News and Events

Police Chief, Mayor take guests beyond the headlines

San Diegans are putting charitable dollars to work supporting crime prevention, law enforcement and public-safety needs in our communities.

Chief Lansdowne addresses Beyond the Headlines attendees
Police Chief William Lansdowne
Sept. 2006 – San Diegans are paying attention to law enforcement needs. More than 450 attended the San Diego Police Foundation’s (SDPF) annual “Beyond the Headlines” fundraising luncheon to support the SDPF’s mission of providing equipment, training and cooperative community-based programs that are not covered within the San Diego Police Department’s city-funded budget.

Each year, the lunch event attracts interest from individuals, corporations and organizations from throughout the region. At this “no fuss,” event, guests have an opportunity to get to know some police officers, visit displays of many SDPD specialty units and meet and greet fellow supporters. They leave having gained a better understanding of public-safety and law-enforcement needs of the police department.

(l-r) Lt. Tony McElroy, SDPD, and Joe Moeller, president, San Diego International Sports Council
More than $1 million in grants have been awarded by the Foundation for training and equipment including computer systems and sophisticated software to help police use commercial and residential surveillance camera tapes/DVDs to zero in on small details that help identify suspects and crime-scene evidence.

A grant for police domestic violence investigative teams is helping stop the cycle of violence as video-taped evidence is used to get guilty pleas from perpetrators in 95% of cases where victims’ initial statements are recorded. Tactical ballistic vests for S.W.A.T. officers increase officer protection. And the 60 Spanish Program graduates ensure that safety, investigative and problem-solving communication happens more quickly, tying up fewer resources that have to wait for translation.

SDPD’s Cadet officers served as greeters. The Cadet Program is for 16 to 21 year olds and prepares them for law enforcement careers.
At the event, guests learned about the San Diego Police Department’s service dogs and witnessed a short demonstration. The SDPD canine unit is one of the largest in the country. The police department has relied on the Foundation to help fund replacement dogs for retirees who generally step down from service after eight and one-half years.

Police Chief William Lansdowne was on hand to paint a brief picture of the department’s staffing challenges and the important role SDPF grants play in improving department efficiency.

SDPF luncheon attendees
(l-r) Ron Kendrick, retired Executive Vice President of Union Bank of California, launched the Foundation’s first fundraising campaign in 1999. The SDPF was created under the leadership of then Police Chief Jerry Sanders in 1998.
A unique focus of the event is the more than 50 “table captains” who rallied friends and colleagues. A great example of how a small number can make a difference, these 50 volunteers translated to more than 450 luncheon guests.

And funds raised exceed $150,000.

“People want safe communities and are interested in the work of law enforcement, but few are aware of the costly, and not-so-expensive equipment needs that can make officers’ work more effective,” said Wenda Alvarez, President and CEO of the Foundation. ”We give them a chance to get to know police officers and to understand the challenges they face. Then we ask for help.”

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders knows the challenges well. As police chief, he founded the San Diego Police Foundation with a small group of community members and chaired the organization for three years. His commitment to attracting private sector support was evident in the critical role of asking luncheon guests to pledge their support.

“The reason most people don’t give is they’re not asked,” said Sanders. “I didn’t make that mistake today and people were more than generous.”