TPD Patrol Division East Newsletter - March 2024

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March 2024

Captain Belinda Morales
Operations Division East

Burglary, Identity Theft Arrest

On February 15, 2024, our Neighborhood Crimes Section and Zebra Units were tasked with conducting follow-up on a Ward Office complaint involving multiple neighbors complaining of vehicle burglaries. The victims had reason to believe that the suspect was living in the area.

On February 18th, around midnight, a 911 call was placed reporting an attempted vehicle burglary in the same area. The victim of this incident gave a detailed description of the suspect and said the suspect was waving a firearm around. Officers identified the suspect, and a records check yielded an outstanding felony parole violation and probable cause for arrest for a violent felony.

On February 20th, detectives and officers again conducted follow-up and were able to link the suspect to several other incidents in the area. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspect's residence. They located several firearm accessories, along with a shotgun. The suspect was also a prohibited possessor, which precluded him from owning firearms.

The suspect was booked into the Pima County Jail for his parole violation and fifteen other felony charges, including: prohibited possessor, reckless display of a firearm, third-degree burglary, credit card theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Many thanks to our vigilant Eastside residents and diligent ODE officers and detectives!

ODE Statistics

Activity

Type	2024 Division Year to Date	2024 Department Year to Date
Calls for Service	6,515	28,769
Officer-initiated Activity	859	8,606
Gun-related Crime	6	33
Homicide	2	11
Traffic Citations	391	6,494

Staffing

Type	2024 Division Year to Date	2024 Department Year to Date
Sworn Members	109	809
Community Service Officers	28	155
Professional Staff	3	238

New Captain in Operations Division East

Department photo of smiling female TPD captain in uniform in front of an American flag.

Thank you, Operations Division East for the warm welcome! My name is Belinda Morales and I was born and raised in Tucson, graduating from Tucson High in 1998. I was delighted to be assigned as Captain of Operations Division East.

I'm a lifelong Westside resident who received my Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Systems Policy & Planning Administration from Northern Arizona University.

I worked in the courts and corrections systems before committing my professional life to the Tucson Police Department in 2007.

I've worked in the Patrol Services Bureau, Professional Standards (Internal Affairs), and was part of a team that created the first Audit & Best Practices Unit for the department. I was promoted to sergeant in 2016 and to lieutenant in 2020, where I managed Operations Division West, the Downtown Entertainment District, and the University of Arizona off-campus student population. Downtown Tucson is comprised of six beautiful and historical districts that showcase our Southwestern culture, cuisine, music, art, and nightlife.

I was then assigned to the Training Division as the Advanced Training Section Commander, and was the Chair of the Force Review Board that is comprised of community members, the Independent Police Auditor, and internal members with diverse backgrounds and specialties.

I was promoted to captain on February 25th and assigned as the new Division Commander for Operations Division East.

My husband and I have been married for 21 years and have three children: 21, 10, and 5. We spend our spare time getting kids to and from baseball, basketball, football, gymnastics, and soccer. Our eldest son is a proud member of the United Stated Navy.

I'm excited to meet with and get to know the Eastside community!

Coffee With a Cop – Shoutout to Starbuck’s at Broadway & Houghton

Crowded Starbuck's with officers and CSOs in uniform speaking with community members.

On February 29th, Captain Belinda Morales, Lieutenants Johnny Malovich and Lissette Gomez, and many other ODE officers attended Coffee with a Cop at our neighborhood Starbuck’s. I was overwhelmed by the warm welcome and grateful to the many engaged and supportive Eastside residents. Thank you for joining me for a cup of coffee!

Crime Prevention Tip

Wait a minute, would the IRS ask me to pay in cryptocurrency? Or with gift cards?

No, no they would not. That's a scammer. Hang up.

Scammers may be one of the few groups who look forward to tax season every year - another opportunity to impersonate and steal!

Never let someone rush you into action. Scammers want to take your money (or your personal information) before you've had a chance to think, and realize something doesn't seem right.

Also, don't trust your caller ID. Phone numbers are very easy to fake, so the call may look like it's from the IRS but is actually coming from overseas.

Learn more and protect yourself from imposter scams. Visit ftc.gov/imposters.

Links

Graffiti Removal
TPD Non-Emergency Online Reporting System
Report a Code Violation (weeds, trash, junked vehicles, building or sign violations)
Report a Homeless Encampment
File a Trespass Letter (for businesses)
TPD Website
For emergencies: call 911
For police non-emergencies: call (520) 791-4444

For accommodations; materials in accessible formats; foreign language interpreters; and/or materials in a language other than English, please contact the Tucson Police Department Public Information Office at (520) 791-4852 or (520) 791-2639 for TDD at least five (5) business days in advance.

Para arreglos; materiales en formatos accesibles; interpretes de idioma extranjero; y/o materiales en otro idioma que no sea inglés, por favor comunicarse al Departamento de la Policía de Tucson a la sección de Información Pública al (520) 791-4852 o (520) 791-2639 para TDD por lo menos con cinco (5) días hábiles de anticipació.