Heads Up
Community Awareness
PALO ALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
October 2002
This newsletter is made available to the neighborhood associations and other interested groups
and individuals. One of our primary objectives is to maintain safety programs and services to
residents, schools and businesses in Palo Alto. We hope to be able to provide you with
information to promote awareness in order to keep our neighborhoods and city a safer place to
live.
The Neighborhood Watch program (NHW) has been actively maintained for the past 30+
years. It operates through neighborhood and homeowner associations, small neighborhood
groups and apartment complexes. It’s as simple as sharing information with one another and
making use of our (police and city) educational, instructional and training materials. NHW is to
share information, look out for each other and report all suspicious activities to the police
immediately. We are here for you. If you are interested in our safety brochures, please contact
Susie Jones at 329-2632.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
Homeland security has become a very familiar phrase. Our government has worked to strengthen
protection against terrorist threats or attacks on the United States. They have also assisted local
& state governments in the areas of prevention, preparedness, detection, protection, response &
recovery and incident management. There is a connection between basic crime prevention
strategies and the desire to create safe and secure environments. Safety and security are
essential. Neighborhood Watch, reporting suspicious activity, and home security is everyone’s
business. Homeland security objectives are built upon these basic crime prevention strategies.





Do you have NHW in your area? Start one, bring it back to life or spread the word!
Get involved and volunteer! Join your neighborhood association. Write an online
neighborhood newsletter; promote safety & security in your neighborhood! Know your
neighbors – it’s a start.
Training: Fire Department has the Palo Alto Neighborhood Disasters Activities (PANDA),
consisting of 7 classes to teach you skills to organize your family and assist your neighbors
in a disaster.
Be prepared! Don’t wait for crime or a disaster to happen.
o Protect self and family
o Protect and comfort children
o Know & care for neighbors
o Report crimes & suspicious activities
o Prepare for emergencies.
Participate in the Citizens Police Academy and learn about our police department.
REPORT SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE OR ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY
Whether you’re in your immediate neighborhood, in a park, or downtown, you may observe
someone or something that doesn’t appear “normal.” If you are uneasy about it, it could be
something that needs police attention. Don’t wait and wonder about it, call 9-1-1 immediately
and have an officer investigate. An officer will respond and check it out. If you are on a cell
phone in Palo Alto, and need to call emergency, call 321-4431 or 321-4433. We don’t know if
there’s a problem unless you call.
HALLOWEEN SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
The Palo Alto Police Department would like to reinforce safety precautions with the following
safety tips to help make this Halloween a safe and enjoyable one:
Wear light-colored clothing that’s short enough to prevent tripping and add reflective tape
Make sure children can see well through face masks or use make-up
Go out in daylight and carry a flashlight in case of delay
Stay within the neighborhood and only visit homes you know
Plan a route ahead of time
Watch for traffic
If there are no sidewalks, always walk facing traffic
Only give and accept wrapped or packaged candy
Examine all candy before allowing children to eat it
Keep costumed children away from pets. The pet may not recognize the child and
become frightened
 Avoid hard plastic or wood prop such as daggers or swords. Substitute with foam rubber
which is soft and flexible
 Supervise them. A parent, older brother or sister should accompany a child










This should be a fun experience for our children. If you suspect tampering of candy or any edible
item, call 9-1-1 immediately.
PALO ALTO CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY
January 14 – April 1, 2003
Orientation & Graduation will be on a Tuesday evening
Other classes will be held on Wednesday evenings
The Palo Alto police department is inviting community members to participate in the 10 th Citizens
Police Academy, which will begin January 14, 2003. It is a 12-week course, emphasizes the
dynamics of a police department. Police officers and law enforcement personnel teach the
classes. A sample of the classes are: the hiring process, what happens on patrol, car stops,
defensive tactics & building searches, how crimes are investigated, evidence collections, use of
deadly force & firearms, radio communications and managing stress.
The majority of classes will be held from 6–9 PM at the Cubberley School, 4000 Middlefield Road,
Palo Alto. Class size is limited to 20 students.
Candidates must meet the following criteria:
-Minimum age of 16 years (under 18 must have parental consent)
-Live, work or connected to the Palo Alto community
-No felony convictions
-No misdemeanor convictions within one year of application
Obtain an application:
 At the Police Department lobby
 Call 329-2666, and leave your name and mailing address.
 Download an application from our website at: www.papd.org
 Contact the academy coordinator, Susie Jones at (650) 329-2632
Applications will be accepted until class is full. There are still a few slots open. Others will be
placed on a waiting list for the next class. Acceptance is based upon completion of a basic
background and interview.
Selected Web Resources for prevention, Neighborhood Watch and kid sites:
www.redcross.org
www.usaonwatch.org
www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/
www.mcgruff.org
www.amazing-kids.org
And in conclusion, Please share our newsletter to other neighbors, friends and your association
membership group. Check out our website, www.papd.org for crime prevention safety tips and
other interesting information on our department. I have lots of safety brochures that I can get to
you at any time. We are able to attend your meetings, provide speakers to do presentations on
safety issues, prevention, or talk about crime trends. All you need to do is contact us and we’ll be
there.
 You can reach me at: 329-2632, fax: 329-2565, by mail at: Susie Jones c/o Palo Alto Police
Department, 275 Forest Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301, or E-mail: susan.jones@cityofpaloalto.org
 For information on PANDA classes, call the Palo Alto Office of Emergency Services at 6173197.
 If you would like police to attend your special event or participate at a safety fair, call me at
329-2632 approximately 2 weeks prior to the event.
 To schedule a group tour of our police station, or information on becoming a police volunteer,
call Carla Schoof at 329-2524.
Please forward your comments or suggestions for future newsletters. I will gladly add interested
organizations or individuals to my E-mail distribution list. Just send me an E-mail with the
following information: Full name and mailing address, phone number and your Neighborhood
Association Name or affiliation to a Palo Alto group or organization.
Susie Jones
Police Community Liaison