Honor Guard to Represent Redwood City Police at NYPD funeral

Members of the Redwood City Police Honor Guard are on their way to New York City for a sad but important mission.

The officers are going to attend the funeral of New York Police Department Officer Rafael Ramos, who was shot and killed a week ago in Brooklyn. Ramos, 40, and 32-year-old Officer Wenjian Liu were killed last Saturday by a gunman who ambushed them in their patrol car before killing himself.

Ramos’ funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens, with Vice President Joe Biden expected to be among a large gathering of mourners.

The Redwood City Police would like to thank JetBlue Airlines for offering to fly officers, free of charge, from across the U.S. wishing to attend the funeral services.

Earlier this week, JetBlue Airways announced it would fly officers from each department across the U.S. wishing to attend the funeral services. This is being done free of charge.  

The Redwood City Police Honor Guard is a voluntary detail comprised of Redwood City Police Officers.  The Honor Guard's mission is to professionally and respectfully recognize and honor the importance of our nation's flag and those who have sacrificed for it.  The Honor Guard performs a variety of functions to include funeral details, memorial services, and other ceremonial events as directed by the Chief of Police. 

The Honor Guard will chronicle their mission to NYC on the Department's social media channels including Twitter and Facebook.  Follow us @RedwoodCitypd and on facebook.com/redwoodcitypd.

Have You Witnessed Illegal Dumping

Illegal dumping has become an increasing problem in our community.  It is not only unsightly, but can also create health hazards, and the clean up drains city resources that could be put to better use.  Here are some tips to stop illegal dumping in your neighborhood.

· Call RCPD Dispatch 650-780-7100 every time you witness this activity.

· Take photos of the illegal dumping as it takes place, and save these photos.

· Write down the license plate number of the vehicle involved in the dumping, and the time and date of the occurrence.

If you have large household items or potentially hazardous material to dispose of please
contact Recology San Mateo County to make arrangements to  do so LEGALLY.   Recology offers curbside collection for certain items and has local facilities to dispose of most other types of waste.  For further information contact Recology at:

www.recologysanmateocounty.com  (650)595-3900

Recology San Mateo County Transfer Station is located at 225 Shoreway Road, San Carlos, CA 94070.

Illegal dumping is against the law and can be punished by fines up to $1000 for the first offense.

Redwood City Municipal Code Section 14.5 - Dumping

No person shall dump, place or bury in any lot, land, street or alley, or in any water or waterway or elsewhere within the City any garbage, trash, rubbish or manure, or any waste matter condemned by the Health Department or its authorized representatives.

California Penal Code Section 374.3 - Dumping

374.3.  (a) It is unlawful to dump or cause to be dumped waste matter in or upon a public or private highway or road, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof, or in or upon private property.

Violators can be fined as much as $1000 per occurrence.

Tips for a safe Halloween

Tips for a Safe Halloween

Halloween can be a fun holiday for kids, but a worrisome one for parents. Concerns about children's safety--whether they are out in the neighborhood or back home with bags of booty--can darken the day more quickly than a black cat. But not to worry! To make Halloween a treat, follow these safety tips.

ADULTS

• Welcome trick-or-treaters with your porch lights and any exterior lights on.
• Patrol your street occasionally to discourage speeding motorists, acts of malicious mischief and crimes against children.
• Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your police department immediately.   
• Do not give homemade or unwrapped treats to children.

MOTORISTS

• Exercise extreme caution when driving a vehicle.  Be on the alert for excited youngsters, whose vision may be obscured by masks, darting out into traffic.

TRICK OR TREAT TIPS

Make sure your kids dress up safely

• Make sure costumes are flame retardant so children aren't in danger near burning jack-o-lanterns.
• Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
• Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable, and they can obstruct a child's vision, a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.
• Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes.

Make trick-or-treating trouble free

• Create a map of a safe trick-or treating route and set a time limit for your children to "trick-or-treat".
• Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups so they aren't a tempting target for real-life goblins. Parents should accompany young children.
• Make sure older kids trick-or-treat with friends. Together, map out a safe route so you will know where they are going. Tell them to stop only at familiar homes where the outside lights are on.
• Try to get your kids to trick-or-treat while it's still light out. If it's dark, make sure someone has a flashlight and pick well-lighted streets.
• Do not go inside anyone’s home. Remain on the porch at all times.
• Do not accept rides from strangers.
• Remind kids to keep a safe distance from moving cars.
• Cross only at street corners, never between parked cars, and never diagonally across an intersection.
• Look in all directions before crossing the street, and obey all traffic signals. Walk, never run, across the street, and use sidewalks, not the street, for walking.
• Do not take shortcuts through back yards, alleys or parks.
• Do not eat any treats until parents have inspected them.
• Discard any homemade or unwrapped treats.

Check all treats before eating

• It's hard for kids to hold back from eating their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters from digging in while they're still out is to feed them a meal or a snack beforehand.
• Check out all candy in a well-lighted place when your trick-or-treater gets home.
• What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Don't forget to inspect fruit and homemade goodies for anything suspicious. By all means remind kids not to eat everything at once or they'll be feeling pretty ghoulish for while!
• Halloween can be a lot of fun for parents and kids alike--if everybody remembers the tricks and treats of playing it safe.

COSTUMES etc:

A note to parents:

• Make sure your children’s costumes are not flammable.
• Do not permit your children to wear cumbersome, floor length or vision-impairing costumes.
• Reflectorized stripes make your costume more visible.
• In lieu of masks, we recommend face make up.
• Wear comfortable, safe shoes.
• Call 9-1-1 if you suspect any tainted candy.

Consejos para un Halloween seguro

La celebración de “Halloween” puede ser muy divertido para los niños, pero inquietante para los padres. Las preocupaciones sobre la seguridad de los niños  - ya si están afuera en la vecindad o en casa con sus bolsas de dulce – pueden oscurecer la noche más rápido que un gato negro. Pero no hay que preocuparse!  Para tener un Halloween feliz, sigan los siguientes consejos de seguridad:

ADULTOS

·       Dar la bienvenida a los niños en disfraz  con las luces del exterior de su casa prendidas.

·       Patrullar sus calles ocasionalmente para disuadir a los conductores que manejan a alta velocidad, a los actos de comportamiento maliciosos y los delitos contra los niños.

·       Reportar cualquier actividad criminal o sospechosa al departmento de policía inmediatamente.   

·       Nunca se regala dulces hechos en casa o sin envolver.

CONDUCTORES

• Tengan mucho cuidado manejando su vehículo. Esten alertos para los jovencitos emocionados que tal vez ya tengan la vista obstruida por mascaras.  

CONSEJOS PARA RECOGER DULCES

Asegurar que sus niños esten vestidos de manera segura

·       Asegurar que el disfraz sea resistente al las llamas de fuego para que los ninos no esten en peligro cuando se acercan a las linternas de calabaza.

·       Mantener los disfraces cortos de la bastilla para prevenir caidas y tropiezos.

·       Intenar usar maquillaje en vez de una mascara. Las mascaras pueden causar calor y ser incómodas. También pueden obstruir la vista del niño y puede causar peligro al cruzar la calle y al subir escalones.

·       Asegurar que niños traigan puesto colores claros o cinta reflectiva sobre sus disfraces.

Recogiendo dulces sin algún problema

·       Crear un mapa de la ruta mas segura para recoger dulces y establecer un límite de tiempo que sus niños puedan estar fuera.

·       Los niños siempre deberán estar en grupos. Padres deben acompañar a los niños pequeños.

·       Asegurar que niños mayores recogan dulces con sus amigos. Juntos, hagan su mapa de la ruta mas segura para que usted sepa donde van a estar. Decirle a los niños que solamente paren en las casas que tienen sus luces exteriores encendidas.

·       Tratar de recoger dulces cuando todavía hay luz afuera si es posible.Si está oscuro, asegurar que alguien tenga una linterna y que escogan calles con bastante luz.

·       Nunca entrar la casa de la persona que reparte dulces. Mantenerse en la entrada de la casa solamente.

·       Nunca aceptar un paseo en coche con un desconocido.

·       Recordar a los niños que mantengan una distancia segura de los coches en movimiento.

·       Cruzar las calles solamente en las esquinas, nunca entre coches estacionados y nunca diagonalmente a dentro una intersección.

·       Mirar en todas direcciones antes de cruzar la calle y obedecer las leyes de tráfico. Caminar, nunca correr, al cruzar la calle y usar la banqueta para caminar.

·       Nunca tomar vías cortas por las yardas, callejones, o parques.

·       Nunca comer dulces hasta que un adulto los revise.

·       Deshacerse de todos dulces hechos en casa o sin envoltura.

Revisar todos los dulces antes de comer

·       Es difícil que los niños puedan resistir comerse los dulces hasta llegar a casa. Una manera que pueda ayudar es dandoles de cenar antes de salir a recoger dulces.

·       Revisar todo los dulces en un lugar bien iluminado cuando su niño llegue a casa.

·       ¿Que se puede comer? Solamente los dulces que se mantienen en su envoltura original.

·       Halloween puede ser muy divertido para los niños y los padres si todos se acuerdan de usar estos consejos de seguridad.

DISFRACES etc:

·       Asegurar que el disfraz de su niño sea resistente a las llamas de fuego

·       No permitir que su niño se vista en disfraz demasiado largo o que obstruya la vista.

·       Rayas reflectantes hacen que el disfraz sea mas visible.

·       En vez de mascaras, se recomienda maquillaje.

·       Usar zapatos comodos y seguros.

·       Llamar at 9-1-1 de inmediato si sospecha dulces contaminados

The George Garrett Scholarship Award presented to Lisette Espinoza

On June 5th, 2014 Detective Chris Winn, Sequoia High School Alum, presented Lisette Espinoza the George Garrett Scholarship for 2014.  This award was presented at the Senior Awards Night at Carrington Hall. 

The Redwood City Police Officers Association established the Garrett Scholarship to honor slain Police Sergeant George Garrett and help deserving students reach their educational goals by presenting them a $1500 cash award upon graduation to be used to further their higher educational goal. The Garrett Scholarship is awarded in the spring to one graduating student from each of the three public high schools in Redwood City. The qualified schools are Sequoia High School, Redwood High School and Summit Preparatory Charter High School. The scholarship shall consist of a one-time payment of $1,500.00 for the purpose of helping fund higher educational goals. Awardees will demonstrate the following traits and fulfill the following requirements:

1)      The student must be enrolling in an accredited college, whether 2-year or 4-year.

2)      The student must have demonstrated during their high school career a desire to excel in school. This desire did not necessarily need to have resulted in exceptional grades but instead needed to show that the student worked as hard as possible to excel within their abilities.

3)      The student must have demonstrated the desire to lead, either by overt acts or positive example, or demonstrated the ability to overcome adversity or other hardship. 

Allowable Time to Set Out Parade Chairs for the 4th of July

**ATTENTION**

Placement of any chairs, barricades, coolers, tape etc. upon the sidewalk or street is prohibited prior to 6:00 PM on July 3rd, 2014.

Any chairs, barricades, coolers, tape etc. placed upon the sidewalk or street prior to 6:00 PM on July 3rd, 2014 will be removed and stored at the Redwood City Corporation Yard at 1400 Broadway.

 

RCMC 29.3

 

Pickup of confiscated items may be accomplished at the City Corporation Yard between 7:30 AM to 3:00 PMduring normal business hours. (Closed on 4th of July).

 

Questions regarding this procedure may be directed to Sergeant Greg Farley of the Redwood City Police Department   (650) 780-7143

 

The Redwood City Police Department Honors the Memory of Sergeant George Garrett: EOW May 8, 1981

 Today, the men and women of the Redwood City Police Department will honor the sacrifice made 36 years ago by Sergeant George Garrett who was killed in the line of duty. All ranks of sworn officers will be out on patrol, working the Detective Bureau, and running every operation in the organization in their Class "A" uniforms to honor the End of Watch (EOW) anniversary of Sergeant Garrett's death. The flags in front of our building will be flown at half-staff and all of our shifts will be briefed by Command Staff sharing the story of Sergeant Garrett’s death.

 Thank you Sergeant George Garrett for your service and sacrifice--you will not be forgotten.

 Your Redwood City Police Family

 Sergeant George Leon Garrett, Jr.

 Badge #5

 Tour of Duty: 1973 – May 8, 1981

 On Friday, May 8, 1981, at 12:04 PM, Redwood City Dispatch received a phone call advising of a possible bomb threat inside Bank of America located at 110 California Street. The call was followed by silent alarm activation two minutes later. Four plain clothes officers from the Vice/Intelligence/Narcotics unit responded to the bank from the police department which was then located at 1020 Middlefield Road. Sergeant George Garrett arrived first and entered the bank through the Winklebleck Street doors. Business appeared to be normal. Detective Dale Switzer arrived in another car with Detective Ron Brooks and the driver, Detective Robert Peele. Detective Switzer went in the El Camino doors followed seconds later by Detective Brooks. Detective Peele parked the car and notified dispatch of their arrival. The bank was crowded with customers. Sergeant Garrett walked to the desk of the branch manager, Sylvia Harris, where another man was sitting. Garrett put his hand on the man’s shoulder, asked him how he was doing, and the man immediately pulled a gun from his waistband. As he did so, Garrett reached across the desk and pushed Miss Harris out of the line of fire as he was reaching for his own gun. The man jumped up and shot Garrett once between the eyes and once in the chest. The suspect started to walk away as Switzer ran toward him. Switzer and Brooks opened fire on the suspect with Switzer killing him. As the shots rang out, Peele entered the bank from El Camino side and was told by Brooks to summon an ambulance. As Peele ran out the Winklebleck side doors (detectives did not have portable radios at that time), he was mistaken for a suspect and shot twice in the arm by patrol officers who had responded to the bank.

 The funeral for Sergeant Garrett was attended by 1,400 guests, most of which were police officers in full dress uniform. He was buried at Skyline Memorial Park. He was portrayed as a hero who took the time to shove a bank employee out of the line of fire before turning to face the robber. He was praised for his extensive work with the community’s youth, having given narcotics presentations to various school and public groups on his own time.

 The suspect was identified as Raleigh Porsche, age 36. Porsche was an ex-convict released in a Mexican prisoner exchange program. He was later connected to two other bank robberies.

 Sergeant Garrett is the only officer murdered in the line of duty in the department’s history. Thirty nine years old, Garrett was survived by his wife, who was eight months pregnant with their first child. Nineteen days after his murder, his daughter Nicole was born. In July 1981, city officials dedicated George L. Garrett Junior Memorial Park in his honor. On this date, May 8th, the thirty sixth anniversary of his death, we remember and honor our Brother Officer, George Garrett.

Tips For Boating In Shallow Water

 

We recently had a boat rescue were a family got their boat stuck in Redwood Creek Slough.  The family had been stuck for hours and was unable to free the boat.  The Redwood City Police Marine Unit along with Fire personnel were able to free the boat and assist the passengers.  No one was harmed and the boat was successfully freed.

While you should always be aware of your surroundings when you’re at the helm, you should be on full alert whenever you’re entering an area with shallow or “skinny” water. You can get you grounded, stuck or worse.

With the following tips, you can boldly cruise skinny water with confidence.

• Check The Soundings

Although boat electronics were once priced out of the reach of many average boaters, today there are lots of reasonably priced devices out there to help in shallow-water situations. For most folks, it will be a depth finder. But if your conditions are extreme, it makes sense to consult a chart…either electronic or paper. They contain valuable information called “soundings” that show the depths of any particular area you may be traveling. What you’re really looking for are the areas where the water suddenly gets shallower. Steer clear of those areas.

• Know Your Limits

By all means, know your boat’s draft. That’s a number, normally measured in inches, that tells you how much of your boat is underwater, from the lowest part of your boat up to the waterline. The easiest (and most accurate) way to get this information is from your owner’s manual or the boat manufacturer’s website. In a pinch, you can estimate this number by dividing the overall length (measured from bow to stern at the waterline) by two. Keep in mind that unless you’ve got a jet drive, you’ll also have a spinning prop or two at about that depth, so always trim up when things starts to get shallow.

• Read The Water

This is where those high-tech polarized sunglasses really earn their keep. As you’re underway, you’ll be able to see a variety of different colors under the water. Look for drastic changes in color, and always be aware that darker usually means deeper. Some parts of the country have little jingles to help you remember such as: Brown, brown, run aground. White, white you just might. Green, green, nice and clean. Blue, blue, sail on through.

• Know The Tides

Even if you got through some skinny water yesterday without incident, you always need to check the tide schedule before trying it again. Many areas deal with a significant tidal change of up to several feet, making low tide extremely treacherous when you’re shoving off. Worse still, you could snake your way to some great flats fishing, then find yourself stranded for hours until the tide comes back in. Don’t let this happen to you!

• Slow Down

Unless you’re cruising on a pontoon, more than likely your boat has what’s called a “planing hull.” That means it will sit lower in the water until you reach an “on-plane” speed, which is different for every boat. Once on plane, your boat will lift and rise up out of the water, giving you a little more shallow-water clearance from the bottom. The problem is, if you’re running at planing speed and suddenly come up on a shallow area, your reaction will likely be to pull the throttle back completely. That can run you aground (as the boat drops off plane) or worse. Just run slowly and stay off plane if there’s a chance of shallow water. Better to bump something and be able to back off gently than run aground hard and risk damage to you, your passengers or your boat.

For more boating tips visit www.uscgboating.org

You can also check the tide chart at www.redwoodcityport.com/p7iq/html/tidechart.html