Cedar Rapids Police Department
Monthly News and Information
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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.
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Community Engagement and News
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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, along with some news and information.
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CentralSquare is launching a national social media campaign called "Share Blue Smiles" to spotlight officers that go above and beyond in their communities. The Police Department submitted a post from Christmas Eve 2016 when officers bought gifts for a family that had been burglarized. It was picked as one of the best submissions in the country.
Watch for a video on our Facebook page
next week.
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The first of three
Police Department Youth Academies
was held July 9-10 and included children entering 5th through 8th Grade. Two more Academies for younger children will be held later this month. Participants tour the Police Station and learn about diverse areas within the Police Department including Uniforms, K9 Unit, Special Response Team, Crime Scene Unit, Physical Training, and more.
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The Police Department acquired 3 new K9s as the result of recent retirements of 3 dogs. Officer Curtis Buckles received a new K9 partner trained in explosives detection. Officer Kyle Bergen and Officer Cody Vry will be new K9 officers and have dogs trained in the detection of narcotics. Officer Amy Shuman has become a certified K9 trainer.
Read more from a recent Gazette article
.
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The Police Department has conducted several community outreach efforts to discuss the dangers of leaving children and pets in a hot car, including a recent interview on
CBS-2
. A car can heat up in 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. Young children are particularly at risk, as their bodies heat up 3-5 times faster than an adult's. Call 911 if you see a child alone in a vehicle.
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Police officers continue to mentor several children as part of
Mount Mercy University's Jump Start Program
. JumpStart’s mission is to inspire children of Cedar Rapids to reach their educational potential by teaching vital lessons in leadership and academics - through the support of mentors and role models- as part of free sports programming. Officers helped cook dinner on June 20.
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At the July 9 City Council meeting, the 15 Cedar Rapids Police recruits currently in their sixth week of the 18-week Basic Cedar Rapids Regional Police Academy were introduced. Ten of the 15 officers are being funded by revenue from the Automated Traffic Enforcement program.
The recruits are part of the 47th Basic Cedar Rapids Regional Police Academy and will be graduating on October 4, 2019.
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Police Recruits Funded by Automated Traffic Enforcement Program
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The
Automated Traffic Enforcement
system was reactivated in Cedar Rapids on July 1. Citations with applicable fines are being issued to motorists. The ATE system has reduced both the total number of crashes and crashes with injuries.
One of the most frequently asked question about the ATE program is where the money from traffic camera citations is directed. Funds that the City receives from citations is being directed towards public safety, and specifically towards hiring 10 police officers. Police officers proactively address neighborhood concerns and community policing issues.
The Police Department needs these additional officers to be more effective with community outreach and proactive patrol duties. As the number of citizens calls for service continues to increase, it is critically important to make sure that the Police Department has the resources with these additional 10 officers to proactively address neighborhood issues, deter crime in our community, and meet the need for police services in our community.
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Clubs will pop up on Mondays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., providing a sack lunch and activities. Pop Up Clubs are free and open to all kids.
Remaining Pop Up Club dates:
• July 15 and July 19: Daniels Park, 952 Oakland Road NE
• July 22 and July 26: Wellington Heights House, 390 15th Street SE
Each Friday, First Congregational United Church of Christ will provide PB&J Backpacks, which are backpacks full of nutritious food for kids to take home for the weekend. Pop-Up Clubs will conclude with Pop-Up Parties from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 29 and August 2 in the back lot of First Congregational Church of Christ, 361 17th Street SE.
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On Monday, July 15, officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department and community members will come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships, and drink coffee. All community members are invited to attend. The event will run from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. on July 15 at Scooter’s Coffee, 7037 C Avenue NE.
Coffee with a Cop
provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in Cedar Rapids neighborhoods.
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The Cedar Rapids Police Department will be teaming up with
Special Olympics Iowa
for Butterburgers & Badges on Tuesday, July 16 from 4-8 p.m. Local law enforcement will be serving customers at Culver's, 2405 Edgewood Road SW. All tips will be donated to the Special Olympics Iowa organization. Also, $1 from every regular Concrete Mixer sold on July 16 at Culver's will be donated to Special Olympics. In addition to law enforcement officers at the event, Special Olympics athletes will be in attendance.
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Cedar Rapids Police Department Community Outreach Division | 319-286-5425 |
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