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Operation Silent Night
December 9, 2008
Operation Silent Night
The El Cajon Police Department plans to kick off the holiday season with a crime prevention program in and around the Westfield Parkway shopping center. Dubbed ‘Operation Silent Night’, the program will focus on crime prevention techniques utilized throughout the shopping center and surrounding areas. Specialized equipment will be used throughout the area to deter criminal activity and to keep consumers safe while they visit the shopping center and surrounding businesses. High tech equipment such as license plate reading police cars and a portable watch tower will be in place all throughout the holiday season.
The license plate reading police cars will patrol the area searching for stolen vehicles. These high tech cars use multiple cameras to scan up to 800 license plates an hour while searching for stolen cars. The Sky Watch portable tower allows police to get a bird’s eye view from an enclosure thirty feet high. The tower is equipped with high power lights, infrared camera and a digital recording device. All of this equipment was purchased through specific grant funding.
Members of the Department’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) will be mingling with shoppers throughout the mall and its parking lots. The undercover officers will be on the lookout for any criminal activity and suspicious behavior. Uniformed officers will also be patrolling the area in marked police cars as will the El Cajon Police Mounted Unit who will be on horseback. The department will also have a storefront office inside the shopping center, located near the food court. Throughout the holiday season, the storefront will be staffed with police officers as well as members of several community based organizations who will offer information on their services.
The El Cajon Police Department would like to remind shoppers to be vigilant during this holiday season and report any suspicious behavior. Place all packages and other valuables out of view in your automobile and lock your car doors. Westfield Parkway and the El Cajon Police Department are making every effort to make this a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
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