City Approves Two New Officer Positions at CHPD
Apr 29, 2020 12:00AM ● By Story by Shaunna Boyd
"By reaching our youth at a younger age, we have the ability to help prevent any type of addiction or dependency," said Lieutenant Fry. Photo: CHPD"
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis and the social distancing measures required to slow the spread of the virus, the Citrus Heights City Council held their April 23 meeting through teleconference.
The Department of Public Health has awarded Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD) with $606,000 through the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Grant. The CHPD will receive $170,000 annually for the next three years to fund a new full-time officer position dedicated to preventing the use of tobacco and vaping products by Citrus Heights youth.
The funding will cover the full salary and benefit package for the new position, with no impact on the City’s general fund. The grant also allocates $43,000 for an outreach vehicle branded for education and prevention, $40,000 for vaping detection equipment in schools, $8,000 for educational materials and interactive audience response system, and $5,000 for investigative equipment for field operations.
CHPD Lieutenant Kris Frey said the new officer will work to educate Citrus Heights youth about the dangers associated with the use of tobacco products. “By reaching our youth at a younger age, we have the ability to help prevent any type of addiction or dependency. This also allows us the ability to prevent any additional health concerns that are attributed to the use of tobacco products,” said Lieutenant Fry.
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2019 national survey of tobacco use among high school students, if tobacco use continues at the current rate among youth in this country, 5.6 million Americans currently under 18 will have their lives cut short by smoking-related illnesses. Lieutenant Frey explained that the CDC figure equals 1 out of every 13 American youth dying early due to tobacco use.
Preventing youth tobacco use has become even more challenging in recent years due to the popularity of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. These products are particularly popular among youth; in the CDC survey, more than 27% of students reporting using vaping products. But traditional tobacco products still pose a problem; more than 30% of students reported using any tobacco products available.
The CHPD reviewed data regarding nicotine-related incidents from previous years to determine the depth of the problem in the city. They found 34 incidents in the 2018-2019 school year and 29 in 2019-2020. Lieutenant Frey noted that the figure for this year only goes through February, because schools had to close in March due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. “We were on track to exceed the previous year,” said Lieutenant Frey.
The CHPD’s Youth and Family Services Department surveyed students at Mesa Verde and San Juan high schools; 78% of students reported seeing smoking or vaping on campus, and 45% said it was easy or somewhat easy to buy tobacco projects in Citrus Heights.
The grant funding will allow the CHPD to reduce youth tobacco use and stop illegal sales to minors through education and enforcement. The grant will also fund the following services and resources: training for CHPD officers on laws and enforcement, information for business owners specifying tobacco sale laws, training for parents about the laws and health risks, school presentations to educate students about the health risks, print and social media campaigns, press releases, undercover operations at businesses engaging in continued violations, and installation of vaping detection devices in high school locker rooms and bathrooms.
The Council voted unanimously to accept the STAKE grant funding and authorize the creation of the new officer position.
The Council also reviewed a proposal from the Sunrise MarketPlace (SMP) requesting a dedicated officer for the business district. This would also be a new position to the CHPD, starting on May 1, 2020. The position would be fully funded by the SMP and would not impact the City’s general fund.
The officer would patrol the SMP business area and provide visitors with a safer shopping experience. The officer would also work with businesses on crime prevention strategies. Business owners’ main concerns include shoplifting/petty theft, organized retail crime, loitering, vandalism, and robbery/assault. CHPD Lieutenant Chad Morris said this new position will give the department an opportunity to collaborate with exiting security patrols already working in SMP, providing better resources and a higher level of service to combat challenges.
SMP is a centrally located commercial district with over 400 businesses covering a 10-block area. Lieutenant Morris said the City recognizes the business district as “a crown jewel” and an “economic hub.” An officer dedicated to the SMP would allow for specialized, specific crime prevention tailored to each business’s unique challenges.
Lieutenant Morris said that the addition of an SMP specialist officer would not interfere with the CHPD’s general law enforcement or result in any loss of operational efficiency.
Councilmember Jeannie Bruins asked if the SMP officer would be available as backup for general CHPD officers in emergency situations. Lieutenant Morris affirmed that the contract with SMP specifies that the officer can respond to calls if other officers are not available at that time and can act as backup in emergency situations.
The Council unanimously approved the new SMP officer position at CHPD.