Today, we say farewell to Lieutenant Eric Dickson, who has officially retired after 26 years of service. Lieutenant Dickson began his career with the Hemet Police Department in 1997. In 2001, Officer Dickson sustained a gunshot wound during a critical incident, fully recovering and returning to serve the community shortly after.

During his career, he had the opportunity to work on a variety of assignments and has led several different divisions, such as:

2000 – Selected as a field training officer
2000 – Selected as a member of the TARGET Team
2003 – Selected as one of the original members of the Crime Suppression Unit.
2003 – Selected as a negotiator for the Crisis Negotiations Team
2004 – Promoted to Corporal and assigned as a Field Supervisor in the Patrol Bureau
2006 – Promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Bureau as a Watch Commander
2009 – Transferred to Professional Standards/Internal Affairs.
2009 – Selected as the leader of the Crisis Negotiations Team
2011 – Promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to the Operations Bureau. Oversaw the Traffic Bureau, K-9 Unit, and the Patrol Bureau
2012 – Tasked with forming the initial ROCS (Restoring Our Community Strategy) Team and re-establishing the Crime Suppression Unit
2012 - 2012 – Tasked with oversight of the Gang Task Force and the Post-Release Accountability and Compliance Team (PACT)
2018 – With the reorganization of the department: assigned to oversee the Community Services Bureau, including ROCS, PACT, the Traffic Bureau, School Resource officers, the Crisis Intervention Team, and the Office of Professional Standards/Internal Affairs

Thank you, Lieutenant Dickson, for the 26 years of service you have given to the residents of Hemet. Congratulations on your retirement, and we wish you nothing but the best in the next chapter of your life.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

This weekend, the Hemet Police Department will be competing in the annual Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay. The Challenge Cup Relay is an event attended by over 8,000 law enforcement officers and supporters from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

The course begins 25 miles north of Baker, CA. on Highway 127 to Shoshone, CA; then northeast on Highway 178, across the state line into Nevada on Highway 372 to Pahrump, NV., then southeast on Highway 160 to the finish inside the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Our officers train hard to represent the department in the race and keep the tradition running. The Hemet Police Department has participated in 16 Baker To Vegas relays and has a mugged 11 times.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

This morning, the Hemet Police Department participated in @hemetunified ’s 2023 Job and Career Fair at Tahquitz High School to continue recruiting the next generation of our team, right here in Hemet.

Are you interested in working at the Hemet Police Department? Visit www.hemetca.gov/jobs for available job opportunities.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

This morning, we wished four Police Officer Trainees the best of luck as they began their first day at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy.

· Jonathan Peace
· Kevin Harrod
· Jesse Pulido
· Anthony Tornero

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy is conducted at the Frank Bland Regional Training Center, graduating an average of 300 students annually between the programs. Certified by POST, the academy exceeds the standards required by the State of California. Its emphasis on discipline, stress, and real-world scenarios helps develop a more well-rounded officer, better prepared to handle the challenges of a law enforcement career.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

This morning, Captain Mike Arrellano and Lieutenant Dan Reinbolt served as Principals during Hemet Unified School District’s Principal For A Day event. The morning was spent touring the school after meeting at the District Office for a presentation by Superintendent Barrett.

Thank you to @hemetunified for the opportunity to participate and learn about your impact on our youth community.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

Yesterday, members of the Multidisciplinary Team served a warrant for a potential illegal marijuana grow in a home located at the 1300 block of Dusty Hill Road in Hemet.

During a search of the location, the following was recovered:
· 731 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, or the equivalent of 280 pounds of marijuana
· 316 Grow lamps
· Estimated street value of approx. $1.1 million

The City of Hemet’s Department of Life Safety (Code Enforcement) red-tagged the home, deeming the home damaged to the degree that the structure is too dangerous to inhabit.

Unregulated electricity voltages used for these illegal grows can cause fires to the home and surrounding homes assigned to the transformer. Issues related to a transformer due to unregulated electrical usage can also cause a power outage to an entire city block.

Chemicals used for these marijuana grows are highly toxic and can be harmful to the environment when not properly disposed of.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

In support of Autism Acceptance Month, Hemet Police Officers and other uniformed personnel will voluntarily wear Autism Awareness patches during April. 
 
The patches, graciously donated by the Hemet Police Officer`s Association (HPOA), are available for purchase through a $10 donation. The proceeds will be donated to Autism Society Inland Empire, an organization that connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming.
 
For further information or to make a purchase, contact Officer A. Martinez at amartinez@hemetca.gov or call (951) 663-3034. You can also visit our Department Lobby at 450 E Latham Ave from 8 am - 5 pm.
 
#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910 #autismacceptance #autismacceptancemonth

You may have noticed the utilization of Drones at the Hemet Police Department. Our Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Team pilots are FAA-certified police officers and civilians who train monthly on critical operations.
 
Through the UAS Team, our officers have access to various drones, some of which can even enter buildings and make their way through tight obstacles. While drones don`t always take an officer`s place, they provide real-time critical information to help us de-escalate situations and make more informed decisions.
 
#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

The Hemet Police Department Citizens` Academy is in full swing 🏫 Conducted over ten weeks, participants learn from department personnel and get an inside look at how we serve our community.

Last week, participants learned about School Resource Officers and the equipment used throughout Patrol. A lucky, or not-so-lucky, participant even had the opportunity to try on The Wrap, a restraint system designed to achieve rapid de-escalation without causing injury or impairing respiration.

Are you interested in being a part of the next session? Contact Sergeant Jamie Gonzalez at jgonzalez@hemetca.gov to reserve your spot.

#hemet #hemetca #committedsince1910

City Net/Hemet Police Department - February Review

The Hemet Police Department continues to work with @citynetsocal to provide homeless outreach services in the City of Hemet to end street-level homelessness. Residents can contact City Net case managers at (951) 390-3567.

🤝 Successes 🤝

• In November 2022, City Net case managers received a call concerned for a family of nine children and a single mother in a vehicle around the city. After several months of inquiring about this family, case managers met with the client and her children to assist them with the Family Resource Center in Hemet. The family had been renting a home in Hemet during the COVID-19 pandemic when their landlord decided to sell it on short notice. The mother needed help securing new housing due to her family`s size and the increased rental prices county-wide, but she needed more resources. For the past year, the family had resorted to staying in motels a few times a month and sleeping in her vehicle as a last resort. City Net case managers quickly worked to move the family into a stable temporary shelter in February 2023. The family thanked them for the opportunity for stability and safety. Case managers continue working with the client to secure permanent housing.

• At the beginning of February, a client reached out to City Net after previously working with case managers to enter a community shelter. He informed his case managers that he had saved up money to rent a private room and needed assistance with housing navigation. The case managers located a room to rent in a nearby city and arranged a meeting for the client to view the property. Feeling that this was a perfect fit, the case managers spoke to the housing manager, who arranged for the client to move in that day! The client thanked City Net for all their assistance in finding him a place to stay after a year without a home.