SRPD VIPS Downtown Ambassador Program returns ahead of holiday shopping season, as do increased patrols in the downtown area

To enhance the downtown shopping and dining experience this holiday season, the Santa Rosa Police Department is happy to announce increased patrols and the return of our Volunteers In Police Services (VIPS) Downtown Ambassador Program! 

Beginning Friday, November 24th, our VIPS Ambassadors will be conducting foot patrols in the downtown area to offer assistance, directions, and insight to visitors about Downtown Santa Rosa’s entertainment, dining, lodging, and shopping. VIPS Ambassadors will also be closely watching for any unsafe or suspicious activity, quickly reporting any issues to the police department for an immediate response. The SRPD VIPS Downtown Ambassador Program will run through the end of the holiday season, so you have plenty of time to visit downtown and wave one of them over for a chat!

With the holiday season here, our downtown and retail communities will see an increase in visitors. With more people and more cars, there are more opportunities for criminal behaviors such as theft. To help ensure our community members and visitors have a safe and pleasant experience while out and about, SRPD has increased patrols and allocated additional staff to areas expecting to see an increase in traffic throughout the holiday season. 

Our Downtown Enforcement Team will be conducting frequent foot patrols and high-visibility policing in the Downtown and Railroad Square districts, and we are allocating additional staff to commercial areas such as Santa Rosa Plaza Mall, Coddingtown Shopping Center, and Montgomery Village. Our officers will be routinely patrolling parking lots and garages looking for would-be burglars, and focusing efforts on deterring organized retail thefts from businesses.

The mission of the Santa Rosa Police Department is to make our city a safe place to live, work, and play…but we cannot do that without your help too! When out and about, hold onto those valuable items such as wallets, purses, and phones. Don’t leave them unsecured or out of sight. And, remember to always park smart! Lock your car doors and windows, take your keys with you, and remove your belongings when you park…in a lot, curbside, even in your own driveway. Last but not least, report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.