San Diego Police Foundation.

San Diego Police Foundation works year-round to raise funds to provide San Diego Police Department with much needed equipment, training and outreach programs that are vital to creating a safer San Diego online and on the street. These efforts result in preventing crime, saving lives and making San Diego a better and safer place to live, work and visit.

The Police Foundation hosts three major events which help raise the necessary funds as well as raise awareness of its initiatives:

• K9 Crimefighters
• SafetyNet: Smart Cyber Choices®
• A Safer San Diego

4th Annual Gold Shield Gala – November 14, 2015

The Police Foundation is deeply committed to raising funds to provide SDPD with police service dogs. It is so important to SDPD and the Police Foundation, that the charitable focus of our Gold Shield Gala each year is the K9 Crimefighter Campaign. Every police dog that has served with SDPD in the past decade was purchased with community donations through the Police Foundation. In the next two years, fourteen of the K9 Unit’s dogs will retire. Additionally, SDPD is working to rebuild the K9 Unit’s staffing levels.

This year’s theme is “A True Blue Celebration.” Guests will enjoy an unforgettable evening as they meet SDPD’s ever so popular Chief of Police, Shelley Zimmerman. Attendees will also enjoy a cameo appearance by one of SDPD’s highly trained and effective K9 Crimefighters.

6th Annual Women in Blue Luncheon – March 2016

This inspirational awards ceremony honors women who are trailblazers in nontraditional careers in law enforcement and justice. Past years’ attendees range from our current Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman, to the Executive Officer of the SWAT Unit, to the Program Manager of the Crime Laboratory – all women of distinction. The Rita Olson Legacy Scholarship is presented to a female student seeking a degree in law enforcement, encouraging young women to aspire to greatness in any field they choose or as the next generation of women in blue.

Women in Blue celebrates diversity and draws attention to issues of particular interest and concern to women such as keeping kids safe online, domestic violence and child abuse prevention. The specific charitable focus of the luncheon is SafetyNet: Smart Cyber Choices®, the award-winning educational program covering timely topics like cyberbullying, internet predators, sexting and identity theft. SafetyNet® has reached more than 120,000 teens as well as their parents and teachers throughout San Diego County. This year, SafetyNet expanded its footprint beyond San Diego and recently certified two trainers within the Lake Forest Police Foundation who can now deliver this program to educate kids, parents and teachers in Illinois schools.

16th Annual Friends of the Badge Luncheon – June 2016

This annual gathering of supporters is also a showcase for all things police. Exhibits and demonstrations give an up-close look at K9, the Family Justice Center, SWAT, Internet Crimes against Children Task Force and many other units, making this community outreach event educational, interactive and fascinating for people of all ages. Guests have the unique opportunity to hear police stories firsthand as a uniformed officer sits at each table. The special charitable focus of this event is the Police Foundation’s A Safer San Diego initiative, funding equipment and training for those who protect and serve.

Please visit www.sdpolicefoundation.org for specific times and more information or call (619) 232-2130.