The Field Operations Division (Patrol and Community Services) is responsible for responding to calls for service and neighborhood crime prevention. Patrol utilizes a ’Community Service Area’ policing model to respond to calls for service and works in the community to develop permanent solutions to problems that impact the quality of life in neighborhoods. Specialized units, including Park Safety Specialists, HOPE team, and K-9s, work to support the division’s overall mission. Community Services integrates the Department’s community outreach and crime prevention programs, including youth programs, into the Department’s mission.
Community Services
The Pasadena Police Department’s Community Services Section is committed to providing our community with an array of ongoing and annual programs, presentations and special events intended to serve the entire community.
K9 Unit
Officer Daniel Velasquez and K9 "Edo"
Officer Velasquez has been a police officer for 12 years. During his first eight years, he worked for the Monrovia Police Department. While at Monrovia, Officer Velasquez worked patrol operations where he assisted with Field Training, gangs/narcotics investigations, traffic enforcement, and employment services. While working for Monrovia, Officer Velasquez obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Management.
In 2016, Officer Velasquez lateraled to the Pasadena Police Department where he worked as a patrol officer for three years before being appointed to the K9 unit. In March of 2019, Officer Velasquez became a K9 handler with his K9 partner “Edo” after attending a six week patrol school and a subsequent six week narcotic detection school. K9 “Edo” is a 5-year-old Malinois from the Netherlands. As a K9 team, Officer Velasquez and “Edo” support patrol operations with building and vehicle searches, article/evidence searches and assist with narcotic related investigations and/or searches.
K9 Officer Jeff Newlen and K9 "Knoert"
Officer Newlen has been a Pasadena Police Officer for fifteen years. Prior to becoming a K9 handler, Officer Newlen worked Patrol, Air Operations, Field Training Officer, and has been an operator on the Pasadena SWAT team for 12 years. He joined the K9 unit in March of 2021 and was partnered with K9 “Knoert”. Since becoming a K9 handler, Officer Newlen and K9 Knoert have attended a six week basic handler course. They will be attending a six week narcotic detection course in September.
Prior to joining the Pasadena Police Department, Officer Newlen was a United States Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. He served 4 years active duty and 3 more years in the Marine reserves. In his free time, Officer Newlen enjoys being with his family, playing with his dogs, and golfing.
Knoert is a 1 year old Belgian Malinois. He was born in March 2020 in the Netherlands and was partnered with Officer Newlen at 11 months old. He has a tan, short haired coat with a black muzzle and ears. Knoert is very social and loves to work. In his free time, he enjoys relaxing in the backyard, swimming, and playing with his favorite toy.
Officer Newlen and K9 Knoert look forward to serving the Community of Pasadena as a hard working team.
K9 Officer Richard Padilla and K9 "Pepa"
Sergeant Padilla has been with the Police Department for 23 years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from the University of La Verne (1997). As an officer he worked several assignments including the Special Investigations Section (SIU), Neighborhood Action Team (Bicycle Unit), Field Training Officer, and Detective. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2014. He has supervised Patrol Officers, The HOPE Unit, The Park Safety Specialists, The Field Training Program, and the Neighborhood Action Team. Since 2016, he has supervised the K9 Unit. This includes overseeing the selection of new canines and handlers, managing K9 training records, and working closely with the handlers to ensure their canine partners are meeting performance standards.
In 2021, Sergeant Padilla was given the opportunity to become a K9 Handler. He was partnered with K9 Pepa. Pepa is a 1 ½-year-old female Belgian Malinois who was born in Poland. Pepa attended a six-week explosive detection school with Sgt. Padilla. Pepa is a certified explosive detection dog (EDD), and a community engagement tool. A typical day of work includes detection training with her handler and meeting community members at city-sponsored events. When Pepa isn’t working she lives with Sgt. Padilla and his family. Pepa enjoys fetching yellow tennis balls and jumping in the family swimming pool.
"Chase"
In May 2017, Chase joined the Pasadena Police Department. Chase is a four-year-old Springer Spaniel from the United Kingdom. He is a single purpose narcotic detection canine who works covertly with the Special Investigations Section. He works with his handler, a Pasadena Police Narcotics Detective, to search for drugs and proceeds hidden in homes and vehicles. When Chase is not sniffing out narcotics, he lives with the Detective and his family.
Park Safety
Park Safety Specialists’ mission is to provide professional service to all who attend our city parks. We want our visitors to experience a family oriented atmosphere. The Park Safety Specialist will provide a safe environment at our treasured city parks. We are here to enhance your experience.
The Park Safety Specialist function is to improve the quality of life in our parks. We maintain a constant and close relationship/partnership with our citizens which will enable us to continually receive feedback to further improve the parks.
Pasadena’s local parks are one of our city’s finest features, which everyone in the city can truly enjoy. We want our visitors to have the opportunity to understand and appreciate Pasadena’s cultural and natural heritage.
We are here 7 days a week with various hours. If you would like to talk to us, we can be reached by phone at (626) 744-4501.
If there is an emergency or you want police response immediately, please call 9-1-1
Homeless Outreach (H. O. P. E.)
Mission
The Mission of the Pasadena Police and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s Homeless Outreach-Psychiatric Evaluation (HOPE) team is to provide effective, collaborative, and compassionate mental health and law enforcement emergency response to those in need of mental health, housing, and related social services.
The HOPE Team will utilize proven, creative, and innovative methods of street-level, residential, commercial, and public mental health crisis response, while entering into mission-oriented, problem-solving partnerships with mental health and social service provider agencies.
Program
The Pasadena Police Department created the HOPE Team on January 8th, 2002. In keeping with its core values and commitment to excellence, innovation, and integrity, the police department entered into a partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to better handle homeless issues and to provide cooperative, compassionate, mental health/law enforcement teams to assist those in need of accessing mental health and social services. This unique police officer-civilian clinician team-approach pioneered the “HOPE” model of mental health crisis response.
What makes the HOPE Team different from similar units in other departments is that HOPE Team members are first responders to emergency mental health crisis calls, and are proactive by continuously seeking out contact with people who are in need of services prior to potentially volatile situations occurring. The team’s target population are street-level and sheltered homeless, as well as mental health consumers within the city limits.
Another major aspect of the HOPE approach is working on relationship building and “planting the seed” of trust for the next contact. This is critical in convincing people to accept services prior to them being in a crisis and critical in being able to de-escalate a situation when they are in crisis. This applies to anyone in our target groups that we contact.
Community Partnerships
The HOPE Team has forged many working community partnerships with a host of public and private social service organizations throughout the city.
The HOPE Team also provides leadership to the Pasadena Mental Health Advisory Committee (PMHAC).
HOPE Team Officers are specially trained in crisis communications, Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA), Suicide-Homicide Bomber Terrorist response, and are graduates of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training Academies throughout the state. HOPE Teams also specialize in multi-agency, long-term psychiatric problem solving, often involving suspected suicidal/homicidal subjects.