who had just returned home from the hospital on his 7th birthday. Joshy, the son of an Orange County area Police Corporal, was met with an overwhelming gathering of law enforce- Joshy’s birthday was heavily attended by Orange County law enforcement agencies. 34 CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEF | www.californiapolicechiefs.org