Best Web Site: SCVSheriff.com
City and Sheriff's Web site, SCVSheriff.com, receives 1st Place honors - winning the "Award of Excellence" at the annual California Association of Public Information Officers (CAPIO) "Excellence in Communications 2008" conference -
Just seven months after the launch of SCVSheriff.com, the City of Santa Clarita and Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station received top honors in the Web Site category at the annual California Association of Public Information Officers (CAPIO) "Excellence in Communications 2008" Awards Ceremony.
The event was hosted by CAPIO at the Embassy Suites Hotel in South Lake Tahoe on April 17, 2008. CAPIO announced in a press release that 149 submittals were received from agencies and cities throughout California covering dozens of public information, service, and communications categories such as Web Site, Special Publications, Special Innovation, and Public Safety Programs.
The City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station entered into a technology development partnership in early 2007 in a collaborative effort to design, develop, and launch a new state-of-the-art Sheriff's Station Web site - SCVSheriff.com. The purpose of the venture was to expedite the release and flow of information to the public and better serve the needs of our technology savvy residents.
The Web site was officially launched on September 26, 2007, and has since taken off, providing us with the ability to establish and maintain direct and immediate communications with the community and helping us educate the public on crime prevention matters, understand what the community wants and expects from their Sheriff's Department, and aid us in notifying our residents of current information critical to public safety.
Since its launch, more than 40,000 people have visited the site where they were able to obtain information pertaining to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, submit crime tips, ask questions, and make service requests. The Web site was also used to post critical information during the October 2007 wildfires, the Interstate 5 Freeway truck tunnel crash, and more than 150 other incidents of note in the Santa Clarita Valley through the use of the "News Room" and the "Santa Clarita Valley Alerts" sections.
Critical on-line tips from residents have also aided in solving several cases, including the identification and arrest of two persons believed to be responsible for a statewide theft related crime spree, dating back to January of 2007.
Since its launch, the Web site has expanded to include the Sheriff e-Notify and Sheriff e-Alert sections which provide an an area where community members can sign up to receive, directly from Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, various information related to the latest news and press releases, Neighborhood Watch, SCV Alerts, the City of Santa Clarita's Sheriff's Business Alliance, youth programs, and "What's Happening" current events.
The Web site has been so successful that expansion is in the works and daily sections and updates are being added to meet the needs of our proactive and involved community. You are currently reading this release on the SCV Sheriff's News Room which provides instant notification capabilities and direct feeds to community based news outlets. Just another way we are staying in touch with you.
"I couldn't be more excited about the praise and recognition the Web site is receiving," said Captain Anthony La Berge of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. "We expanded our close partnership with the City of Santa Clarita in an commitment to enhance all levels of communication and service to our residents throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. This award and the substantial use of the web site by our community are clear indicators that we are focusing our efforts in the right direction. It was critical that we establish additional ways to directly communicate with our residents and we will continue to explore all avenues of potential enhancements of our technology and public safety systems to supplement our traditional law enforcement services. Service, service, service, is what we are all about," he added.
For questions, suggestions, comments or additional information about SCVSheriff.com, contact Sergeant Darren Harris of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station at (661) 799-5814, or use the "Ask Sergeant Harris" feature.
If You See Something, Say Something! Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
Always verify the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's information and news releases by visiting our website at SCVSheriff, the City of Santa Clarita's website at Santa-Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's website at LASD or a trusted local news source. Three other local news outlets are KHTS AM-1220, The Signal and The West Ranch Beacon. For questions regarding this release or deputy interviews, contact Sergeant Harris at (661) 799-5814.
