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Citrus Heights Police Win 6 Awards in Statewide Motorcycle Competition

Updated Sept. 30 with video, 12:01 p.m.-
A weekend police motorcycle rodeo and Traffic Safety Fair drew about 2,000 people to the northern parking lot of Sunrise Mall, raising over $2600 for charity and leaving the Citrus Heights Police Department with six awards for performance of several competing officers.

23 police officers piled into a small coned-off square for the weekend’s final “Last Man Standing” event.

With 23 officers enlisting in the competition from around the state, Officer Kristopher Frey took home the most awards from the Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD), earning first and second place in several competitions.

Navigating his thousand-pound Harley Davidson Road King through a maze of obstacles and tight corners, Frey took first place in the Harley class “Slow Speed Challenge Course” – a course described by officers as “extremely challenging,” and one that some contestants couldn’t complete. Frey also took home third place in the same course on his BMW and second place in the “Solo Officer Speed Course” on his Harley.

Competitions were divided by class between the older Harley Davidson police motorcycles and the newer, lighter BMW R1200RT-P bikes, with CHPD resurrecting two of its recently replaced Harleys for officers Anthony Boehle and Frey to compete and win several awards with.

Taking home first place on their BMW’s, Officer Frey joined with CHPD’s Sergeant David Gutierrez in the two-man team skills challenge called “Drop in the Bucket”. The rules for this course required officers to enter a circle with only one hand to steer, while the other hand was used to grab tennis balls from the top of traffic cones and throw them into a center receptacle. Officers were disqualified if they touched their bars with two hands, knocked over a cone, put their foot down or dropped their bike.

Saturday’s competition closed out with what organizers called “Last Man Standing,” where all 23 officers piled into a small, coned-off square and had to ride ’til they dropped. Officers were required to stay on their bikes at all times, and couldn’t touch the ground with their feet to stabilize their bikes without being disqualified. Officer Eddie Chan of San Jose reportedly won the final event, although there was some disagreement over whether California Highway Patrol Officer Anthony Gioletti had been the last one to put his foot down.

The second annual motorcycle competition and fair raised over $2600 was raised for the Citrus Heights Police Activities League charity, with local businesses like Citrus Heights Saw & Mower and Sprout’s contributing raffle prizes, and others like Aba Daba Rentals, Signs in 1 Day and the Citrus Heights Rotary club making cash donations to support the event.

Prizes included a Glock pistol from Sacramento Black Rifle and motorcycle gear from companies that have done business with the police department. Competing officers also enjoyed meals donated by Citrus Heights’ Beach Hut Deli, Buffalo Wild Wings and the Sacramento County Law Enforcement Chaplaincy.

Saturday’s event also featured a kids bicycle rodeo, face-painting and bounce-houses for attendees, and a local high school student sang the national anthem to kick the day off.

The event was attended by several council members and was sponsored by the City of Citrus Heights and its police department, along with the support of local businesses.

Watch:

Officers Compete in ‘Last Man Standing’ Event at 2014 Police Motor Rodeo from Citrus Heights Sentinel on Vimeo.

September 25, 2014
Local Labor Day Weekend Fair Highlights Safety, Fun

With giveaways, local vendors, fire truck photo-shoots and free safety checks, the Citrus Town Center hosted a Safety Fair on Saturday — drawing kids, families and shoppers to the annual Citrus Heights event.

Strollers, balloons, moms and more, were out and about at the Citrus Town Center’s Safety Fair over the weekend.

Odds of winning an 11 a.m. raffle by the fire department for free home safety equipment were high, due to only a handful of entries — but things had picked up by the second noon-hour raffle, according to the Department’s booth manager.

Area resident Kristin Pickett waited in a line of cars to get a free child seat safety check performed by the Citrus Heights Police Department.

“It was wonderful,” said the young mother, after Officer Dave Jones took several minutes to verify her child’s car seat base was securely fit and the straps tight. “It was great of them to be giving up their Saturday on this extremely hot day.”

Free bike safety checks were also offered by police, with officers available to provide brake checks and chain adjustments, as well as helmet and seat adjustments.

“There’s still too many kids that ride their bikes without their helmets,” said Sergeant David Gutierrez with the CHPD Traffic Unit, adding that half-way through the event they had been able to provide a few free helmets and fittings.

Handing out free Quick Quack car wash vouchers, Chaplain Frank Russell with Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Sacramento manned a table hoping to recruit new volunteers for his organization which offers “compassionate crisis care” and counseling for law enforcement workers and community victims of trauma or crime.

In addition, Sunrise Marketplace, Sprout’s and several other local businesses took part in the event, along with a cartoonist who offered free caricature drawings to a constant line of excited attendees.

Saturday’s Fair was one of many activities the Citrus Town Center sponsors throughout the year, as part of its goal to foster a “community feel” for the neighborhood shopping center. In 2012, the former “Sunrise Festival Shopping Center” finalized its nearly $4 million remodel, featuring new landscaping, store frontages, outdoor seating areas, and a prominently displayed new name at the corner of Greenback Lane and Sunrise Avenue.

September 1, 2014
CHPD Warns of IRS Phone Scam, Feds Give 5 Ways to Spot Hoax
The Citrus Heights Police Department tweeted a warning this week about an IRS phone scam hitting the Sacramento-area and nation, with IRS officials on Thursday releasing five ways to avoid falling victim to the scam.

By Joshua Doubek (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
“There are clear warning signs about these scams, which continue at high levels throughout the nation,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Taxpayers should remember their first contact with the IRS will not be a call from out of the blue, but through official correspondence sent through the mail.”

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said it has received over 90,000 phone calls about the scam, and has identified around 1,100 victims who have lost an estimated $5 million.

The IRS warns that scammers can spoof caller ID’s to make it appear the IRS is calling, and can often recite the last four digits of a social security number — but it says the following five scam practices are ones the IRS never uses, making them tell-tale signs of a scam call:
1. They call you about taxes you owe without first mailing you an official notice.
2. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
3. Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If a recipient of a suspicious call from someone claiming to be with the IRS, officials recommend taking the following actions:
- If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040, and IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.
- If you know you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.
- Also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their “FTC Complaint Assistant” at www.FTC.gov, adding “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.
Originally from neighboring Rancho Cordova Police Department, CHPD’s tweet about the scam lists (917) 300-3617 as one of the numbers scammers have been using locally to target taxpayers, and recommends not giving out any personal information.
August 30, 2014
Citrus Heights Police Arrest 3 in Weekend DUI Checkpoint

[box]Update: since publishing this story in August, Citrus Heights police continue to hold DUI Checkpoints For more information, see story: “Citrus Heights police win $182k grant for more DUI checkpoints, safety enforcement” [/box]

Citrus Heights police officers netted three arrests during a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint at Antelope Road and Lauppe Lane from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m, Friday, according to results released by police today.

A total of 767 vehicles were screened during the six-hour checkpoint, resulting in the arrest of a DUI-alcohol suspect, a DUI-drug impaired suspect and another arrest for possession/transportation of illegal drugs, according to a press release by the Citrus Heights Police Department. 10 drivers were also cited for driving without a valid license, and three vehicles were impounded, along with issuance of 13 citations.

Citing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Department’s press release said “Checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.”

CHPD acquires funding for its checkpoints through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the NHTSA, and plans to conduct another DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint in August, followed by a “DUI Saturation Patrol” operation on September 1.

August 20, 2014
DUI Checkpoint Planned in Citrus Heights

Police officers plan to set up a DUI Checkpoint at an undisclosed location this weekend, as part of an effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities, according to a press release issued by the Citrus Heights Police Department.

Officers from the CHPD Traffic Unit will be stopping drivers who pass through the checkpoint and checking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, beginning Friday at 7 p.m. and continuing until 2 a.m. Officers will also be checking for valid driver’s licenses, and “will strive to delay motorists only momentarily,” according to the release.

CHPD acquires funding for its checkpoints through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and has found the results to be successful — with the Department reporting that its last checkpoint resulted in two DUI-suspect arrests, 15 citations and three impounded vehicles. The six-hour checkpoint was held on August 1 and screened 820 cars at the intersection of Greenback Lane and Birdcage Street.

“The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes,” the release reads. “Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.”

The Department is also planning a “DUI Patrol Saturation” for September 1, as part of its ongoing effort to reduce accidents and fatalities in Citrus Heights.

August 11, 2014
Sylvan Memorial Day Ceremony: Freedom Isn’t Free

A Memorial Day ceremony held at Sylvan Cemetery was led by Citrus Heights Police Dept.’s Honor Guard.

A large crowd of veterans and community members packed under the gazebo at Sylvan Cemetery today in remembrance of the many Americans who lost their lives in combat since the Revolutionary War began in 1775.

“We need to remember why we’re here today,” said Citrus Heights Mayor Mel Turner, who mentioned in his speech that his son recently retired from the military. “It’s not about barbecues, the Budweisers, and those kinds of things — it’s really about honoring and recognizing and acknowledging those folks who have done so many important things to allow us to do the things we do today.”

Beginning with a procession along the cemetery’s “Avenue of Flags,” the event concluded with a memorial service which featured speeches by Citrus Heights council members, veterans, and city Police Chief Christopher Boyd.

Speakers emphasized remembrance of the sacrifice of soldiers who have lost their lives, and the role the military has played in protecting freedom in America, beginning with the Revolutionary War.

“Americans must remember that freedom isn’t free,” said Paul Reyes, of the Citrus Heights American Legion post. “In fact it’s only possible because our fallen heroes have paid its high price.”

May 27, 2014
Business Expo Draws Diverse Crowd to Citrus Heights

Attendees discuss information on one of the tables at an Expo booth

A business and career expo brought together over a thousand job-seekers, local employers and educators at the Citrus Heights Community Center, yesterday, in an effort to create jobs, promote local business and encourage education.

“It was great to see people of all walks of life here,” said event organizer Olga Ivannikov, highlighting the diverse attendees at the 5^th annual Multicultural Business and Career Expo.

The all-day event provided an opportunity for attendees to meet local employers, learn about open positions, and get familiar with the job application process.

Gabe Stein, 19, who attended the event, said “it was filled with great opportunities” for those seeking employment, as well as for business owners.

Although hoping for a bit more attendees, the Citrus Heights Police Department was able to recruit “four strong applicants” for entry-level job positions at its table, according to Community Service Office Larissa Wasilevsky.

The event was organized by Russian-American Media, and gained the support of the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce and former Senator George Runner.

Organizers said Citrus Heights was chosen to host the event due to its friendly business climate, saying the City is “extremely proactive in helping small business owners.”

April 17, 2014
CHPD Joins Crackdown on Texting while Driving

“Zero tolerance” is what the Citrus Heights Police Dept. is promising, as it joins a month-long enforcement and education campaign to curb hand-held cellphone use while driving.

The campaign is part of April’s nationwide “Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” and seeks to emphasize that phone calls and texts aren’t worth the risk of getting into an accident and endangering ones self or others, according to a press release by CHPD.

The National Safety Council estimates that over 275,000 cellphone-involved crashes have occurred this year, and an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that drivers using their phones are four times more likely to get into an injury collision.

The minimum ticket cost for drivers violating a cellphone law is $161, but repeat violator’s can see tickets over $281, according to CHPD.

The California Highway Patrol and several hundred local law enforcement agencies have also joined the month-long campaign.

April 8, 2014