SAN DIEGO SHERIFF - Vista Sheriff Station C.O.P.P.S.

Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (C.O.P.P.S.)

In January 1995, Sheriff William B. Kolender established the Sheriff's Department's Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving Units (COPPS). Subsequently, the entire Department adopted a mission statement whose goals envisioned the incorporation of Community Oriented Policing Principles throughout the Department in order to fulfill our commitment to provide the highest quality public safety services.

What is Community Oriented Policing?

Community Oriented Policing is a philosophy, management style and organizational strategy that promotes both proactive problem solving and police-community partnerships to address the root causes of crime and fear, as well as other community issues affecting residents' quality of life. Rather than responding over and over again to the same complaint, this strategy brings together all the stakeholders to formulate an effective way for everyone concerned to get involved in addressing the underlying source of the problem. Thus, through community partnerships, the cause is brought under control, rather than expending precious resources repeatedly placing band-aids on the symptoms. The consequence of this innovative approach is a continuous improvement in the quality of life for all our residents and businesses.

As Sir Robert Peel, The Founder of Modern Policing, observed in 1829 when he established the London Police Department:

"The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder."
(Peel's Nine Principles)

COPPS is a progressive philosophy that gradually becomes an integral part of the law enforcement agency's identity. This transformation results in steadily increasing the level of trust between officers and the people whom they serve, and leads to continuous improvement in the community's quality of life. This approach is actually an updating of the original way in which police work was practiced--when families lived in the same neighborhood for generations and everyone knew "the cop on the beat".

What is a Community Partnership?

Community Partnership is a flexible term referring to any combination of neighborhood residents, schools, churches, businesses, community-based organizations, elected officials, and government agencies who are working cooperatively with law enforcement to resolve problems which negatively impact them or their fellow residents. Such a partnership

"gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence."

(Peel's Nine Principles)

The San Marcos COPPS Unit

When fully staffed, the San Marcos COPPS Unit is composed of two Sergeants and ten City deputies. The City of San Marcos is divided into three sectors (North, East, & South) with three COPPS Deputies assigned to handle each sector and one deputy acting as a rover to augment any sector which requires additional manpower for special projects.

By calling the station, residents can consult informally with their Sector Deputies to get information and advice; to pass along observations of suspicious circumstances; or, simply, to voice complaints and suggest solutions for areas in which law enforcement might be of service.

Recent cutbacks in funding have caused several of the positions to be left vacant for the foreseeable future. However, the unit's personnel have effected readjustments in responsibilities to ensure full coverage of our station's jurisdiction. We look forward to partnering with concerned citizens to keep this area of North County a great location in which to live, work and raise a family.

The COPPS Sergeants also supervises the two School Resource Officers. School Resource Officers are uniformed deputies assigned to the schools in San Marcos. One officer is assigned to San Marcos High School and the other is assigned to Mission Hills High School. They also share the responsibility to handled issues at all the elementary and middle schools within the city. These deputies have received specialized training regarding drugs, school safety and other juvenile matters. They conduct investigations, give presentations and train staff regarding school safety practices. The typical crimes they handle include assaults, vandalism, truancy, tobacco, drug, alcohol and weapon related offenses. They also respond to crimes involving students on their way to or from school.

Lieutenant Vince Albini is the Station Lieutenant for the San Marcos Station. He supervises the COPPS Sergeant, the Detective Sergeant, and the Traffic Sergeant, as well as the Administrative Sergeant who is in charge of the overall logistical functioning of the San Marcos Station

LINKS

SafeState - Community Oriented Policing

United States Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (http://www.cops.usdoj.gov)

City of San Marcos Patrol Beat

Unincorporated Patrol Beats

COPPS Sector