ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — With the increase in staff and technology within the Arvin PD, says they’ve been able to lower their priority response time from two minutes and 24 seconds to one minute and 24 seconds.
- Video shows how the Arvin Police Department has improved its staff, technology, and equipment over the last two years.
- Through the Department of Justice, Chief of Police Alex Ghazalpour says he was able to introduce CLETS network to the department’s units.
- Other upgrades in the department include new weapons, like red dot handguns, and re-branding like the new units, uniforms, and badges.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
According to the Arvin Police Department, in a year, their dispatchers take approximately 17 thousand calls. With the increase in staff and technology within the department, they say they've been able to lower their priority response time from 2 minutes and 24 seconds to a minute and 24 seconds…
"Without a police department in the city, Arvin would be lost," said Antonio Cervantes, an Arvin resident and business owner.
Since Chief of Police Alex Ghazalpour began spearheading the department, Cervantes says he has come to feel safe working at night.
"There's a lot of crime in Arvin and it's reduced significantly," he said.
From a pool of eight police officers on duty to having an almost fully functioning department with K-9 units, the Arvin Police Department says, they've come a long way.
"We have for the first time, three people in our detective bureau to pick and lift some of the investigations that have been there to be able to push them forward and bring closure to it," said Ghazalpour.
Helping the department fight crime, is the CLETS network—an automated system that allows officers to run plates and people while they're on patrol.
"Before we had to call dispatch on the radio and be like 'Arvin Adam 2 run a plate,' and they'll give it to you, but we get busy sometimes," explained APD Officer Edwin Jimenez. "This is easier for officers, instead of typing it, you can just be driving—"
And the dash cam scans vehicles' license plates and provides officers with suspect and vehicle information.
"It's a great stepping stone that we've taken for reference information, and material information for us to be able to do the work effectively out in the field," stated the Chief of Police.
Through the system, Jimenez says the PD has been able to arrest several shooting suspects in the area.
Other upgrades include new weapons, like red dot handguns, and re-branding new units, uniforms, and badges.
According to Ghazalpour, none of these changes would've been possible without the support of city management and the community.
"In my opinion, the Arvin Police Department is at one of its greatest moments right now," said Cervantes.
Ghazalpour added that he is currently looking to bring a first responder drone program to the department to lower response times and deliver life-saving equipment to 911 callers.
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