Fillmore Police 2010 Report: Captain Tim Hagel with the Ventura County Sheriff’s office comments “[We] will be challenged in 2011 as we strive to deliver the same level of public services [amidst statewide cuts]… we [continue] to rely on the community [to help] us.” According to Hagel Fillmore police responded to almost “6,000 calls for service… during 2010.” This includes a slight increase in actual crimes, 690 in 2010 compared to 688 in 2009, both of those years down from 743 crimes in 2008. Hagel reports “The biggest increase in crime categories [in 2010] were assaults due to gang activity and family issues.” He continues that the largest “decrease in crimes were in robberies, forgery and vandalism.” 2010 saw 182 counts of vandalism, nearly all graffiti. Hagel reports that there were two homicides in 2010, “one was gang related (gang on gang) and the other was a family dispute.”

Hagel states “Our emphasis in 2010 and 2011 has been early gang intervention with teens and young children in the city. We have established a strong teen mentoring program with three local organizations; One Step A La Vez, Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters. We could not do our job without these organizations supporting our combined efforts with the Fillmore School District.”

Fillmore’s Crime stats for 2010:
128 Traffic Accidents (down 4.5%)
52 Drunk Drivers Arrested
2187 Traffic Citations Issued
165 Felony Arrests
1060 Misdemeanor Arrests
182 Vandalism (nearly all graffiti)
206 Thefts
9 Forgery
93 Assaults
5 Robbery
2 Homicides
2 Rape (suspects known)
51 Burglaries
20 Stolen Cars
253 Domestic Fight Calls
103 Miscellaneous crimes

Fillmore Fire 2010 Report: According to Fillmore Fire Chief Rigo Landeros “2010 was a very busy year for Fillmore Fire Department.” In addition to responding to 1017 calls for service, daily training on “basic [and advanced] life support skills”, and daily fire suppression skills practice, the firehouse restarted their High School Cadet program and implemented a brand new Fire Academy. Landeros states “This [Cadet] program offers high school students hands on experience [in a fire department].” Cadets work with “fire hoses, power tools, claim ladder, breathing apparatuses” as well as learning responsibility and “good work habits.” According to Landeros “[The Academy for new volunteer firefighters] is a more structured training program that we put our new recruits through before they… start working on an engine.”

Landeros reports “Fillmore fire has started training with other fire Departments around the County (Santa Paula Fire, Oxnard Fire and Ventura County Fire).” Training with other departments provides a better environment for effective collaboration should Fillmore Fire be called to help another city or if another department is called to help in Fillmore. Landeros comments “As part of Fillmore Fire’s ongoing commitment to provide excellent customer service to the citizens [and businesses] of Fillmore…we send our Training Captain Billy Gabriel to…outside training… so he can come back and train [the entire] Department on the skills and techniques [mandated by the] State Fire Marshall.”

Emergency Preparedness; Disaster Coordinator Patrick Maynard is responsible for updating and maintaining Fillmore’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC). Part of Maynard’s duties is to “keep up to date on …disaster programs [throughout the County] that will help Fillmore [in the event of a disaster].” Landeros reports “Fillmore Fire has officers training monthly to insure that when an emergency happens [officers are well prepared].” Some of the training involves; MCI (Mutable Casualty Incident, structure fire operations, and Hazmat. Landeros emphasized the importance of community involvement with helping in the event of an emergency. “We are continuing to provide our citizens with … valuable [CERT, Community Emergency Response Training].” The next training should begin in April. He encourages community members to get involved in “this great training.”