Some of our ideas included; advertising via social
media, having it mentioned at a City Council meeting
and posting flyers at local parks, and specifically the
city designated Dog Park.
• We purchased plastic dog bone shaped waste bags
with all of our contact information printed on the
outside. It helped to have a handout which would
not be thrown in the trash after the meeting. The
investment was worth it.
• Your local meeting will be attended by residents
and people who do business in the community
(professional dog walkers). Be prepared to have
this cross-section and anticipate differing questions
from each group. Also have your Press Information
Officer prepared to answer the same question. Stories
involving animals and the community tend to get a lot
of public interest.
• One you have the initial kick-off meeting, keep the
program going! There will be lots of energy and the
participants are going to speak with their neighbors
about it. There is going to be a strong desire from the
community to have another one in quick succession.
• If you live in an area impacted by coyotes and other
wildlife, be prepared to answer a lot of animal type
questions and teach your community on how to
protect their pets. In Laguna Beach, we were asked
questions about coyotes, bobcats, snakes and sea lions
(all in the same meeting). Animal Services Officers
are located within the police department, so we had
an Animal Services Officer on hand to intelligently
answer broader questions related to wildlife.
• We found that the meetings involving Dog
Walker Watch were less structured than the other
neighborhood presentations because people love their
pets and children. Get prepared to deviate from your
presentation to answer questions about threats to
either one.
Technology has changed our lives, and it can be a
struggle to get back to those face-to-face conversations
with the local community when everyone is staring
at their phone for instant information. In the age
of soundbites, we have discovered that these two
programs have helped us keep the face-to-face lines of
communication open and strong. ■
SPRING 2016 | California Police Chief
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