Chief's Corner

Welcome to The Dispatch, the inaugural edition of the Rancho Cordova Police Department's e-newsletter. As Chief of Police, one of my top priorities is building partnerships with residents, businesses, schools, community groups and others in our community to proactively address public safety issues and prevent crime. Only by working together can we continue to make Rancho Cordova a safe place for all.
 
I hope this e-newsletter will be a resource for updates about our department's programs and focus areas, and provide helpful ways you can partner with us. I encourage you to share your feedback with us about the e-newsletter, success stories on how you and your neighbors are preventing crime, or ideas for how we can better partner with you. Thank you and happy reading!
 
Chief of Police Chris Pittman
Crime Trending Down in Rancho Cordova

The Sacramento Bee recently published an article  on crime trends throughout California. While California saw an increase in violent crimes for the second year in a row, Rancho Cordova is reporting a 28.8% decrease in violent crime and a 16.7% decrease in property crime.
 
Violent and property crime has been decreasing overall since 2011, and 2017 reports show we are continuing with this decrease.
Did You Know...?

The Rancho Cordova Police Department (RCPD) provides updated crime statistics each month on its website.  Visit our Crime Statistics webpage  for statistics from 2011 to present.
halloween-kids-header.jpg
Crime Prevention Tips

Vehicle Safety Tips
RCPD has recently received a few reports of catalytic converter thefts from vehicles. We are providing information and tips as a reminder of things you can do to help protect yourself. Learn More

Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is just around the corner! Here are a few safety tips to ensure that Halloween will be a "howling" good time for all in Rancho Cordova.
Learn More

How to Report
To report a crime in progress or suspicious activity, please call 9-1-1. To report a crime after the fact, please call our non-emergency number at 916-362-5115. Click here to file a police report online.
Problem Oriented Policing (POP) Unit

Meet our POP Unit! Our POP Unit focuses on improving quality of life and strengthening neighborhoods in Rancho Cordova. The team accomplishes this by concentrating on long-term public safety issues that affect you in your day-to-day life, such as a problematic neighbor or local business.

The POP Unit is comprised of a POP Supervisor, five POP Officers, two School Resource Officers, a Youth Services Officer, a Crime Prevention Specialist, and a Community Prosecutor. One unique component of the program is each POP Officer is assigned to an area in Rancho Cordova. 
Learn More and How You Can Contact Your POP Officer
Every Kid Needs a PAL

The motto for the Rancho Cordova Police Activities League (PAL) is "Every Kid Needs a PAL," and this program shows how true this is!

Rancho Cordova PAL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds relationships between RCPD and youth through a variety of programs, at no cost to the kids. Each year, the program serves more than 1,200 kids in our community. 
Learn More and How You Can Sign Up

Lending a Helping Hand
In September, Rancho Cordova PAL received a $1,000 donation from AT&T and Assemblyman Ken Cooley for its positive work in the Rancho Cordova community. Thanks to this donation, PAL was able to send over 80 kids to AT&T Park in San Francisco for the Jr. Giants Festival! Click here for the full story.  
Crime Suppression Unit

Our Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) is a highly proactive team consisting of a Sergeant and four officers that focuses on enforcement in high crime areas in Rancho Cordova. These areas are identified based on crime analysis, including calls for service and other intelligence, as well as community tips and complaints. Once these areas have been identified, CSU proactively hits the street to conduct enforcement.

CSU was formed in 2015 and is largely funded by the City of Rancho Cordova's Community Enhancement Fund, which is supported by a ½ cent, voter-approved sales tax.  Learn More

Story of the Month
In September, through a collaborative effort involving CSU and the local community, 41-year-old William Satterwhite of Rancho Cordova was arrested on outstanding felony warrants. Satterwhite caused significant concern for residents due to his dangerous behavior. This was an extensive investigation involving several officers. Thank you to our community for your partnership!
A Knight in Shining Armor

Steve Weems, a Los Angeles resident, was in town one weekend in September to participate in the Folsom Renaissance Faire acting as a jousting knight. Weems had over $15,000 in body armor stored in a trunk inside the back of a pickup truck.  A suspect made off with the 200-pound trunk and all of its contents. Learn How the Story Ends
From Internship to Retirement

Rancho Cordova Police Officer Scott McCartney was the first officer hired to RCPD after the City incorporated. Now after a 27-year career in law enforcement with many roles and responsibilities and awards and accolades, McCartney has retired to pursue a different form of public safety.   Learn His Story
Officers Graduate from Motor School

Congratulations are in order! Three Rancho Cordova Police officers - Officers Ronald Sutter, Kimberly Boswell and Ken Gouveia - recently graduated from the Sacramento Regional Drivers Training Facility's Basic Police Motor School class. Each officer completed 80 hours of training in the class to teach them to safely ride a police motorcycle, which follows 80 hours of pre-training to prepare them for the class.  Learn More
Event Lineup

Christmas in Cordova Open Enrollment
Tuesday, October 31, Noon - 3 PM
Wednesday, November 1, 9 AM - Noon
Thursday, November 2, 1 PM - 4 PM
Friday, November 3, 9 AM - Noon
Rancho Cordova Police Department, 2897 Kilgore Road
Rancho Cordova's 7th annual Christmas in Cordova event returns this December 16. This event supports local families by providing a shopping mall full of new toys for parents to select and wrap for their children. Four hundred families will be enrolled in this year's program through an application process. Learn How to Apply

Neighborhood Watch Meeting
Tuesday, November 21, 6 PM
Rancho Cordova Police Department, 2897 Kilgore Road
Learn about proactive policing programs in our community, ask questions, and get resources to start a neighborhood watch program in your area. Learn More

PAL Holiday Run
Saturday, December 9, 8:30 AM
Village Green Park, 3141 Bridgeway Drive
Register now to participate in the PAL Holiday Run! Be part of the 1.2 mile family walk/run, 5K or 10K adult run, or 5K or 10K youth run. Plus, the run includes a toy drive that supports Rancho Cordova's Christmas in Cordova program. Learn More
FAQ of the Month

Q: What do I do if I am a victim of a scam? 
A: This month, we have received an increasing number of calls about phone scams. If you are a victim of a scam, contact the Sacramento County District Attorney's Consumer Unit at 916-874-6174. Visit the Federal Trade Commission website for recent scam alerts and tips for recognizing and preventing phone scams.
Connect With Us

RCPD wants to connect with you on social media!  Every month, we will highlight one of our posts from RCPD's social media channels. We recently introduced our Facebook followers to Junior Police Officer Daniel (pictured above) who had a special day at the California Capital Airshow.

RCPD's Facebook page provides information on enforcement activity, residents and businesses we are partnering with, upcoming events, and more.

  Like us on Facebook   
people_social_icons.jpg
Help Us Spread the Word

Thank you for reading our inaugural edition of The Dispatch! Please help us by sharing this e-newsletter with your friends, family and colleagues via email by clicking the link below, or sharing on social media via the social icons at the top of this e-newsletter.

Emergency: Please call 9-1-1
Non-Emergency (need an officer): 916-362-5115
Don't forget to sign up for emergency alerts: Sacramento-Alert.org