With what could be another scorching summer season just over the horizon, most of the public looks forward to the end of the school year, summer holidays, sunny days spent at the beach, and long leisurely vacations.  For many police departments across the country, however, the rising temperatures often lead to an increase in violence, property crimes, auto thefts, and traffic accidents.  With that in mind, the Corpus Christi Police Department today announced its first ever Summer Crime Initiative, dubbed “Operation Safe Summer”, a program designed to keep crime numbers from rising along with the thermometer.

Virtually every division of the Corpus Christi Police Department will take part in the initiative. Enlisting the help of several city departments and numerous local law enforcement agencies, the focus of the initiative will be on disrupting any of the three elements of the “crime triangle” ,while at the same time seeking to increase community engagement.

Beginning on Friday May 25^th, Memorial Day weekend, and ending Labor Day, Monday September 3^rd, the Operation Safe Summer will target juvenile crime, burglary, auto burglary, auto theft, graffiti, gang crimes, and traffic safety.  The program relies on the identification of “Hot Spots” of increased crime, identified through timely intelligence and crime analysis, followed immediately by the rapid deployment of all available resources to suppress the crime, and verified by relentless follow-up to ensure the problem has been resolved.

Among the strategies designed to reduce juvenile crime, patrol officers will adopt a zero tolerance policy for curfew violators, while working in close cooperation with the Juvenile Assessment Center. The Narcotics/Vice Division will combat underage drinking by identifying and raiding minor parties, and conduct “stings” to reduce the number of establishments furnishing alcohol to minors.

Auto Theft Task Force Detectives will deploy the “bait” vehicle in those areas identified as having high levels of auto thefts and auto burglaries, while patrol officers will employ saturation patrol and conduct driver license checkpoints in those same areas to deter crime.  Criminal Investigation Detectives, Crime Analysts, and Uniform Officers will work closely together and with Adult Probation and Parole and Juvenile Probation to identify repeat offenders and apprehend absconders.

Gang Unit officers will continue to target the most active gangs and gang members for enhanced enforcement efforts.  Additionally, Gang Unit officers will work alongside Narcotics/Vice Investigators and TABC Enforcement Officers to conduct bar inspections at those locations where gang members congregate.

Traffic Division officers will continue to focus on the Enhanced Traffic Initiative citywide, targeting speeders on the city’s freeway system at all hours of the day.  Additional targets include reducing late night “racing’ on Ocean Drive, increased DWI enforcement, Insurance checkpoints, and participation in the statewide “Click it or Ticket” campaign.

These are just a few of the strategies that officers will employ to ensure that as temperatures go up, crime stats do not rise along with them. Another very key component to “Operation Safe Summer” is increasing community involvement, especially in those neighborhoods traditionally hit hardest by crime.  One of the methods the department will use to gauge attitudes about crime is the use of Community Engagement Forms.  Officers will “fan” out in targeted neighborhoods, asking residents to complete the Community Engagement Form, which asks a simple series of questions about neighborhood crime, code issues, etc.  At the same time, the department hopes to collect phone numbers and e-mail addresses in order to form neighborhood crime watches or to publicize future neighborhood meetings, warn residents of significant crime trends, or offer crime prevention tips.

Citizens are encouraged to follow the CCPD on Twitter, FaceBook, and CCPD Blotter.com.  Emergency notifications such as major traffic wrecks, robberies, weather hazards, road closings, etc. are distributed to the community through Citizen Observer.  Anyone interested in researching the crime trends in their neighborhood can do so by logging onto CrimeReports.com.  Citizens can assist with this Corpus Christi Police Department Initiative by providing crime tips to Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS, or logging onto www.888TIPS.com. For those with iPhones or smartphones with Android Operating Systems, Crime Stoppers now offers a free TipSubmit mobile phone application. With this app, users can text anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers using their mobile phone.  Of course, in the case of an emergency, citizens should call 911.

The goal of the Summer Crime Initiative is foremost to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, and enhance public safety, but just as important is to refocus our efforts in addressing overall quality of life issues within our community.  Working together with our local and state partners we can all have an enhanced positive impact not only on crime, but also on a variety of issues that impact our community.

Partner Agencies

—  Texas Department of Public Safety

—  Nueces County Sheriff’s Office

—  Nueces County Community Supervision & Corrections Department

—  Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division

—  Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center

—  Corpus Christi Independent School District Police Department

—  Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission

—  District Attorney’s Office

—  Corpus Christi Juvenile Assessment Center

—  Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department

If you think you’ve seen an increase in traffic enforcement on the city’s major thoroughfares in the past weeks, your eyes are not deceiving you.  Corpus Christi Police Department Traffic Officers are focusing traffic enforcement in those areas where speeding and other traffic violations have resulted in rising crash numbers.

Following the same Comp Stat philosophy that attempts to identify increased crime trends and patterns and then directs officers to those neighborhoods; the increased traffic enforcement initiative is directing traffic officers to those areas of the city where officers have identified an increased number of accidents, multiple complaints from the public, or just obvious visual evidence of speeding, such as the freeway system.

Newly appointed Chief Simpson became alarmed at the high number of speeders and traffic fatalities soon after taking over.  Just driving around town to familiarize himself with the city, Chief Simpson noticed a high number of drivers obviously exceeding the speed limit, tailgating other drivers, changing lanes without signaling and committing other dangerous traffic infractions-the type of infractions that frequently lead to crashes.  Simpson noted that the 35 traffic fatalities last year far exceeded the city’s total number of homicides.

Crash statistics from the first three months of this year support Chief Simpson’s position.  Compared to the same three-month time period, total crashes are up approximately 7%, from 2224 in 2011 to 2378 in 2012.  Although alcohol related crashes are down 14% from the same time period last year, the percentage of alcohol related traffic fatalities is currently at 37%, up from 29% last year.  DWI arrests, however, show a 15% decrease since last year, from 318 to 270.

Based on these numbers and his own anecdotal evidence, Chief Simpson directed his Traffic Division to come up with a plan to bring the numbers down.  The increased traffic enforcement initiative includes several tactics, including enlisting the assistance of patrol officers to conduct traffic enforcement on their beats for short periods, increased radar enforcement on the freeways during rush hours, and the use of “decoy” cars to slow traffic.  Officers will continue to change tactics to nab speeders until the crash and fatality numbers begin to show a significant, long-term decline.

This is only the beginning of a long-term sustained plan to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and crashes on our city’s streets. Traffic and Patrol Officers have been directed to take a “zero tolerance” approach to speeders and motorists committing moving violations.  The best way to avoid being cited is to simply slow down, watch the speed limit and obey all traffic laws.  The Corpus Christi Police Department reminds you to “Slow Down. The life you save may be your own.”

The 2012 Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony was held Monday, May 14th at 10:30am at the Solomon Ortiz International Center Outdoor Plaza. The Ceremony was hosted by the Corpus Christi Police Department, the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office and the Port of Corpus Christi Police Department and honors all local peace officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Corpus Christi Police Chief Floyd Simpson (Pictured above with the Corpus Christi Police honor Guard) was the keynote speaker for the 2012 Sixth Annual Coastal bend Regional Peace Officer’s Memorial Day Ceremony. Nueces County Sheriff Jim Kaelin and Port of Corpus Christi Police Chief H. Archambo delivered testimonials in honor of the officers. City Council Member Chris Adler read the City Council Proclamation that designated May 15 as Police Memorial Day. The Corpus Christi Citizens Police Academy Alumni served a lunch to all who attended the ceremony.

Twenty one Peace Officers were honored for having sacrificed their lives in service for their community. The Officers honored were:

Corpus Christi City Marshal Elias Mussett, End of Watch May 6, 1892;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Luther Prather, End of Watch September 14, 1919;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Joseph Moon, End of Watch June 10, 1938;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Roy Smith, End of Watch April 20, 1953;

Corpus Christi Police Officer John Sartain, End of Watch August 20, 1971;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Ruben Almanza, End of Watch July 27, 1984;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Joseph Bock, End of Watch September 9, 1987;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Juan Prieto, End of Watch February 2, 1993;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Matthew Thebeau, End of Watch January 20, 2008;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Stuart Alexander, End of Watch March 11, 2009;

Port of Corpus Christi Police Officer James Saavedra, End of Watch December 19, 2007;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Nolan, End of Watch August 13, 1860;

Nueces County Sheriff Matthew Nolan, End of Watch December 22, 1864;

Nueces County Sheriff Dennis Kelly, End of Watch June 13, 1870;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Shaw, End of Watch September 1877;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Downs Jr., End of Watch October 16, 1932;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy, Lieutenant Irvin Brown, End of Watch February 13, 1995;

Nueces County Constable Patrick Freely (Precinct 1), End of Watch March 25, 1917;

Nueces County Constable’s Deputy R.R. Bledsoe (Precinct 1), End of Watch July 5, 1925;

Nueces County Constable Carl Bisbee (Precinct 1), End of Watch July 6, 1925;

Nueces County Constable’s Deputy Patrick Runyon (Precinct 6), End of Watch February 7, 1981.

 The 7th Annual Law Enforcement Chili Cookoff will take place Saturday, May 12 from 11:00am until 4:00pm at Robert’s Point Park in Port Aransas. This is a family event supported by area law enforcement agencies. The Coast Guard will provide a Moon Bounce Room and Slip and Slide (water) for the kids. The United States Coast Guard will have a Cutter for tours and a helicopter and crew on display if operations permit. Corpus Christi Police Chief Floyd Simpson will be a judge for the taste contest. Music will be provided by Lyrical Bynge and there will be a live auction.

This event is hosted by the Coastal Bend Peace Officer’s Association and the proceeds benefit the CBPOA college scholarship fund. Go to www.coastalbendpeaceofficers.com.

Chief of Police Floyd Simpson honored two local citizens for their contributions in reducing crime this morning during a brief ceremony at Police Headquarters.  Jennifer Martinez and Eric Enim were both presented with Citizen Certificate of Merit awards by Chief Simpson, recognizing them for their assistance in bringing two separate felony suspects to justice.

On March 22, 2012 Ms.  Martinez was shopping at a local discount store when she noticed a suspicious young man wandering up and down the aisles.  Something about the man’s appearance and demeanor raised Ms. Martinez’s suspicion and she continued to watch him.  When the man neared the front of the store, he suddenly walked behind the store counter where he pulled a knife and held it to the side of the female store clerk.  While the man demanded that she open the cash register, Ms. Martinez quickly dialed 911 and reported the robbery in progress.  The panicked clerk had difficulty opening the cash register, which only made the man angry and he moved closer to the woman, while continuing to threaten her with the knife.  Eventually the frightened clerk opened the register; the man quickly grabbed some cash and fled the store on foot.  Ms. Martinez followed the suspect from the store while continuing to provide the dispatcher with a thorough description of the man along with his direction of travel.  The suspect then disappeared into a residential neighborhood behind the store.

Based upon the thorough description Ms. Martinez provided, minutes later a CCPD patrol officer spotted the suspect walking down the street several blocks away.  The officer quickly detained the suspect and returned him to the store, where Ms. Martinez and the other witnesses quickly identified him as the man who had robbed the store.  The man was arrested and charged with Aggravated Robbery.

At approximately 3:44 AM on April 29, 2012 Eric Enim was delivering newspapers to a convenience store at the corner of Port and Tarlton Streets.  While in the parking lot, Mr. Enim heard a loud noise and noticed a white Chevy Suburban trailing sparks as it drove past on the SH 286 Access Road.  Mr. Enim watched as the Suburban, which had heavy front end damage and two flat front tires, ran the stoplight at Tarlton Street and turned east.  Seconds later, Mr. Enim heard a loud crash and drove to the area to investigate.  Mr. Enim saw that the same white Suburban had struck a fire hydrant on Tarlton Street and the driver was attempting to drive off.  Mr. Enim then called 911 emergency dispatch and informed them of the accident.  Little did Mr. Enim know that prior to the accident with the fire hydrant, the Suburban had struck a motorcycle at SH 286 southbound over Baldwin Avenue, leaving the driver of the motorcycle with critical injuries.

Mr. Enim remained on the phone with the MetroCom dispatcher, providing her with vital information as he watched the driver of the Suburban exit the vehicle, flee the accident scene on foot, and run to a nearby convenience store at Ayers and Tarlton Streets. Once again Mr. Enim called the dispatcher to update officers to the new location of the hit and run driver.  Within minutes a patrol officer arrived at the convenience store, and based upon the thorough description that Mr. Enim provided, the 22 year-old suspect was quickly arrested and charged with Intoxication Assault and Felony hit and run.  Mr. Enim later returned to the scene of the accident to provide a statement to the Traffic Officer investigating the accident.

For their unselfish acts of community service in these incidents, Ms. Jennifer Martinez and Mr. Eric Enim were both awarded the Corpus Christi Police Department Citizen Certificate of Merit.