Volume 3 | June 2018
Cedar Rapids Police Department
Monthly News and Information
Welcome to the Official Monthly Newsletter of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you and continue to make Cedar Rapids a safe place to live, work, or visit.
Community Engagement
Thank you for the opportunity to connect with you through several activities and events over the past month. Here are highlights of a few of those events.
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa announced that they were prosecuting 31 offenders for federal gun crimes at a news conference on May 30th.  The Cedar Rapids Police Department is a partner with the United States Attorney's Office, federal law enforcement, and other local law enforcement as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods to get violent offenders off the streets.
The Cedar Rapids Police Department, along with other City departments, participated in Resident Appreciation Day at the Downtown Farmers Market on June 2nd.  The City of Cedar Rapids helped sponsor the Market and commemorated the 10-year anniversary of the Flood of 2008. This was an opportunity to discuss flood recovery and services that we offer to the community.
Sgt. Laura Faircloth of the Cedar Rapids Police Department participated in a Memorial Horse Ride for Susan Ferrell. Police Officer Susan Ferrell of the Des Moines Police Department was killed in the line of duty on March 26, 2016. She was honored by friends and family on June 2, 2018 with a trail ride. The group raised over $2,000 for the Iowa Concerns of Police Survivors .
The Police Department, which is a co-sponsor of the Linn County Safe Kids Coalition, gave away over 130 bicycle helmets at the Cedar Rapids Kernels baseball game on May 17th. The goal of properly sizing the bicycle helmet is to have the helmet comfortably touching the head all the way around, level and stable enough to resist even violent shakes or hard blows and stay in place. The Police Department participates in bike rodeos and bicycle helmet giveaways throughout the year. Information about these events are posted on the Police Department Facebook page.
The Citizens' Police Academy graduation was held on May 23rd. The Academy is a 10-week program that is offered to the citizens of Cedar Rapids to learn more about police operations. The next Academy will be held September 19th-November 21st. For more information, contact (319) 286-5425 or . l.faircloth@cedar-rapids.org
College Community Schools' Industrial Technology class donated a stand to help support a 100-pound Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) suit for display in the Police Station lobby. An EOD suit or a blast suit is a heavy suit of body armor designed to withstand the pressure generated by a bomb and any fragments the bomb may produce.
Safety Tip of the Month
The heat is on! With temperatures reaching into the 90's already, it is more important than ever to look before you lock your vehicle doors. The inside of a car in hot weather is not any place for children or pets! Let's make child deaths and pet deaths inside of a locked car a thing of the past. If you see a child or pet left in a hot car, please call (319) 286-5491 or 911 if it appears to be a life-threatening emergency.
Upcoming Events
The Flood of 2008 had a major impact on public safety buildings in our community. As the City of Cedar Rapids continues with the 10-year flood anniversary commemoration, the Police Department invites the public to tour the Police Station to experience the continuing story of our community’s resilience. Please join us on Tuesday, June 12th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Police Station, 505 1st Street SW.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. National Night Out will be held on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. For more information on how to hold a neighborhood event, visit our website at www.cedar-rapids.org/police .  To register your event, contact (319) 286-5425 or email . l.faircloth@cedar-rapids.org
Please join us for Coffee with a Cop on Thursday, June 28th at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 350 1st Avenue NE, from 9:00-11:00 a.m.  The majority of contacts that law enforcement has with the public happen during emergencies, or emotional situations. Those situations are not always the most effective times for relationship building with the community, and some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the street . Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.
Cedar Rapids Police Department Community Outreach Division | 319-286-5425 | Email | Website