November 18, 2020 

Report Suspicious Activity to (707) 253-4451 

Message from the Chief

As we approach Thanksgiving, local COVID spread has landed our county into the purple, most restrictive, tier. This is not welcomed news for anyone, but the restrictive measures will hopefully slow the spread of COVID enough to get us back into less restrictive tiers soon. We are also entering the winter months, which besides flu season and other community health impacts, also brings us less visibility and wet roadways.

We know from earlier this year that when shelter-in-place orders become more restrictive, we see less traffic and fewer vehicle collisions. However, we also know that the vehicle collisions that do occur tend to be at higher speeds and involve more serious injuries. All that to say, please drive safe. Here are some factors to consider when driving in the rain:

• Wet roadways require more stopping distance…give yourself more reaction distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Turn on your headlights during the rain.
• Ensure you have good windshield wipers (old wipers make visibility worse!). A few dollars at the auto parts store can save you big dollars and hassle after vehicle collisions.
• Ensure you have good vehicle tires.
• Slow down and give yourself more time to travel.

The timing of being put into the purple tier is not good, but the coronavirus doesn’t pay attention to our holiday plans. Besides Thanksgiving, the other impact will be on our holiday shopping. Most retailers offer “Black Friday” sales over expanded days….so several shopping days with “Black Friday” sales to discourage store crowding and facilitate better social distancing.

We also anticipate many shoppers will do their holiday shopping online. If shopping the traditional way, remember not to make your car an attractive target for thieves (use vehicle trunk, make trips to drop off purchases at home between stores when possible). If shopping online, be aware of “porch pirates” and track the delivery of your package, use secure drop off services available at a local business, and work with your neighbors to keep an eye on one another’s porches. Often, if you meet and get to know the parcel delivery driver that services your area, they are friendly and willing to work with you on parcel delivery (like leaving the parcel in a place not visible from the street).

At ACPD, we will keep our patrols on alert at the shopping center parking lots and the residential neighborhoods that "porch pirates" target. We know that our residents are great partners in crime-fighting and will call us when they see something suspicious. A great example of this was an incident late at night when an alert citizen reported suspicious suspects possibly looking to steal catalytic converters from parked vehicles. We quickly searched the area, found the suspicious vehicle, and sure enough, that’s what they were up to!

You are our additional eyes and ears, and we welcome your partnership. If you see something suspicious, please call our non-emergency dispatch number at (707) 253-4451.

Sincerely,

Oscar Ortiz
Police Chief

2020 Law Enforcement Torch Run
On Thursday, November 12, Napa County Law Enforcement participated in the 2020 Law Enforcement Torch Run to raise money for the Northern California Special Olympics. Countywide, we were able to raise $11,028 to help support these amazing athletes and special Olympic programs. I want to thank all the runners, especially our ACPD runners, and the supporters who helped us exceed our $10,000 goal. It's not too late to donate to our team's fundraising efforts. Donate today!

Disaster preparedness kit items

"Chat with the Chiefs" Recording
Thank you to those of you who were able to join us last month for the disaster preparedness "Chat with the Chiefs." The recording is available here incase you missed it. The session included informative updates from Police Chief Oscar Ortiz and Interim Fire Chief Mike Cahill. A disaster preparedness training was also provided.