Category Archives: Patrol Division

Charlie District, Patrol Division

Fast Response by a Patrol Officer foils an Auto Thief

August 8 2012 3:46pm     4717 SPID     UUMV/Burglary to Vehicles     1208080096

Officer Vela was dispatched to Best Buy for a report of someone breaking into a vehicle. Upon arrival Officer Vela observed a male matching the description of the suspect that was broadcast. Officer Vela detained the subject who was in possession of a screw driver and a 17 inch round metal pry bar. A witness positively identified Gumecindo Hernandez 07-18-82 as the man who was seen breaking into vehicles.  A total of three damaged vehicles were located. Two of them had damaged steering columns indicative of an attempted theft of vehicle.  One of the vehicles was said to have actually been moved to a different location. Gumecindo Hernandez was arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and burglary to a motor vehicle.

Delta District, Patrol Division

More information about patrol shifts

The Corpus Christi Police Department has 26 patrol shifts which work in an overlapping method so that each beat has two beat officers assigned to share work load for much of the time. The over lapping allows for officers to end their shift having already been replaced by an officer that has started their shift. This method provides for a seem less transition in view of the public so that police services are interrupted as little as possible.

The Corpus Christi Police Department has the city is divided into four districts (A, B, C, & D). Each district is the area of responsibility for one Police Captain. The Field Captain for the Delta District is Captain Bernardo Torres. The Captain supervises 6 or 7 subordinate Lieutenants assigned to the district that act as a shift supervisor over 8 to 12 patrol officers. The patrol officers are assigned to a beat of the district in which there are typically 8 beats per district. Some patrol officers ride together in one patrol car as a two-man unit.

In this case, Officer Paddock is a veteran officer that is responsible for the “on the job” training for Officer Martinez. Officer Martinez is graded each night based on his performance. The highest priority of the training is the ability for Officer Martinez to perform his duties safely.

Officer Martinez was hired by Corpus Christi in 2011 and completed 27 weeks of 40 hour per week classroom instruction. Officer Martinez graduated the 70th Class of the Corpus Christi Police Academy and has been assigned to the streets for the “hands on training.” Officer Martinez has a curriculum to follow for the training provided by Officer Paddock. Officer Martinez has books to study and is also graded on written tests provided by the Police Training Staff.

Randomly, Officers on the Field Training Program like Officer Martinez are unexpectedly called to a designated location to submit to a written exam. The grades from the written exam are compiled with the daily grades based on conduct and performance. Historically, several officers from each academy class do not complete the Field Training Program and are dismissed from the Corpus Christi Police Department.

Community Outreach, Delta District, Patrol Division

The Patrol Officers Day Starts With Roll Call

The Shift gathers for roll call

What is roll call?

The Corpus Christi Police Officers begin their work day in a classroom setting. The shift supervisor, a Lieutenant by grade, takes attendance and conducts uniform and equipment inspections. The Lieutenant then provides the group of 8-12 patrol officers with a briefing.

What is briefing?

There are several types of briefings which are: Information; Decision; Mission; and Staff. The briefing provided to the patrol officers at roll call is typically an information brief. Information briefs present primarily facts to the audience and does not seek decisions, it does not include recommendations, and it does not provide conclusions. The purpose of the briefing is to transfer high priority information to an audience that requires immediate attention. The briefing may explain complicated information to provide clarity and to remove confusion.

The information provided to the patrol officers is recent and significant. It may be information about weather conditions, recent crime trends, neighborhood problems that have surfaced, traffic obstructions like street closures, approaching crowded events, safety concerns, or a variety of other information.

Training opportunities also rise in the time for briefing. Lieutenants use the computer and technology to show videos from police events around the world which provide a venue of consideration for how the individual officers may respond to situations recorded on video. Many shifts listened to the police radio broadcasts of the Colorado theater massacre recently to have conversation about the most effective method for transmitting information over the radio in an active shooter situation.

The roll call usually takes 30 minutes and concludes with issuance of patrol car keys, beat assignments, and special instructions provided to the individual patrol officers. Officer Paddock and Officer Martinez are assigned to the beat known as D360.

Delta District, Patrol Division

Welcome to the Virtual Ride-A-Long! Be sure to click the links for more information

This is the begin of the Virtual Ride-a-long.

The public will be able to do a virtual ride-a-long from the comfort of home tonight, August 8, 2012 with the Corpus Christi Police Department from 5:30pm until 12:30am.

The Corpus Christi Police Department will show the photographs and announce the activity on Twitter as it happens. Anyone interested to experience the virtual ride-a-long with the Corpus Christi Police can follow the activity on Twitter @CorpusChristiPD. The Twitter message will begin at 5:30pm when the shift roll call happens, then document the officer’s activity through the entire shift.

The purpose of the event is to provide the public an example of the work day for a typical Corpus Christi Police Patrol Officer. This is the first such event the Corpus Christi Police Department has hosted. Followers on Twitter will be able to ask questions as the virtual ride-a-long happens.

The virtual ride-a-long will be with Corpus Christi Police Officer Trenade Paddock and the officer she trains from the 70th Police Academy Class as they patrol the Delta District Wednesday night.

Community Outreach, Delta District, Patrol Division

Corpus Christi Police Host Virtual Ride-A-Long

The public will be able to do a virtual ride-a-long from the comfort of home Wednesday, August 8, 2012 with the Corpus Christi Police Department from 5:30pm until 12:30am.

The Corpus Christi Police Department will show the photographs and announce the activity on Twitter as it happens. Anyone interested to experience the virtual ride-a-long with the Corpus Christi Police can follow the activity on Twitter @CorpusChristiPD. The Twitter message will begin at 5:30pm when the shift roll call happens, then document the officer’s activity through the entire shift.

The purpose of the event is to provide the public an example of the work day for a typical Corpus Christi Police Patrol Officer. This is the first such event the Corpus Christi Police Department has hosted. Followers on Twitter will be able to ask questions as the virtual ride-a-long happens.

The virtual ride-a-long will be with Corpus Christi Police Officer Trenade Paddock and the officer she trains from the 70th Police Academy Class, Officer Phillip Martinez, as they patrol the Delta District Wednesday night.

Visit the Corpus Christi Police Department twitter account and “follow” CorpusChristiPD to experience and participate in the first virtual ride-a-long with the Corpus Christi Police Department.

Officer Paddock is a single mother of 5 children that joined the Corpus Christi Police Department in 2009. Officer Paddock is currently enrolled at Texas A&M to complete her Master’s Degree in Counseling by next summer. Officer Paddock grew up in Bedford, Indiana and joined the Navy directly out of High School. Officer Paddock taught Physical Education in California for 8 years before returning to Indiana for 3 years to work in a hospital as a medical assistant. Officer Paddock moved to Corpus Christi 5 years ago and worked 2 years as part of Project Turnaround for the Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation. Officer Paddock was selected to serve on the Corpus Christi Police Honor Guard and is now assigned as a Field Training Officer for the 70th Police Academy Session.
Delta District, Patrol Division

Police Seek Man Who Set Lexus On Fire

Occurred Monday, August 06, 2012, 4:00am, 3002 Antelope, Arson 1208060025

A blue 1991 Lexus was burned at the Casa De Santa Fe Apartments Monday morning after a man broke out a back passenger window and threw an incendiary device into the car to start a fire.

A 35-year-old man told Police Officers that he saw a tan or champagne colored Chevy Tahoe stop next to the Lexus at about 4:00am. The 35-year-old man said a man got out of the Tahoe and broke the window on the Lexus and then threw a bottle with a flammable fluid inside the car to start a fire. The man who threw the bottle fled the scene immediately.

The 35-year-old man said he was able to extinguish the flames before the car was consumed by the fire. No person was injured in this event and no suspects have yet been identified. The 35-year-old man estimates the value of the damage to be about $2,000. Corpus Christi Police Arson Investigators are evaluating evidence to determine who may be responsible for this fire.

Anyone with additional information about this crime should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit an online tip at www.888TIPS.com. If the information provided to Crime Stoppers results in an arrest, it could earn the caller a cash reward.

Charlie District, Patrol Division, Traffic Safety Division

Four Men Take Car By Force On Acapulco Street

Occurred Monday, August 6, 2012, 2:30am, 1400 Acapulco Street, Robbery, 1208060040 & C1205871

A 27-year-old man told police four strangers took his black 2012 Ford Mustang by force at 2:30 in the morning when he arrived at his grandmother’s house.

The 27-year-old man told Police Officers he parked in front of his grandmother’s house and was approached by four men. The 27-year-old man could not provide a detailed description of his attackers. The 27-year-old man said he was attacked by the four men once he exited the car. The 27-year-old man said he woke two houses away from where he parked, and his car was gone.

The 27-year-old man reported the robbery at 8:30am. The vehicle was found in the city impound lot by Police Officers as it was involved in a hit and run crash on the 1200 block of Calle San Carlos at 5:40 this morning.

The robbery and the crash are under investigation by the Corpus Christi Police Department. Anyone with any additional information about these crimes should call the Corpus Christi Police or submit tips to Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888TIPS.com.

Bravo District, Patrol Division, Traffic Safety Division

Woman Strikes 2 Boys On The Beach With Car

Occurred Saturday, August 4, 2012, 22:50, Beach Marker 202, Intoxication Assault, 1208040152, & C1205839

Two 16-year-old boys were hospitalized with substantial but non-life threatening injuries Saturday night after a 23-year-old woman struck the boys with a car on the beach by marker 202.

Several adults told Corpus Christi Police Officers that a white Pontiac Grand Am, driven by a woman, drove into a vehicle and the two boys, then attempted to flee the scene. The adults pointed to a white Pontiac Grand Am that was stuck in the sand and said that vehicle caused the damage and the injuries.

Police Officers met the operator of the Pontiac, 23-year-old Jessica Rose Garza (10/19/1988), and her 18-year-old male passenger. Garza displayed indicators that she was intoxicated. Garza was arrested for Intoxication Assault and an Accident Causing Injury Or Death.

The two 16-year-old boys were transported to the hospital by ambulance and the Pontiac was impounded. Garza’s 18 year old passenger was released at the scene.

Bravo District, Patrol Division

Vehicle Strikes Woman As She Photographs Previous Crash

Occurred Saturday, August 4, 2012, 21:32, 11600 State Highway 361 Vehicle Crash with a Pedestrian 1208040151, C1205835, C1205836

A 22-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle when she stood in the road to take pictures of her car that was in a vehicle crash a moment earlier.

The 22-year-old woman was the passenger in a black 2004 Chevy Trailblazer that travelled north on the 11600 block of State Highway 361 when an orange 2006 Dodge Charger pulled out from Zahn Road and struck the Trailblazer.

The 38-year-old operator of the Charger, Cruz Zamudio (12/23/1973) was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Neither the 22-year-old woman, nor the operator of the Trailblazer was injured in the crash. The 22-year-old woman stood in the dark road to photograph the crash conditions. The 22-year-old woman was then struck by a 2004 Toyota Sequoia operated by a 44-year-old man.

The 22-year-old woman was transported to the hospital by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries. The 44 year old man was not cited for any violation.

Delta District, Patrol Division

Officer Injured By Man Who Caused 2 Crashes And Fled

Occurred Sunday, August 05, 2012, 1:00am, 3205 Ayers Street, Evading Arrest, Resisting Arrest 1208050009, C1205843, & C1205844

A Corpus Christi Police Officer was injured during the arrest of a 24-year-old man who caused two vehicle crashes.

Corpus Christi Police Officers were dispatched to the Santa Fuego night club located at 3205 Ayers Street for a disturbance. The officers heard a crash in the parking lot after they had entered the building. The officers went outside and saw a blue 1999 Ford Explorer had backed into another car in the parking lot. The Explorer then nearly struck several pedestrians when it sped out of the parking lot.

Police Officers got into their patrol cars and followed the Explorer. The Explorer accelerated from patrol cars through several streets until the operator of the Explorer, 24-year-old Armando Sanchez (10/11/1987), jumped out of the Explorer while it was in motion.

The Explorer traveled until it struck a tree in front of 1254 York Avenue. Sanchez ran north on York until Police Officers caught up with him. Sanchez fought with police and caused one officer to suffer a laceration to the Police Officers forehead and a broken bone in the Police Officers right hand.

Sanchez was taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation and then delivered to the city detention center. Sanchez was arrested for Evading Arrest in a vehicle, a 3rd degree felony, and for resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor.