San Diego County Sheriff - March 2014

Welcome to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Newsletter

When Sheriff's Deputies and our youth are brought together, great things can be accomplished. We believe in the power of community connections. In this edition of our e-newsletter, you will see our commitment to our youth with two different programs that allow children to go behind the badge. Deputies become mentors so our youngsters learn the value of following the law.

We also want you be aware of a scam that involves people posing as members of this agency. Your anonymous tips are wanted in finding fugitives and solving a cold case.

Join us at the Sheriff's Museum this month for a birthday celebration like no other for a retired deputy who is turning 100 years old!

And, remember our deputies will be out in force looking for drunk drivers on Saint Patrick's Day. Make sure you celebrate responsibly.

Stay safe,

Bill Gore, Sheriff

San Diego County

Chat with a Recruiter

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is hiring. Recruitment for sworn positions opens during the first business day of each month which is Monday, March 3rd.

If you have questions about the hiring process, you can chat with a recruiter.

Monday, March 3rd

10:00 a.m. to noon

facebook.com/sdsheriff

@SDSheriff

Just type your questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages and a recruiter is available to explain the application process to you.

Are you ready to put a star in your future? Join the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Visit www.joinsdsheriff.net

or email recruit@sdsheriff.org.

KidzWatch

The Alpine Sheriff's Station is offering children an opportunity to gain first-hand information about the role of Sheriff's Deputies in keeping them and their families safe. This little citizen academy is called KidzWatch. It's a FREE program for kids between 7 and 11 years old. Participants must live in Alpine.

Friday, April 11th

8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Alpine Sheriff's Station Community Room

2751 Alpine Boulevard, Alpine

Limited seats, RSVP required

Contact Crime Prevention Specialist Holly Conroy at

(619) 659-2608

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KidzWatch includes:

Sheriff's K-9 demonstration
Presentations from Sheriff's Deputies, Sheriff's Bomb/Arson, Sheriff's Special Enforcement Detail (SED/SWAT), Sheriff's Crime Lab, CHP Officers, and the Alpine Fire Protection District
Patrol cars, Search and Rescue trucks, fire trucks, ambulance
Learn about bullying, personal safety, fire and life safety, bike safety
FREE lunch from Alpine Kiwanis and kids receive certificates and t-shirts from Alpine Stagecoach Lions at the end of the class

Junior Deputy Academy

We want our youngsters to be our partners in building safer schools and communities. That's why the San Marcos and Vista Sheriff's Stations offer a program called Junior Deputy Academy. Deputies become mentors and motivate children to become outstanding citizens in their neighborhoods.

The program promotes discipline, teamwork, friendship, respect and trust in themselves and law enforcement. Kids learn about personal safety, reporting suspicious activity, evidence collection, internet safety, avoiding alcohol, drugs and gangs, positive life choices, teen dating violence, and bullying. After each session, the class participates in physical fitness and training drills.

This is a 10-week class for kids 6 to 17 years old. They meet for 3 hours once a week. To learn more, contact the following deputies:

San Marcos Sheriff's Station - (760) 510-5200 c/o Deputy Jason Rouse
Vista Sheriff's Station - (760) 940-4551 c/o Deputy Rodrigo Aristizabal

To see more photos from the recent Junior Deputy Academy in San Marcos, follow us on

. To watch video of a graduation in Vista, click here.

Warrant Scam

March 2 to 8 is National Consumer Protection Week. There are free resources available online to help you make smart buying decisions, sniff out scams and protect yourself from identity thieves and online threats. Go to www.sdsheriff.net/financial.

This month, we want you to be aware of the warrant scam. Phone scammers have been posing as members of the Sheriff's Department. Recently, they have been using names of Sheriff's employees in the phone calls.

No deputy or employee of the Sheriff's Department will ever contact members of the public by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment. If you get this type of call, hang up.

People with outstanding warrants are encouraged to turn themselves in Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at any one of the Sheriff's Court Facilities. For more information click here.

To watch other Scam Alert videos, follow us on

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

St. Patrick's Day Drunk Driving Prevention March 12-18, 2012

Don't rely on the luck of the Irish on Saint Patrick's Day. Designate a sober driver. Sheriff's Deputies will be conducting DUI checkpoints in the following cities:

Friday, March 14 - Vista
Sunday, March 16 - Imperial Beach

Extra deputies will also be out on DUI patrols on Saint Patrick's Day, starting Monday, March 17th at 7:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. the next day.

Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Drunk Driving, It's Just Not Worth It. To watch our public safety video, click on the image below or follow us on

Turning 100

Join the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the Sheriff's Museum as we celebrate an amazing milestone for retired Sheriff's Captain Leland McPhie. Captain McPhie is turning 100 years old on:

Monday, March 10th

Noon

Sheriff's Museum

2384 San Diego Avenue, Old Town

Captain McPhie joined the Sheriff's Department back in 1940. Still very active, he is preparing to compete at the Senior Olympics in Boston.

To learn more about the William B. Kolender Sheriff's Museum, click here.

Stay Safe San Diego

Issue: 37

In This Issue

Chat with a Recruiter

KidzWatch

Junior Deputy Academy

Warrant Scam

Buzzed Driving

Turning 100

Vista Home Invasion

Take a good look at this sketch. This man is wanted in connection with a home invasion in Vista on February 9th. He approached a woman from behind as she was opening her apartment door near the 1400 block of Bonair Road. He held what the victim believed to be a gun to her head. He forced the woman inside the apartment and tried to blindfold her in the kitchen, but there was a struggle. The man then ran out of the apartment.

If you recognize this man, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers. You can remain anonymous and be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Call (888) 580-8477.

To see a bigger sketch, follow us on

Solana Beach Bank Robbery

Deputies from the Encinitas Sheriff's Station want your help in identifying and finding a man wanted in connection with a bank robbery in Solana Beach.

It happened on February 19th at a US Bank branch inside a Vons grocery store. He approached the teller and demanded money. He left after receiving cash. No weapon was seen and no one was hurt.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at

(888) 580-8477.

You could be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

To see bigger photos of the suspect, follow us on

Poway Bank Robbery

Take a good look at this surveillance photo and see if you recognize a man wanted in connection with a bank robbery in Poway on February 14th.

The robber entered a US Bank branch inside an Albertsons grocery store in the 14800 block of Pomerado Road. He demanded money from the tellers and claimed to have a weapon in his waist. After getting the cash, he left the store in a dark blue Chevy S 10 pickup truck. No one was hurt.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.

You could be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. To see bigger photos of the suspect, follow us on

Cold Case File

She would have been 61 years old today, but her life was cut short as she was walking home from a friend's house.

Join the family of Nikki Benedict on her birthday as they hold a vigil to honor her memory.

Thursday, March 13th

6:00 p.m.

13094 Civic Center Drive, Poway

Nikki Benedict was stabbed and left to die on a dirt road in the 12700 block of Poway Road on May 1, 1967. She was 14 years old.

Anyone with information about this cold case is urged to call the Sheriff's Homicide Detail at

(858) 974-2321.

You can remain anonymous and be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at

(888) 580-8477.

To learn more about Nikki's case and other cold cases, click here.

Nikki Benedict

Prescription Drug Abuse

Prevention Month

Prescription Drug Deaths in the county at record high

March is Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month throughout California. Remember, one pill can kill. There's a safe way to clean out your medicine cabinet.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Saturday, April 26th

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Various locations

You can always drop off expired and unused prescription medicines at any Sheriff's Station or Substation Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. For more information, click here.

San Diego County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony

Honoring San Diego County Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty

A public ceremony is planned to honor and remember the service and sacrifice of Sheriff's Deputies and other law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in San Diego County. 85 deputies and officers made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our county and its people. Join us for the San Diego County Law Enforcement Memorial on:

Wednesday, May 7th

Noon

County Administration Center

1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego West Side

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Cesar Chavez Day Closure

San Diego County Sheriff's Department Stations, Substations and Headquarters will be closed for a state holiday.

Monday, March 31st

Cesar Chavez Day

All detention facilities will remain open. The closure to the public of business offices will not impact deputies in the field or employees scheduled for on-call.

Jan Caldwell, Public Affairs Director

Melissa Aquino, Public Affairs/Media Relations

San Diego County Sheriff's Department

"Keeping the peace since 1850"