Ranch & Coast Magazine

@ranchandcoast ranchandcoast.com 42 MARCH 2022 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE COURTESY PHOTO Supporting the Blue Nonprofit provides vital funding for the San Diego Police Department S INCE 1998, THE SAN DIEGO Police Foundation has filled the gaps for the San Diego Police Department's budget much like grout between tiles — a small but crucial piece of the puzzle. "We raise about $1.5 million a year, so it's not a lot of money compared to a half-billion-dollar budget, but in that are things that would surprise you," says Sara Napoli, San Diego Police Foundation's president and CEO. Arguably the foundation's most significant contribution is the complete funding of the department's service dogs since 2003. Other initiatives, like providing the funding to outfit officers with a plate carrier vest that protects them from rifle fire, which standard-issue bulletproof vests do not, are indicative of the foundation's ability to address new needs as they arise. "City budgets and budget planning are not nimble," explains Napoli. "When new trends in society or criminal behavior or technology come along, city governments are often caught unable to respond very quickly to putting these things together, so independent organizations like ours are able to mobilize the public and these funds become very critical in that gap." e SDPF knows about being nimble. Not only does the nonprofit organization fundraise to support critical initiatives identified through meeting with the Chief of Police and his assistant chiefs, the foundation's executive committee and board, and suggestions from the public, but the foundation has also become a partner with the SDPD to engage the public through educational programs that enable the SDPD to then focus on their number one goal: catching criminals and solving crimes. "We're actually sort of a hybrid organization in that we are not only a fundraising foundation and a grant-making foundation but we also operate two programs: Safety for All and SafetyNet," says Napoli. Safety for All, a series of educational sessions created in the summer of 2020 following the unrest and protests of the many events that happened at that time, is intended to "provide local, credible, and a very pedestrian-friendly kind of information about how the police officers do their job, what exactly they are doing, and why," she says. SafetyNet, created in response to the growing threat of cyber crime, is cyber safety training primarily implemented through partnerships with San Diego school districts to keep kids from K-12 safe online and less vulnerable to threats like internet predators, sex trafficking, cyber bullying, phishing, scamming, and hacking. e Foundation's funding is primarily generated by contributions from individuals, families, family foundations, corporate foundations, and philanthropic foundations. And while voluntary donations are a critical part of the overall budget, events are yet another way to foster the connection between the public and the SDPD. On April 14 at the Hilton Torrey Pines, the SDPF will host "Heart & Valor," the 11th annual Women in Blue luncheon honoring the female officers and civilian professionals who work to keep our city safe. "Our police department is always a step ahead not only in solving crimes but also adopting ascendant policies, and one of them is the attraction and retention and complete integration of women into its ranks," says Napoli. "We've had a female police chief — not every major city can say that." e luncheon will recognize the contributions of three women whose work exemplifies the skills and strengths women bring to the force. "Women who've chosen a career that mainly is pursued by men…have transformed the police departments that they've been in," says Napoli, "and the San Diego Police Department is an example of that." sdpolicefoundation.org DEANNA MURPHY Focus philanthropy Anthony and Sara Napoli, San Diego Chief of Police David Nisleit, and Barbie and Dan Spinazzola

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