Have you ever thought about what emergencies a police officer may encounter on their shift? This is a portion of my inventory. This includes: paper reports (because computers inevitably fail); the patrol bag; a first aid kit; a fire extinguisher; road flares; traffic cones; spike strips; ticket book; sun screen, bug spray (known as the company cologne); extra batteries; crime scene tape; gloves; reflective traffic vest; and rain gear.

The patrol shift starts with roll call. This is a time when attendance is taken, inspections are conducted, short training sessions are instructed, and important events are discussed. The patrol officers interact with their supervisor to receive special instructions or become of crime trends, law updates, fugitive information and a variety of other police related tasks and information.

There are currently four patrol districts in the Corpus Christi City limits. Each district has a sub-station. Each district is divided into beats. One patrol officer is assigned a beat and the supervisor, at the grade of Lieutenant, is responsible for the shift that covers all the beats in one district.

The Corpus Christi Police have typically four shifts in a day so that shifts overlap to provide 2 officers on a beat to allow for transition for officers to end their work day. This is a system so that a beat is not left unattended while officers clock out and others clock in to work.

Welcome to the Corpus Christi Police Virtual Ride Along. This is the opportunity for you to witness police activity in real-time from the comfort of home. Messages, pictures and information will be sent out on Twitter at the address @CorpusChristiPD. We encourage your participation, so please ask questions as you follow the program. Be aware that the officer will be driving and responding to police work, so be patient if there is a delay for response to questions.

The officer with which you will witness is Officer Kirk Stowers. Officer Stowers entered the police academy in May 2002 and served on patrol until his transfer to the Public Information Office in March 2012.

Officer Stowers will be a part of the Corpus Christi Police Holiday Initiative today. The Holiday Initiative is a project from the police department each year to provide extra patrols to the densely populated shopping areas in order to direct traffic, reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, and to enhance public safety.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Virtual Ride Along!

Several Corpus Christi Police Officers delivered stuffed animals and “get well” cards to the children at the Driscoll Children’s hospital Friday morning, December 21.

The animals were donated to the police department and the officers delivered the animals to sick children in an effort to provide comfort as the children spend time away from home. The cards were signed by various areas of the police department which included patrol officers, dispatchers, administrative staff, and the chiefs of police.

The officers brought 30 stuffed animals and cards and visited with up to 25 patients at the hospital. The officers say they have a heart for children and want to provide some comfort and a little joy.

This was the first time the police department has participated in this giving event and say this may become a more regular activity.

Occurred Thursday December 20, 2012 10:30am      1100 Clare Drive       Phone Scam         1212200045

An 83 year old man received a phone call from a man who claimed to be a clergyman calling from a US embassy in Mexico City. The caller told the elderly individual that his daughter was in custody for possession of marijuana in a Mexican jail, and that he needed to wire $1600 dollars via Western Union in order for her to go to court and then be sent home on an airplane. The caller stated that the US government would later reimburse all the money.  The 83 year old man notified CCPD. When officer Fedler called back “Pastor O’ Conner”, he explained that getting the gentleman’s daughter to court in Mexico would be difficult since she was actually just fine in Missouri where she was supposed to be.

Fortunately in this case, the intended victim was suspicious and contacted the Corpus Christi Police Department first.  These scams continue however because many elderly fall prey to these highly convincing professional criminals. In many cases when victims learn that they were fooled, they are too embarrassed to tell anyone else. Please take a little time to talk about such scams with your family, church and community groups and remind them not to give out banking, credit card or other personnel information to anyone who calls you over the phone.  There are many resources online to educate folks about what is traditionally known as the “Grandparent Scam”. The link below is from the US state Department.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/financial_scams/financial_scams_5608.html

Wednesday December 19th at 1:42 pm the City of Corpus Christi Police Department’s Facebook page reached 4 thousand likes. Our Twitter account surpassed 2 thousand followers earlier this month.  We have received almost 80,000 views on our YouTube channel. Our Crime Stoppers “Tip Submit App” allows citizens to text tips along with pictures and video anonymously. Through the use of social media, CCPD has been able to keep the public informed of the department’s anti-crime initiatives, disseminate crime prevention tips, warn of crime trends, post departmental news and solicit help from the public in identifying criminals and solving cases.

Please plan to follow our own Officer Kirk Stowers during a “virtual” ridealong (Tweet Along) this Friday from 2:00 am to 8:00pm on Twitter as he works patrol for our Holiday Safety Initiative. Officer Stowers will be able to provide followers with unique insights and respond to questions.

We are always looking for new and meaningful ways to use social media to better communicate with the public and solve crime. Please send your ideas to pdpio@cctexas.com Thank you everyone who friends and follows CCDP!

Friday, December 21, 2012, from 2:00pm until 8:00pm, The Corpus Christi Police Department will host a “Tweet Along” to follow the Holiday Initiative. Officer Kirk Stowers will cruise in a patrol car as the radio call sign “Site 6” and send out information on the social media outlet, Twitter, so that the public may observe police work from the comfort of home.

The holiday Initiative is a program in which extra officers patrol the densely populated shopping areas to reduce crime. The extra officers do not patrol a beat to answer call for service from the public, but instead focus police resources to cooperate with security staff of the shopping centers and direct traffic to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, and to enhance public safety.

The activity will be posted on the social media of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Detailed information will be available with the messages on the Corpus Christi Police Blotter which can be accessed by selecting the links that will be embedded in the twitter messages.

Follow the messages, links and photos in real-time as Officer Stowers works the areas full of Holiday shoppers. There is no fee to participate. To become involved in the “Tweet Along,” follow @CorpusChristiPD on Twitter. Be sure to “Like” the City of Corpus Christi Police Department on Facebook.

Contributed by Lieutenant Israel Soza:

On December 2^nd, 2012, members of the Corpus Christi Police Departments Honor Guard were privileged to attend a First Responders Appreciation Event at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.  The Cowboys held their first such event in appreciation of all police, fire, medical, and any another first responder entity.   Agencies throughout the State of Texas attended this special occasion and it was estimated that over 600 first responders were participating.

As a group, we were to be recognized at halftime and march on the field.  Sunday morning, the officers and I were immediately welcomed at a local IHOP.  The public was curious to know as to why Corpus Christi police officers were dressed in uniform eating far away from home.  After advising the curious patrons what our plans were, the thank you’s started pouring in.  It was such a great feeling to have a distant community appreciate our stay, welcome our presence, and identify our line of work.   A retired veteran courteously paid for our breakfast and said this was his way of saying thank you.  If this was the start of our day, we were definitely anxious to experience the halftime show.

We arrived at Cowboys stadium and began our rehearsals.  I was approached by several different chiefs, majors, and other officers extending their thanks for our participation.  The agencies recognized that we were the furthest police department participating and representing South Texas.  One honor guard officer from a different agency approached one of our other members, looking at him with a raised eyebrow, nodding his head, and commented, “Corpus Christi…..you guys are everywhere.  Thanks for coming.”  With that statement alone, I know and feel confident that the CCPD Honor Guard has established itself as a well-respected and recognized unit.  To feel valued by your fellow brothers and sisters is like no other.  Halftime was here and its now show time.

S/O Luis Rodriguez and I were amongst the first participants about to enter the field staring down the tunnel waiting for the cue to march in.  S/O’s James Morales, Jeremy Guerrero, and Michael Garcia were assigned with the color guard holding the United States, State of Texas, and City of Corpus Christi flags.  We were fortunate to meet up with the Corpus Christi Fire Department’s Pipe and Drum Corps members Dan Sheppard (Bagpipes), Brian Pike (Snare Drum), and Rodney Appleby (Bass Drum).  When the command was given, the pipe and drum corp band consisting of Customs and Border Protection, CCFD, and other agencies marched in playing Amazing Grace honoring our fallen brothers and sisters who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Photos of the some fallen were displayed over the jumbotron. The color guard members took post along one end zone wrapping around one sideline and ending at another end zone.  When the third song was played, the group that Rodriguez and I were in, marched onto the field and we stood at attention at our designated spots.   At that moment, more than 81,000 fans began to stand, yell, and applaud.   Then the camera flashes began to illuminate throughout.   With great pride and honor, accompanied with knots in our throats and the tightening of our stomachs, we graciously welcomed this humbled time.  For once, the feeling we endured was for a positive account of who we are and what we do and not for what we lost and who to mourn.

We’d like to thank administration for allowing us to represent our department.  As long as we have the continued support, we will continue to make every effort possible to attend special functions, honor our fallen brothers and sisters, and represent our department with honor and integrity.

Corpus Christi Police Officers participated with other area law enforcement in the annual Shop With A Cop program put on by the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Shop With A Cop is a program in which less fortunate children have the opportunity to spend time with a uniformed police officer and receive new clothes, gifts and enjoy lunch. The money for the program is all from donations collected by the Fraternal Order of Police.

The program started in Corpus Christi in 1997 with 10 children and involved only Corpus Christi Police. Fifteen years later, the program involves all area law enforcement and hosts 410 children. The program now is scheduled over several days at several area stores. Seventy officers met December 11, 2012 at the Wal-Mart in Parkdale Plaza with 72 children.

The children area selected by school counselors or by police officers who identify a child as eligible for this program. This is a great opportunity for children to interact with uniformed police officers in a positive environment to develop the understanding that police officers are available for help with problems.

Anyone interested to donate to the Shop With A Cop Program may call 361-442-4787 or send correspondence to Post Office Box 440, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78403.