With the New Year upon, us we are presented with an opportunity to start anew. At the Los Banos Police Department, we resolve to continue to battle those who would choose to harm others; we will continue to show the youth of our community that gangs are a road that goes nowhere; and we will continue to aggressively enforce our traffic laws to reduce the number of individuals injured or killed in traffic related incidents.</p><p>In 2012, we are also committed to further informing and educating the public in our fight against crime because we believe that a partnership with the community is vitally important to our success.</p><p>Our goal is simple: Reduce crime in 2012. </p><p>With the community's help our chances of achieving this goal are better than ever. To help us reach our goal this year, the Police Department is taking the following steps to inform and educate; to empower our community to protect and serve. More than ever we are using technology to connect with the community to get our message out.</p><p>* Los Banos is part of the Merced Area Crime Stoppers, an opportunity for the community to be paid for anonymous information that leads to arrests. The website is merced areacrimestoppers.org. There's a smart phone app as well, named TipSubmit.</p><p>* We maintain an updated Web page at losbanos.org where you can report certain crimes through Coplogic, our online reporting system. You can leave anonymous tips by email or telephone, and you can find links to other criminal justice resources.</p><p>* We have created Facebook, Twitter and Nixle accounts under the name "Los Banos Police Department" to help us get the word out about crime, our most wanted and other important public safety news.</p><p>* We will be hosting a Citizens Academy, to educate the community on the workings of our Police Department and the criminal justice system.</p><p>* We will be hosting a Security and Neighborhood Watch Forum to help show residents how they can reduce their chances of becoming victimized and what it takes to become part of the Neighborhood Watch program.</p><p>* We will continue our informational program on gang prevention and intervention.</p><p>* We continue to monitor our anonymous telephone tip line and our anonymous email account for information from the public on criminal activity.</p><p>* Our Volunteers Interacting to Advance Law Enforcement (VITAL) continues patrols to monitor such things as abandoned vehicles, garage sale signs, graffiti and other issues that help keep Los Banos beautiful, through our Project Right of Way program. The Police Department is always looking for people to join our VITAL effort.</p><p>* We'll be incorporating a new patrol strategy using statistical data to direct officers to "hot spots" of criminal activity.</p><p>* We continue our partnership with Valley Crisis Center, our resource for victims of domestic violence.</p><p>* We continue to provide the County's best Police Activity League (PAL) program to provide a positive pastime for our youth.</p><p>Remember, the Police Department want nothing more than to provide residents the safest environment possible to raise our children and enjoy our lives. </p><p>Gary Brizzee</p><p>Chief of Police