Greetings from the Los Angeles Police Department. The following is the monthly update for July 2002. I hope you find the information useful. You are encouraged to continue to visit our Web site at www.lapdonline.org as it has grown to over 10,000 pages since its inception in 1998. CENTURIONS FOOTBALL FINISH SEASON AFTER CHAMPIONSHIP GAME The LAPD Centurions Football team, formed in 1978, is made up entirely of Los Angeles police officers who play and practice on their own time to be a part of the team. The LAPD Centurions play football for kids, as proceeds from the season go to support the Blind Children’s Center of Los Angeles. On June 8, 2002, the undefeated LAPD Centurion football team traveled to Orlando, Florida to compete against the NYPD’s team, the undefeated New York’s Finest, in the championship game of the National Public Safety Football League (NPSFL). The Centurions scored first with a 40-yard touchdown pass with the LAPD defense holding the New York scoreless at halftime. Both teams were unable to score in the third quarter, but by the end of the game, New York’s Finest won the title of NPSFL champions with a score of 7-6. The LAPD Centurion football team finishes the season with a 5-1 record and is rated as the number nine team in the country by the American Football Association. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT National Night Out is an annual activity where law enforcement agencies, in partnership with the communities they serve, hold events designed to strengthen that agency's tie with the community. This year, National Night Out is scheduled for August 6, 2002 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For the 20th year, the Los Angeles Police Department will hold numerous activities and events across the City. These activities, including cookouts, block parties and station open houses, are coordinated with Neighborhood Watch groups, Community-Police Advisory Board members and volunteers. These events are opportunities for the police in the area to utilize their strategic linkage and communication plan to mobilize community resources. If you are interested in participating in National Night Out activities in your area, contact your local Los Angeles Community Police Station. EXPLORER ACADEMY GRADUATION The Los Angeles Police Explorer program educates and involves youth, ages 14 – 21, in police operations, broadening their understanding of the challenges, skills and responsibilities associated with police work. During their 12-week Academy, Explorers take classes in report writing, ethics, radio communications, criminal justice, desk procedures, human relations and physical training. The 78th Law Enforcement Explorer Academy Graduation Ceremony will be held at the Los Angeles Police Academy gymnasium on Saturday, August 17, 2002, with approximately 120 Explorer recruits graduating after completing over 96 hours of training. This event begins at 11 a.m. and concludes at 2:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend. DEPARTMENT TO HOST XXIII NORTH AMERICAN POLICE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS The North American Police Soccer Championships (NAPSC) began in 1980 in Vancouver Canada as an effort to promote camaraderie and sportsmanship among American and Canadian law enforcement officers within the forum of soccer competition. It has since grown to include teams from throughout the North American continent. Prior host agencies have included Toronto in 2001, St. Louis in 2000, Vancouver in 1999, and Philadelphia in 1998. Each year, the host agency chooses a benefit organization and all funds raised above the cost of the tournament are then contributed. The charitable nature of the tournament provides a worthy goal that transcends simple sporting competition. The Los Angeles Police Department will host the tournament from September 4- 7 at the Balboa Sporting Complex in West Valley Division and has chosen the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as the benefit organization. The public is invited to attend. JULY SAFETY TIPS – PREVENTING CRIMES AGAINST SENIORS By the year 2020, senior citizens will comprise approximately 16 percent of California’s population. Although statistically seniors are victims of crime less often than younger members of society, once victimized the effects are far more devastating. Seniors are often victims of fraud, con artists, and elder abuse. Telemarketing is a common method of defrauding the elderly. Con artists frequently use the telephone to entice seniors into various schemes that are designed to swindle seniors out of their money. By being alert, seniors can greatly reduce the likelihood of being victimized. To further lessen the chances of seniors becoming victims, the following objectives should be stressed: * Stay alert and remain tuned-in to your surroundings. Be aware, prepared, and walk confidently. You do not want to look like a potential victim. Also, trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in a location, leave immediately. * Never open your door for strangers and always insist on seeing proper identification. If someone comes to your home and asks to use your phone to call 911, don’t let them in. Instead, make them wait outside while you make the call for them. * Secure your home by always using deadbolt locks on all exterior doors, having a peephole in your front door, and not leaving a key outside under a door mat or in a flowerpot. Consider the use of exterior lighting and fencing to help make your home more secure. * Most successful frauds and con games are old schemes with new twists. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some tips that alert you to possible telemarketing scams are phrases such as: “Act now!” “You’ve won a free gift,” and “High profit, no risk!” Also, do not give your credit card number to telemarketing agents who call you. The Senior Crime Prevention Circular has attempted to establish a crime prevention minded attitude for seniors. It also covers several aspects of everyday life, where safety can be improved. For additional information or to obtain a copy of crime prevention circulars, contact the Crime Prevention Unit, at (213) 485-3134, or visit our Web site at www.lapdonline.org and open the “Crime Prevention Tips” icon. MARTIN H. POMEROY Chief of Police To unsubscribe from this newsletter please click on this link http://listserv.lacity.org/cgi-bin/wa.exe?SUBED1=lapd_monthly&A=1