For police officers, the concept of devotion to duty is second nature. Every day, the men and women of uniformed law enforcement serve on the front lines, protecting the communities and individuals in their care.
True to its heritage, the nonprofit San Diego Harbor Police Foundation represents a deep-rooted commitment to service and has made significant contributions toward improving the lives of children, families, and police officers.
Mark Stainbrook, Chief of the Port of San Diego Harbor Police, witnessed different community and public safety challenges in his jurisdiction, which comprises 34 miles of waterfront along San Diego Bay and includes five member cities: Coronado, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, and San Diego.
He envisioned a charitable foundation that would provide for the greater good in three key areas: officer wellness, education for disadvantaged youth, and human trafficking awareness and prevention.
With the help and partnership of experienced nonprofit executive Jeff Wohler, who took the reins as president and CEO, the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation was established in 2018.
Since its inception, the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation has made numerous contributions toward creating safer communities and improving quality of life for key populations.
Officer wellness has always been a top priority.
While the pandemic sent a majority of American workers to the safety of their homes last year, first responders stayed on the front lines.
The Foundation provided over 5,000 meals to Harbor Police officers and staff throughout 2020, showing gratitude to those who continued to serve during one of the worst public health crises in history.
(Take a look behind-the-scenes to see how the Port of San Diego Harbor Police has responded to the global pandemic as officers remain “At the Ready” serving and protecting the community 24/7. Courtesy of the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation and YouTube.)
The Foundation’s contributions to officer wellness are also evident at Harbor Police headquarters, where it has funded numerous enhancements to improve comfort and morale.
Highlights include a beautiful employee lounge known as “The Collision Space,” a Victory Garden with fresh fruits and vegetables, and a newly upgraded K-9 facility.
With the Collision Space, officers now have a functional and comfortable place to recharge during the workday, while K-9 officers are enjoying a new dog bath station and automatic doggie drinking fountain.
(A generous donation to the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation results in significant upgrades to the K-9 Unit’s facility. Bogy demonstrates his bomb sniffing abilities at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Courtesy of the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation and YouTube. Posted on Aug 13, 2021.)
Another core program of the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation is academic development for disadvantaged youth. Since 2019, the Foundation has adopted and nurtured Perkins K-8 School in Barrio Logan, a neighborhood with one of the highest poverty rates in San Diego County.
Over 95% of students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and 30% are homeless.
The Foundation has upgraded four special education classrooms, replacing broken and dilapidated furniture with brand-new furniture and equipment.
It is a labor of love, with officers and volunteers personally delivering, building and installing the furniture at the school, to the surprise and delight of Perkins students who walk in the next day to find a high quality classroom environment.
Additionally, the Foundation established an officer-student mentorship program.
Each grade level has been adopted by a volunteer Harbor Police officer who conducts regular classroom visits, along with group outings and field trips such as Shop with a Cop and Fish with a Cop.
(The San Diego Harbor Police Foundation celebrates the holidays by helping others. And there’s no better way than to help fund the Shop with a Cop program. This year COVID-19 got in our officers’ way, but barely. Courtesy of the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation and YouTube. Posted on Dec 12, 2020.)
This program provides students with positive role models and also establishes trust between law enforcement and the families who live and work in the community.
Upcoming programs include literacy and reading comprehension tutors, student/workplace exposure, and evening classes for parents.
The San Diego Harbor Police Foundation has also made significant contributions in the area of human trafficking awareness, training and prevention.
The FBI identified San Diego as one of the top 13 high-intensity child trafficking areas in the nation. To combat this crime, the Foundation realized the need to attack it from both the law enforcement level and the community level.
Under its Help Stop Human Trafficking program, the Foundation funded specialized training for 13 Harbor Police officers and senior staff to date, certifying them as Human Trafficking Liaison Officers (HTLOs).
The Port of San Diego Harbor Police now proudly represents the nation’s largest contingent of HTLOs within a single local law enforcement agency, leading the way nationally in the fight against trafficking.
The next phase of Help Stop Human Trafficking is a community-wide training and awareness program that will engage the community as part of the solution to end this heinous crime.
(Authorities netted more than 140 arrests in a four-day sting throughout San Diego County targeting sex buyers and human traffickers. Courtesy of FOX 5 San Diego and YouTube. Posted on Apr 9, 2021.)
Launching later this year, the program includes training videos and educational materials that will be available for free to San Diego County employers.
These videos have special focus on the hospitality and tourism industries, whose employees have the highest probability of encountering human trafficking activity.
Those who complete the training will learn how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report suspicious activity to law enforcement. It is a program that the Foundation hopes will ultimately save lives.
At its heart, the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation recognizes that police officers are a vital part of the fabric of the communities they serve.
Working alongside dedicated civilians, community leaders, donors, and corporate citizens, the Foundation has taken the long view toward building better communities and hopes to make a lasting impact on many generations to come.
(San Diego Harbor Police officers patrolling the airport are as vigilant as ever, while the pandemic has left terminals eerily empty. This video is part of a series produced by the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation. SDHPF provides critical resources to increase public awareness, officer wellness, and specialized training and technology. To learn more or donate go to sdharborpolicefoundation.org Courtesy of the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation and YouTube. Posted on May 22, 2020.)
San Diego Harbor Police Foundation Programs Include:
Perkins K-8
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The Foundation, with your support, has adopted Perkins K-8 school located in the Barrio Logan district.
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The needs are great, as this school has a homeless population of 37%. The poverty level has increased greatly during the pandemic.
Help Stop Human Trafficking
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The Foundation is on a mission to help stop human trafficking.
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Human trafficking in San Diego is an $800M industry, the second-largest criminal enterprise behind drug trafficking.
K-9 Unit
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The Foundation provides specialized equipment and training for the five Explosive Detection K-9 teams within the Port of San Diego Harbor Police.
The Greater Good Podcast
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Hosted by Foundation President and CEO Jeff Wohler, the Greater Good podcase dives deep into the ideas and work of those who are making San Diego a better place to live.
(Sandy Moul is the founder and president of Emblem Communications, a San Diego-based public relations and marketing firm. She has been a communications practitioner for over 20 years, working with organizations in a wide range of industries including security and defense, law enforcement and military, nonprofit, arts and entertainment, and technology. Sandy is the President Emeritus of InfraGard San Diego, a FBI-affiliated nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting U.S. critical infrastructure. Courtesy of IQ PODCASTS and YouTube. Posted on May 27, 2021.)
Troubled Traveler
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We fund the Troubled Traveler Program, which was created to respond to calls for help at the International Airport when travelers find themselves stranded.
Officer Wellness/Outreach
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The Foundation provides specialized equipment and officer training, and financial support.
(As election day approached, the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation went shopping on behalf of our dedicated officers. Courtesy of the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation and YouTube. Posted on Nov 1, 2020.)
*PWPORG (Preparedness Without Paranoia) is a 501(c)(3) built by law enforcement and security industry practitioners and educators to provide educational resources to kids, families and communities on safety and emergency preparedness.
Learn More…
(Learn More about the Port of San Diego Harbor Police and the iWatch My Bay program which encourages everyone, especially those who frequent the Bay, to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Courtesy of the Port of San Diego and YouTube.)
SD Harbor Police Foundation Selected as a Finalist in 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards
Special Early Luncheon Registration Discount Ends November 1
American Security Today’s ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards program is today in its Sixth Year and continues to recognize the Outstanding Innovations of top firms and agencies in the Homeland Security and Public Safety fields.
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
American Security Today is pleased to announce TSA Administrator David Pekoske, will join the organization as a featured speaker at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Presentation Luncheon, on November 17, 2021 at ISC East in New York City.
“On the heels of an unprecedented global pandemic, continued unrest in our cities and potentially catastrophic cyberattacks on our nations critical infrastructure, the focus of the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon will be on the latest, state-of-the-art innovations that are driving investments in new public security and safety technologies and systems,” said AST Editorial and Managing Director Tammy Waitt.
“As a recognized expert in crisis management, strategic planning, innovation and aviation, surface transportation and maritime security, David Pekoske’s message highlighting his top priorities and challenges for the TSA based on his years of wide-ranging experience will be critical to our attendees internalizing the critical nature of these escalating challenges, and realizing innovative new approaches to meet them.”
The 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by AMAROK, Fortior Solutions and SIMS Software, along with Returning Premier Sponsors ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, and Reed Exhibitions.
Additionally, the First 100 Registered Attendees to receive autographed copies of the Latest Book by Legendary Police Commissioner, Bill Bratton, who will be Live at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon.
‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America’
The epic, transformative career of Bill Bratton, legendary police commissioner and police reformer, in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York When Bill Bratton became a Boston street cop after returning from serving in Vietnam, he was dismayed by the corrupt old guard, and it is fair to say the old guard was dismayed by him too.
The Profession presents not only a fascinating and colorful life at the heights of law enforcement leadership, but the vision for the future of American policing that we sorely need.
At ISC East 2021 you with the opportunity to interact with a broad array of security industry professionals.
ISC East works closely with other businesses in the security and public safety space to help bring together the Northeast’s largest security trade show each year.
Therefore, the ISC audience of security dealers, installers, integrators, consultants, corporate, government and law enforcement/first responder practitioners will be joined by the ASIS NYC audience of major corporate managerial-through-director-level national and global security executives.
The combination of one-on-one conversations with the industry’s top innovators, integrators and security executives, special events, high-quality education and training, and strong support from industry associations, will allow attendees to learn and evaluate solutions from leading security exhibitors and brands.
With the integration of the Natural Disaster and Emergency Management (NDEM) Expo, the show is moving even further into our reader’s wheelhouse!
Your ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon registration includes complimentary attendee access to ISC East, NDEM and the ASIS NYC Security Conference and Expo!
Thank take advantage of this exclusive luncheon opportunity to take a break from the show – Invite your team, guests, clients and show visitors to a lovely and affordable plated meal event in the heart of New York City, for a fabulous networking opportunity!
Special Early Luncheon Registration Discount Ends November 1
Go to https://americansecuritytoday.com/product/awards-luncheon/ to secure your seat or reserve a table.
***Early Registration Discount Ends November 1. Limited space available so Register Today. There will be no on-site registrations.
Why American Security Today?
The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast changing security landscape.
The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast changing security landscape.
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 75,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.
American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that hold readers eyes throughout the story with cutting edge editorial that provides solutions to their challenges.
Harness the Power of the Web – with our 100% Mobile Friendly Publications
The AST Digital Publications is distributed to over 75,000 qualified government and homeland security professionals in federal, state and local levels.
‘PROTECTING OUR NATION, ONE CITY AT A TIME’
AST Reaches both Private & Public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.
Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.
These experts are from Government at the federal, state and local level as well as from private firms allied to government.
AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.
AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
To learn more about the 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, Check Out the New 2020 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2020 ‘A Year in Review’.
The Annual CHAMPIONS edition includes a review of the ‘ASTORS’ Award Winning products and programs, highlighting key details on many of the winning firms products and services, includes video interviews and more.
It is your Go-To source throughout the year for ‘The Best of 2020 Products and Services‘ endorsed by American Security Today, and can satisfy your agency’s and organization’s most pressing Homeland Security and Public Safety needs.
From Physical Security (Access Control, Critical Infrastructure, Perimeter Protection and Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Management Systems), to IT Security (Cybersecurity, Encryption, Data Storage, Anti-Malware and Networking Security – Just to name a few), the 2020 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION has what you need to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.
It also includes featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders, and recognized firms in the 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.
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For a complete list of 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winners, click here.
For more information on All Things American Security Today, and the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
AST strives to meet a 3 STAR trustworthiness rating, based on the following criteria:
- Provides named sources
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PWPORG Seeking Superheroes to Help Children in Our Communities
