Schedule of Events

Local law enforcement is the front lines in resolving dangerous, stressful situations while simultaneously “keeping the peace” throughout a jurisdiction. The Beverly Hills Police Department covers just under six square miles, comprised of an “upscale” community including many Hollywood Stars, world famous upscale shopping on Rodeo Drive, and countless other attractions. However, there is still concern over high profile crime, terrorism, and day-to-day crime threats that the department has to deal with and/or prepare for. In my goal to become a police officer, my experiences as a Beverly Hills Police Department Cadet has truly given me an inside out look.  Beginning with the intensive hiring process, which included an extensive background investigation and polygraph exam, the challenge of becoming an officer was clear. Once I was officially hired my tasks ranged from working the front desk, taking reports, assisting in the property and evidence room,  working with detectives, serving subpoenas, ride-alongs, and Cadet Training Days. A PowerPoint will be presented discussing the Department, my duties and summary of my experience to this point. During my internship, networking and opportunities to discuss career paths have proved to be invaluable. Officers of all ranks within the department and personnel from other agencies such as the Secret Service and even the Beverly Hills Fire Chief have added to my everyday learning experience and helped solidify my path toward a career in law enforcement.

While studying Criminal Justice, I often found myself siding with what is “right” or instantly rejecting what is “wrong;” yet what I was failing to consider was the fact that there are varying shades of gray interwoven into anything you learn.  By immersing myself as an intern into what some refer to as the “dark side,” and interacting with the Ventura County Public Defender’s Investigative Unit, I discovered the importance of the Public Defender’s office and how it is an extremely valuable asset to our Criminal Justice system. The tasks that I have been exposed to include going out in the field to conduct interviews, serving subpoenas, negotiating civil compromises, attending court hearings, obtaining research on select topics to assist the development of the ongoing investigations, reviewing video surveillance/autopsy photos, reviewing discovery, and much more. Through this internship, I have learned to think in ways I never even considered, and through this presentation I hope to express the necessity of having an open-mind when entering into the workforce of the Criminal Justice system. This Presentation will be formatted as a PowerPoint with more information and will be approved by the Criminal Justice faculty sponsors before presented.

The Ventura County Probation Agency is mandated to protect and serve the citizens of Ventura County by providing direct supervision of adults and juvenile offenders after their release from custody as well as also providing intervention services for youths. As an intern at the Probation Agency I have worked alongside sworn and civilian staff. I have had the pleasure of working in the Training Unit, where officers must annually complete required and enhancement courses mandated by the Agency and State. As an intern my duties are limited but include training reminders, training reports, preparing for future courses, and assisting in various projects handed down by supervisors. During my internship, I have developed skills and created many relationships with officers that have helped me build up my knowledge of the many duties and responsibilities of the Probation Agency. I have also created mentoring relationships with help me in the future.
 

Project Safe Passage is a six-year longitudinal study that is focused on studying the affect of educational interventions and community policing on at-risk children. The locations of our study were two high-crime areas that were revived through the efforts of afterschool programming and the proactive presence of law enforcement. The children living in these communities were classified as a vulnerable population and were constantly exposed to high amounts of crime. This vulnerable population then received help from Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) and Conejo Parks and Recreation Department (CPRD) in an effort to prevent future criminal activity and provide them with positive educational experiences. The purpose of Project Safe Passage is to analyze these high risk neighborhoods with the goal of tracking any potential changes associated with the community policing and academic intervention programing. Our role in the study involved phase one, which was an initial analysis of previous crime data at these two locations. We used the VCSO’s crime database that contained information on calls for service, arrests, and crimes. We then organized this information through excel with the use of pivot tables to reveal pertinent trends. Overall, our results showed an indication of effective community policing and an increased trust in local law enforcement. The constant police presence in both locations encouraged the residents to see law enforcement as a resource and not a threat.