Community Relations

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The Community Relations Office includes one Sergeant, a Housing Authority Officer, a Training Coordinator, and two School Resource Officers. The Community Relations Office is dedicated to the Flagstaff Police Department’s Mission of Community Policing by promoting positive community relations and providing excellent customer service through community engagement activities throughout the year.

The Community Relations Sergeant serves as the Flagstaff Police Department’s Public Information Officer. This assignment entails addressing the immediate need to facilitate and provide accurate information for release to the press and regulates our social media outlets. This effort includes timely and accurate dissemination of information on criminal activity and public safety through a cooperative partnership with local, state and national news outlets. In 2020, 1,518 public speaking presentations, media releases, radio, and television interviews were completed. Additionally, the Public Information Officer is responsible for the Police Department’s use of social media primarily using Facebook, Instagram, and Next Door while collaborating with other support staff to effectively use the Department’s website to disseminate information and communicate with the public.

The Housing Officer works directly with the City of Flagstaff Housing Authority which includes Siler, Brannen, and Clark Homes. This directed effort was established to maintain healthy relationships and improve the quality of life by working with a variety of families in these areas. This assignment is responsible for assisting the property managers in providing a safe and healthy environment for the tenants and to provide a direct means of communication from the tenants to the Police Department for areas of information including crime trends, social services, and general assistance.

Our Training Coordinator is responsible for maintaining and facilitating the continuing education requirements for all sworn and civilian personnel within the Department. The Training Coordinator also facilitates and supervises the Department’s Volunteer Program.

The School Resource Officers (2) provide a cadre of services to the youth of our community, beginning with presenting the “Project Alert” program to the Middle and High School age youth in our city. The “Project Alert” program aims to reduce the risks of drug and alcohol abuse of our adolescents by providing them with knowledge and skills needed to make healthy decisions. The School Resource Officers present information to our community’s youth on topics like bullying, peer pressure, honesty, gun safety, domestic violence, and the proper use of 911. The School Resource Officers are regularly available to handle school calls for service and work with families they have built relationships with who are often at risk. This work with schools and families helps reduce juvenile referrals into the court system; positively impacting the students, their family, and the school by correcting behavior without court action.

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COVID-19 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS

In the spring of 2020, Covid-19 changed the manner in which we accomplished our community outreach and youth engagement. Most of our community events were put on hold and limited due to the unknown results of the virus exposures. During this time, our Community Relations office partnered with the patrol officers and conducted youth outreach, in a safe masked manner, by conducting “birthday drive-bys” and holding our very first Dream Court basketball event. These were limited and dependent upon the availability of the officers as well as the precautions necessary. We were happy to hand out basketballs and various gifts to the youth during their special day and sent the kids home from events with lots of goodies made available by the Dream Court and Nancy Lieberman Charities. This was not a conventional year; however, we were successful in maintaining and forging relationships with the community and youth.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT MEETINGS

The Community Relations Office tracked the Police Department’s community support meetings involving outreach efforts with partnering organization and groups in the community. The Flagstaff Police Department conducted 393 community outreach and support meetings in 2020. Most of these meetings were held virtually via Zoom or another meeting platform. Despite the meetings being held remotely, we only saw a reduction of 2.1 % from the previous year. Our commitment to work with the community remained strong.

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CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY

The Community Relations Office conducted one and a half Citizen’s Police Academy classes, teaching residents on various topics in and around policing. The spring class was stopped due to Covid-19, having 18 students in attendance. In the fall, approximately 11 people attended the academy in 2020. During these classes, many individuals learned about the criminal justice system and participated in many tours and events such as an explosives and firearms demonstration and tours of the County Jail and the DPS Crime Lab. This class was smaller due to safety precautions as a result of Covid-19.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

As competition for city funding becomes more intense, the Police Department is becoming more dependent on volunteers to assist both sworn and civilian staff. Community volunteers donated 736 hours in 2020, providing pawn tracking, evidence/ property services, records, public relations, sex offender notifications, and assisting the Criminal Investigations Division. Volunteers were essential in the success of the Northern Arizona Law Enforcement Toy Drive which provides families, shelters, and community centers with toys. Due to Covid-19, our volunteer staff and hours were cut nearly in half due to precautions and other considerations regarding the health and safety of our valuable volunteer staff.

Special Olympics

The Flagstaff Police Department has historically been a strong supporter of the Special Olympics programs in Northern Arizona. In 2020, the Special Olympics related programs were not conducted as a result of Covid-19. Virtual Polar Plunge participants and fundraising occurred on behalf of the Flagstaff Police Department and our Special Olympics partners.

DREAM COURT INAUGURAL EVENT

The Dream Court was completed and opened in April 2019. The Flagstaff Police Department partnered with the Boys and Girls Club Flagstaff, and the Nancy Lieberman Foundation to bring a Dream Court programming to Flagstaff. Our inaugural skills event was held in which youth were provided skills and instruction from a local travel basketball coach, partnering with the Flagstaff Police Department. We provided leather basketballs etched with the Flagstaff Police Department patch logo to the youth and the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff, along with water bottles provided by Nancy Lieberman Charities grant funding.

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2020 LAW ENFORCEMENT TOY DRIVE

Despite Covid-19 precautions forcing us to forego the Toy Drive booth historically placed at the Wal-Mart store, we were able to collect toys and we received $11,790 dollars to purchase toys from our business community partners. We participated in the Candy Cane Lane event held at Flagstaff Subaru on Marketplace in conjunction with our partners at the Shadows Foundation. As a result of the community and business partner's generosity, our toy drive services over 500 children by providing them with gifts, gift cards, and food vouchers at local grocery stores. In addition, we served children in Flagstaff, Williams, and on the neighboring Reservations including Havasupai Falls. We were fortunate to partner with the Shadows Foundation to ensure our community toy drive was able to continue despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

TRAINING

The Community Relations Office Training division was responsible for providing and documenting 16,146 total training hours which translates to approximately 148 hours of training per certified police officer.

HOUSING

The Housing Officer has assisted in the foot and vehicular patrols in designated areas such as Siler Homes, Brannen Homes, and Clark Homes as well as 20 + properties assigned through the City’s Housing program. This position is also responsible for supporting patrol in addressing crimes and calls for service in these areas, as well as providing a liaison-type relationship with property managers and tenants. The Housing Officer regularly patrols each of the Flagstaff Housing Authority neighborhoods and is familiar with the off-site properties as well. The Housing Officer works closely with the Section 8 program and provides information to the Housing Authority. The Housing Officer also attends monthly meetings and provides a link of information to the board of directors regarding community policing initiatives.

PROJECT ALERT

Project Alert and the School Resource Officer (SRO’s) programs were suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic and Covid19 related school closures. The program was not deliverable via zoom or virtual platforms. Our SRO personnel were delegated to patrol functions in 2020.

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SUSPENDED EVENTS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Unfortunately, all of our other programs such as the Touch a Truck, Fourth of July parade, National Night Out, and Coffee with a Cop events were cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

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