Category Archives: Community Outreach

Community Outreach

Tip A Cop Set For Thursday

Please join us as we raise money for the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The Tip A Cop event will take place on Thursday, July 23 at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant located at 2029 South Padre Island Drive from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Officers and Firefighters will be there to accept your donations.

All donations and t-shirt sales will go directly to the local Special Olympics office.

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Pink Law Enforcement Touch Run shirts for sale

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Grey Law Enforcement Touch Run shirts for sale

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Police Officers will be on hand to serve dinner plates

fire

Fire Fighters will be on hand to serve dinner plates

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Thanks to the Texas Roadhouse for hosting this event

 

 

Community Outreach, Traffic Safety Division

Friday Fun Fact

The Corpus Christi Police provides information about the Texas Transportation Code as a Friday Fun Fact as a public education campaign.

Sometimes Officers find vehicles, particularly motorcycles, parked in an area of a parking lot that is painted with yellow strips. These “zones” or “architectural improvements” are specifically marked to prohibit vehicles from parking in that location. Such markings most often are to provide an area for handicapped accessibility, either next to the parking space or the end of a sidewalk ramp so that wheelchairs have room to navigate. Don’t park in those areas with the stripes as that can get you the most expensive parking ticket issued by law enforcement, a Handicapped Parking violation.

The Texas Transportation Code section 681.011 (c) states the prohibition as; “(c) A person commits an offense if the person stands a vehicle so that the vehicle blocks an architectural improvement designed to aid persons with disabilities, including an access aisle or curb ramp.”

Most importantly, when you park your vehicle, provide some room and courtesy for those who need it.

The Texas Transportation Code Section 681.011 prohibits parking in architectural improvements such as a painted zone to allow handicap accessibility.
The Texas Transportation Code Section 681.011 prohibits parking in architectural improvements such as a painted zone to allow handicap accessibility.
Charlie District, Community Outreach, Delta District, Patrol Division

Patrol Report July 10, 2015

Delta District

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2015, 13:30
Location: 3008 Highland Avenue
Offense: Burglary of a Building (Penal Code Section 30.02) State Jail Felony
Case Number: 1507090077

Corpus Christi Police arrested two men for burglary Thursday at 1:30 in the afternoon after alert witnesses saw unusual activity at a closed snack bar on Highland Avenue and called Police.

Officers arrived at the Julia’s Snack Bar and saw two men leave the building from the roof, and the men ran from the Officers. The Officers chased and captured both men and arrested 26-year-old Rudy Alba (6/5/1989) and 26-year-old Francisco Zuniga (4/6/1989) for burglary of a building and evading arrest. Both men were then delivered to the city detention center.

Charlie District

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2015, 16:31
Location: 4710 Ayers Street
Offense: Burglary of a Building (Penal Code Section 30.02)
Case Number: 1507090120

Corpus Christi Police arrested 33-year-old Daniel Luna (5/28/1982) for burglary of a building at 4710 Ayers Street Thursday after a battery shop owner told Officers he caught Luna in the act.

A 47-year-old man reported a burglary to Corpus Christi Police at 4:30pm Thursday afternoon at a battery shop that was open for business. The 47-year-old man told Officers he went to the back storage area of the business that is not accessible for the public and found an unknown man loading batteries into a truck without permission. The 47-year-old man pointed out the unknown man who had left the building and travelled away from the business and Officers contacted Luna. Luna was arrested for burglary to a building and delivered to the city detention center.

Community Outreach

Crime Stoppers Rewards Available For Those Who Want It

Vertical color Crime Stoppers logo 2015The Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers has rewards available for collection for those who want the cash.

The Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers approved eight rewards this past four weeks for the apprehension of fugitives and drugs. The rewards are for anonymous tips which apprehended 34-year-old Mary Martinez on the 6000 block of Bobtail Drive who was a fugitive for an assault related to case number 15002662. A person called in to Crime Stoppers to complain about a drug house on the 3800 block of Caravelle Parkway which resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Henry Munoz (4/16/1984) for the possession of over 2 ounces of marijuana in case #1506050109. Three fugitives were featured on the Crime Stoppers Wheel of Shame: 29-year-old Felicia Felan (12/27/1985) (Case #15002958); 26-year-old Jessica Garza (10/19/1988)(Case #15003115); and 24-year-old Mark Salinas (4/15/1991)(Case #15003146) and apprehended by Crime Stoppers tips so the reward was increased for those fugitives. A suspect was identified for stealing jewelry with case number 1506010107. Crime Stoppers tips also located two fugitives, Daniel Fretwell (case #1506300147 wanted for probation violation) and Sylvia Rincon (Case #1500350) who was wanted for fraud.

Thank you to all who called Crime Stoppers to provide tips in an effort to make Corpus Christi a safer community. Crime Stoppers knows there are many reasons a person needs to keep their identity secret when providing information to law enforcement such as that the suspect in the crime may be a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker, or some dynamic which subjects a tipster to retaliation. Rewards are offered by Crime Stoppers in order to overcome apathy and to appeal to a segment of the community who are normally unwilling hostile to communicate with law enforcement. Crime Stoppers guarantees to keep the identity of the tipster secret.

Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization not funded by tax dollars and gains funds for operating expenses and rewards solely by donations and the organization is operated by volunteers.

Anyone with information about an unsolved crime should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Information which leads to an arrest may earn the tipster a cash reward. Anyone who believes they provided a tips that is eligible for a reward should call 888-TIPS on Thursdays to check the status of their tip. If the tipster is due a reward, they will be provided instructions how to collect the cash reward which keeps their identity secret through the entire process.

Community Outreach, Criminal Investigations Division

Police Want Public Help to Catch Fugitive for Arson

Valerie Vela (July 2, 1981) Wanted for Arson
Valerie Vela (July 2, 1981)
Wanted for Arson

The Corpus Christi Police would like help from the public to locate a fugitive who is wanted for arson. Valerie Vela (7/2/1981) has a warrant for her arrest for Arson and her last known address was on the 500 block of Elmore Drive in Corpus Christi. Vela is described as a 34-year-old female, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 140 pounds, with brown hair that extends past her shoulders, and brown eyes.

Anyone who can help law enforcement to locate Vela should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at http://www.888TIPS.com. Crime Stoppers guarantees to keep the identity of the caller secret and if the information leads to Vela’s arrest, it could earn the caller a cash reward.

Community Outreach

Brother Shoots Brother on Ohio Street

Date: July 8, 2015    10:30 pm 

Location: 800 Ohio Street 

Charge: Aggravated Assault 

Case Number: 1507080150

Just before 10:30 pm Corpus Christi Police responded to a call for a shooting in the backyard of a home located in the 800 block of Ohio Street. 

 When Officers  arrived they found a 55 year old male victim with a single gunshot wound to his chest.    They also found the victims 58 year old brother in the backyard. The investigation revealed that the older brother shot the younger brother with a handgun.  The weapon used  was recovered in the backyard by Officers.  

The victim was transported to Spohn Memorial Hospital by CCFD EMS. When he arrived at the hospital he was being combative with hospital staff and Officers.  At this time his injuries do not appear to be life threatening. 

The older brother was taken into custody and faces aggravated assault charges.  

At this time no motive for the shooting has been determined and Officers continue to investigate this crime.

Community Outreach, Criminal Investigations Division

Don’t Let Scammers Have Your Money

The Corpus Christi Police Department wants to inform citizens about scams occurring over the phone that request money.

The police department continues to investigate reports from victims that send “money grams” to suspects who call them over the phone with a scam.  A MoneyGram is an electronic money transfer sent from one party to another through the MoneyGram network. The sending party can initiate a money transfer online or in person from any MoneyGram location. The receiving party is then able to collect the transfer as cash.

The suspects who call usually request that the victims purchase a “money gram” and then send them the information.  Once the victim gives the suspect the money gram information they are able to obtain cash. Victims are not able to get a refund on these types of purchases.

The suspects use different types of the following scams to get money from victims.

The Grant Scam.  A suspect will call a victim and tell them that they have been awarded a grant in a large amount of money.  The scammer will then tell them that they need to send a “money gram” in order to process the grant and have it awarded to them.  In one report a women sent over $3000 in different amounts in hopes of securing a $9000 grant from scammers.  She was called several different times in a few days and told to send “money grams” to various people in different amounts.  After sending the money, she was never awarded the grant

The Prize Scam: A scammer will call telling you that you have won a prize and in order to claim the prize you will need to send them money.

The IRS Scam: A scammer will call telling you that you owe money to the Internal Revenue Service and to avoid being arrested by the IRS you will need to send them money.

The Relative Scam: A scammer will call telling you that they are a relative and that they have been injured, jailed or kidnapped and need you to send them money.

The Corpus Christi Police Department wants to warn citizens that these types of crimes are occurring in our city and remind people to protect their money.  Do not send money grams to anyone who has contacted you over the phone without investigating who is receiving your money. Anytime anyone ask you to send them money to secure a grant, prize, or lottery winnings it is a scam.  The Internal Revenue Service will never contact you by phone to collect taxes owed. A formal letter will be sent to you or an IRS Agent will visit with you in person.  If a person claiming to be a relative calls you asking for a money gram to be sent to them for an emergency, contact other family members to try and verify this story and never make quick decisions without investigating for yourself.

Community Outreach, Traffic Safety Division

First Friday Fun Fact

The Corpus Christi Police Department will begin a campaign called “First Friday Fun Fact” that will focus on different Texas traffic laws.  It will run on the first Friday of each month. 

TURNING LEFT OVER DOUBLE-YELLOW LINES
One of the biggest misconceptions in the arena of lane markings is the meaning of the double-yellow line with regards to left turns.  A double-yellow line simply means “no passing”; it does not prohibit left turns.  In fact, you are specifically permitted by statute to turn left over double yellow lines:

PASSING TO THE LEFT:  PASSING ZONES

(b)  An operator may not drive on the left side of the roadway in a no-passing zone or on the left side of any pavement striping designed to mark a no-passing zone.  This subsection does not prohibit a driver from crossing pavement striping, or the center line in a no-passing zone marked by signs only, to make a left turn into or out of an alley or private road or driveway.

Additional information
There is an exception to the above rule: if there are two sets of double-yellow lines, you may not cross over at all, including for left turns.  These areas are defined as “flush median islands.”  As such, they have the same purpose and function as a physical traffic island and are legally enforceable as a “dividing space.”  (see below.)  These areas often also have diagonal hash markings to help emphasize that they’re off-limits.

 

Community Outreach, Patrol Division, Traffic Safety Division

Phlebotomist On Duty Starting Tonight

The Fourth of July holiday often leads to an increase in the number of Driving While Intoxicated arrests made by the Corpus Christi Police Department.

We want everyone to enjoy the festivities of the Fourth of July holiday and ask that you act responsibly by not drinking and driving in our city. All drivers should avoid the risk of arrest, incarceration or tragedy that is associated with driving while intoxicated. In an effort to assist law enforcement agencies in the investigation of suspected intoxicated drivers, the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office will provide a trained phlebotomist at the City of Corpus Christi Detention Center from 10pm to 4am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

The Corpus Christi Police Department remains a “no refusal” agency all of the time. However during this holiday period, when a trained phlebotomist is at the CDC, our officers will not have to take suspects to the hospital in order to get a blood sample. This will make the DWI investigation more efficient and will get our officers back on the street much quicker.

Community Outreach

Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers Release Second Quarter Statistics for 2015

The Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers has the statistical report for the second quarter for 2015 to provide to the public.

There have been 1,167 calls to Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers in 2015 which have resulted in 69 arrests and $28,800 dollars in rewards approved. There have been 49 fugitives apprehended as a result of Crime Stoppers tips in Corpus Christi. There have been $1,000 dollars worth of property recovered, and $1,580 dollars worth of narcotics seized because of tips from the public to the Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers.

Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization operated by volunteers in the community to provide information to Police about unsolved crimes. Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers guarantees that anyone who calls Crime Stoppers will remain completely anonymous for their protection, so the caller will never be known to the criminal, never be compelled to appear in court, and not be subject to investigation. Crime Stoppers offers rewards to overcome the challenge of apathy and as a tool to provide incentive for those who are not willing to communicate with law enforcement. The rewards and operating expenses are entirely from donations and no tax dollars go toward the Crime Stoppers program.

Anyone with any information about an unsolved crime or knows the location of a fugitive should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at www.888TIPS.com. Anyone who would like to donate to Crime Stoppers can find out more at the website or visit the Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers facebook page. Crime Stoppers is the link between law enforcement, the media, and the public in an effort to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, and enhance public safety.