Community Relations Unit records, develops, analyzes, organizes, and implement comprehensive brochures and programs designed to anticipate, recognize and appraise crime risks and to initiate action to reduce or remove such risk. The Community Relations Unit is committed to the development and perpetuation of community crime prevention programs.
The Hampton Police Division must always strive to establish close ties with and respond to the needs of the community.
What is Interesting for the Public?
Below is a list of programs the Community Relations Unit offers that the public would be interested in.
- Child Safety Fairs - Police Officers for the Hampton Police Division come out and read books to pre-school age students.
- Certified Crime Prevention Community Program - The Community Relations Unit facilitates the Certified Crime Prevention Community Program for the Hampton Police Division. In order to be designated as a Certified Crime Prevention Community the Division must meet numerous elements and standards which are set forth by DCJS.
- Citizen's Police Academy - is a twelve-week program designed to teach the citizens of Hampton about the mission, policies, and day to day operations of the Police Division.
- CPTED - crime prevention through environmental design- teaches citizens how to reduce crime by reducing the desire, ability and opportunity of the criminal to commit a crime.
- False Alarm Reduction Plan - The Community Relations Unit oversees the False Alarm Reduction Plan. The goal of this plan is to decrease false activation's by twenty percent, thereby increasing public safety by reducing the unnecessary use of city law enforcement and emergency service resources.
- HCAT - Hampton Combats Auto Theft - a program to reduce automobile theft. Citizens can enroll to receive the HCAT emblem to place on their vehicle, for the hours of 12:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m.
- Home Security Surveys - The Community Relations Unit conducts home security surveys. These surveys are done free of charge and on a voluntary basis.
- Informational Flyers - The Community Relations Unit designs and distributes informational flyers on various topics throughout the year. Some topics distributed include burglary prevention tips, counterfeit money prevention tips, holiday safety tips, and many more.
- Lectures - crime prevention & safety - The Community Relations Unit will come out to speak to children and adults on issues of concern with a two-week notice on topics like gang awareness, internet safety, active shooter and many more.
- Project Home Safe - The Community Relations Unit manages and coordinates Project Home Safe. This project encourages citizens to secure their firearms by providing them with a free gun lock. The Community Relations Unit distributes gun locks daily in the Community Relations Unit. The Unit also distributed them at various festivals and meetings throughout the year.
- Neighborhood Watch Program - The Community Relations Unit also oversees the Neighborhood Watch Program. The program currently includes 167 neighborhoods or 27,637 homes. As part of this program the Community Relations Unit also conducts Project Stay Informed. This program notifies neighborhood watch groups when two or more burglaries, robberies, or stolen cars occur in their area.
- Teen Academy - is a two-week program for rising 9th graders through high school graduates teaching them what it takes to be a police officer. Examples, Traffic stops, defensive tactics, field trip to the firing range and lectures on police related topics and more.
What does Community Relations Do?
- Abandon Vehicle Investigations
- Business and Home Security Surveys
- Business Watch
- Certified Crime Prevention Community Program
- Citizen Awards
- Citizen Police Academy
- Citizen Police Academy Alumni Volunteers
- Civic and Committee Meetings
- CPTED Surveys - Home & Business
- Crime Prevention & Safety Lectures
- Displays & Brochures at City Functions
- False Alarm Reduction Plan
- Funeral Escorts
- HEAT
- H-CAT
- Informational Flyers
- Life Force
- Multiple Hit Program
- McGruff Appearances
- Neighborhood Watch
- Project Home Safe
- Project Stay Informed
- Police Chaplain Program
- Police Wrecker List
- Safety Fairs & Community Events
- School Crossing Guards
- Security Awareness Forms
- Site Plan Review
- Taxi Cab Enforcement
- Teen Police Academy
- Tours of HPD Building
- Videos & Engravers
- VIN Verifications