The 8th annual Criminal Prevention and Safety Awareness Fair was held on campus on March 19. The event featured ambassadors of public safety across San Joaquin County (SJC) to promote the many resources available to local citizens.
Groups from the SJC sheriff’s office, the probation department, and even the water police were present in spreading safety awareness.
Booths from the SJC Family Justice Center and the SJC Victim Witness Services were showcasing domestic violence and victim awareness, promoting victim rights.
“We provide a good place for victims to seek assistance without involvement,” said Office Technician Coordinator Laura Rouzer-Eash from the SJC District Attorney’s Family Justice Center.
Representing SJC victim-witness services was Jordan Rutledge and Grace Lambdin.
“We come to events like this to get the message out. People aren’t aware that victims have rights, we help with restraining orders and things like that,” said Rutledge.
Fun fact: did you know that drinking on a boat is legal?
WaterCraft Police Officer Micheal Boyd said that while this is the case; drinking on a boat is the leading cause of crashes and deaths on the water.
“You can drink on a boat but you still have to maintain the legal .08 percent alcohol limit while operating a boat, there’s a lack of awareness of the rules on the water,” said Boyd.
Boyd and his colleague San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Leo Conn was displaying a large boat that sheriffs use while patrolling local waterways like the Delta.
Apart from the big boats and SWAT trucks on exhibit, the event also had officers flying drones around. If someone had any questions about drones, Stockton Police Officer Gabriel Cooper was the man to ask. Cooper described drones as an extra pair of eyes during stakeouts or searches.
“We use them for block search, child runaways, and we’ll attach a speaker before entering a building to alert anyone inside,” said Cooper.
So if you ever see a drone flying above your house here in Stockton, chances are there’s someone trying to run from police, as Cooper said these drones can fly at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour and can fly out to 3 thousand feet .
Students found the fair to be fun, such as Autumn Cantu, a Criminal Justice major with a minor in law enforcement.
“I was passing through…it’s interesting to see the people I’ll be working with and lift my spirits up,” said Cantu.