COTATI POLICE
DEPARTMENT
2023 ANNUAL
REPORT
203 W. SIERRA AVE, COTATI, CA
NON-EMERGENCY 707-792-4611
Our promise to continuously earn and improve public trust through equity, empathy, and accountability is paramount to this ambition.
Cotati is a safe and vibrantly friendly city due to profound community support for our department. The strong partnership we share with our community is made possible by the pledge we have made to proactively seek out opportunities to enhance meaningful relationships between our staff and residents, and diligently listen and respond to their needs in ways that value diversity and inclusion.
All of us at the Cotati Police Department are honored every day to provide superior service for our residents with pride and professionalism. We are humbled by the responsibilities entrusted upon us, and in turn, promise to carry out those duties with compassion, diligence, and the highest of ethical standards.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF
Welcome to the City of Cotati and the Cotati
Police Department. As your Chief of Police, I
am honored and humbled by the opportunity
to serve alongside the dedicated men and
women of the Cotati Police Department and
the community to whom we strive to deliver
exceptional public safety service.
Our fundamental mission is to protect the
health and well-being of the community by
partnering with our citizens, business
partners, and stakeholders to sustain a safe
and secure living and visiting environment.
Chris Simmons, Chief of Police
Chief Michael Parish retires
After 13 years of service to the Cotati Police
Department, Chief Michael Parish retired in
December of 2023.
Chief Parish began his career in law
enforcement at the Merced County Sheriff's
Department, serving for 19 years. He then
served as a Lieutenant at UC Merced for
another 5 years.
In 2011, Chief Parish became the Police Chief for Cotati, and was one of the longest standing chiefs in California. Chief Parish was responsible for a number of initiatives during his tenure:
The first department in Sonoma County to fully deploy body worn cameras.
Coordinating with SAFE to create a 24/7 multi-agency mobile mental health crisis response team in Sonoma County.
Moving away from apprehension police dogs (K9s) to deploy the first scent bloodhound K9 team to locate missing persons.
One of the first police departments in California to deploy electric patrol vehicles.
Implementing training above POST requirements for both police officers and dispatchers, particularly in the areas of implicit bias and de-escalation.
Instituting regular reporting of crime and police statistics to the community through social media and a Police Chief’s Annual Report to the community.
Initiating a variety of community engagement efforts, such as National Night Out/Movies in the Park, Coffee with a Cop, and medication disposal events.
Working to support the regional response to the fires in Sonoma County.
Chief Parish holds a Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration from California State University Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University Stanislaus. Additionally, he is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is also a veteran of six years of service in the California Army National Guard 1st/184th Infantry (Air Assault) Division.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.................................................................................................. 1 CALLS FOR SERVICE 2020-2023........................................................................................ 2 COTATI ARREST STATISTICS 2020-2023...........................................................................3 COTATI NIBRS "PERSON" CRIME STATISTIC 2022-2023..................................................4 COTATI NIBRS "PROPERTY" CRIME STATISTICS 2022-2023.......................................... 5 COTATI NIBRS "OTHER" CRIME STATISTICS 2022-2023................................................. 6 COTATI CITATIONS 2022-2023............................................................................................7 CITIZEN COMPLAINTS...................................................................................................... 8-9 SPECIALIZED ASSISTANCE FOR EVERYONE (SAFE) TEAM.................................... 10-11 RACIAL & IDENTITY PROFILING ACT (RIPA).............................................................. 12-21 HI-LO SIREN DRILL & EVACUATION ZONES................................................................... 22 CIVIC READY ALERTS & DEA PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKEBACK................................ 23 POLICE POLICIES...............................................................................................................24 SHERMAN BLOCK SUPERVISORY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (SBSLI).......................... 24 TRAINING............................................................................................................................ 25 RECRUIT TRAINING OFFICERS........................................................................................ 26 AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER (ALPR) TECHNOLOGY................................... 26 USE OF FORCE............................................................................................................. 27-29 ASSEMBLY BILL 481...........................................................................................................30 NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICER MEETINGS............................................................................31 ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET................................................................................................32 PATROL ...............................................................................................................................33 ANIMAL CONTROL ............................................................................................................ 34 DISPATCH .......................................................................................................................... 35 K9 TEAM ........................................................................................................................ 36-37 CADETS & VOLUNTEERS.................................................................................................. 38 PARTNERSHIPS................................................................................................................. 39 COMMUNITY OUTREACH & SOCIAL MEDIA............................................................... 39-40 COMMENDATIONS & MERITORIOUS CONDUCT....................................................... 41-43 2024 SNAPSHOT.................................................................................................................44
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Updated April 2024
Chief of Police
Chris Simmons
Lieutenant
Paul Goodin
Sergeant
Tyler Wardle
Sergeant
Brian Deaton
Corporal
VACANT
Corporal
VACANT
DISPATCH
Kirsten Ott
Cristina Montoya
Renee Harris
Kristen Abbott
Adrien McGoon
VACANT
OFFICERS
Jerry Cunningham
Ryan Sullivan
Casey Perry
Michael Iturbe
Davis Fox
Thomas Schneider
Flor Silva
VACANT Volunteers &
Cadets
1 Detective
Anthony Garber
Police Services Aide
Katie Huldermann
Records Analyst
Michael Callen
CALLS FOR SERVICE
2020-2023
2 COTATI ARREST STATISTICS
2020-2023
3 *
*Penal Code section 849: Arrested and released from custody (not booked in county jail) pending further evidence or investigatory leads (or for intoxication only or low-level drug offenses). This also includes subjects arrested but no charges filed. This is ultimately considered a detention only. 4 National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
TOTAL “PERSON” CRIMES
2022-2023
5 National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
TOTAL “PROPERTY” CRIMES
2022-2023
6 National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
TOTAL “OTHER” CRIMES
2022-2023
CITATIONS
7 In 2023, the City issued 1,142 traffic citations, broken down by type in the following chart:
In 2022, the City issued 1,288 traffic citations, broken down by type in the following chart:
In 2023, the Police Department received a total of 4 complaints out of a total of 11,217 events (0.03%). The total logged events do not include numerous other interactions the department had with the community, such as daily information or informal interactions, or citizen business at the Dispatch counter, for example. The police department receives complaints through a variety of sources, including the official complaint form, city website, emails, telephone, and in-person. For every complaint received, the Police Department investigates the allegations completely. The following are the sources of the complaints for calendar years 2022 and 2023 :
CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
9 The process typically begins with a Sergeant (who is not part of the citizen contact) reviewing the complaint, analyzing all available materials (such as police reports, dispatch recordings, body worn camera), followed by interviews of the complainant and any involved police staff. The Cotati Police Department was the first agency in Sonoma County to implement a full deployment of body worn cameras on all of our officers, which has greatly assisted in the review of complaints or other events.
For the purposes of this report, the complaints have been grouped in two ways: by category of initial allegation and by outcome after investigation. Of the 4 complaints received in 2023, the categories of initial allegations are as follows (including prior years):
Source of Complaints
In-Person
Physical / Paper Form
Web Form
Email
Telephone
2022 2023
0 0
3 5
1 3
0 1
0 0
9 4
Initial Allegation
Conduct Unbecoming
Procedural
Use of Force
Not related to Police
2021 2022
6 9
0 3
6 2
0 2
10 0
8 2023
2 4
2 0
0 Outcome after Investigation
Procedural: This category of typically involves complaints of unfair parking enforcement, contesting traffic tickets, failure of the officer to act.
Category of Allegation
The definitions of the terms used are as indicated below. Not all terms are used this year due to the nature of the complaints received.
Sustained: The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to prove the allegation.
Not Sustained: The investigation did not disclose sufficient evidence to prove the allegation.
Exonerated: The actions of the officer which formed the basis for the allegation are not violations.
Unfounded: The investigation clearly established that the allegation is not true.
Withdrawn/Closed: Case was closed, as the matter was withdrawn by the complainant or complainant was unresponsive to attempts to contact.
Under Review: The allegation is still under investigation.
Conduct Unbecoming: This category of allegation is a complaint of rude or discourteous behavior of the officer.
Use of Force: This category of allegation is a complaint regarding officer use of force.
Not related to Police: This category of allegation involves a complaint that is unrelated to the Cotati Police Department.
9 In 2023, none of the 4 complaints led to sustained allegations. 2021 2022 2023
Unfounded - 9 Unfounded - 7 Unfounded - 4
Sustained - 1 Withdrawn/Closed - 2
SPECIALIZED ASSISTANCE FOR EVERYONE
(SAFE) TEAM
10 The SAFE Team provides three main services to the community
1. Response to issues relating to mental health, addiction, and homelessness
2. Non-emergency response for people in need
3. Proactive and continued community outreach
Cotati, Rohnert Park, and Sonoma State University have partnered to provide a mobile mental health crisis response team for our cities. In 2023 the SAFE Team expanded their hours and is now available for response 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our SAFE team consists of a mental health professional/resource advocate and a medic (nurse, paramedic or EMT).
SAFE works proactively to address low level issues and provides preventative outreach to help ensure individuals don’t end up needing a higher level of care. SAFE can identify shelter options for the unhoused, mental health services for people in crisis, connect people with resources to address addiction, and provide health care that does not meet the threshold of an ambulance response.
When SAFE is not responding to calls-for-service, they conduct outreach to the unhoused, including evaluating their condition and providing shelter and counseling information.
SAFE is intended to benefit everyone by keeping police officers, firefighters, and paramedics available for other emergencies.
If you observe someone experiencing
mental health or housing issues, you can
contact SAFE at 707-792-4611 for nonemergencies or 911 for emergencies.
During 2023, the SAFE Team responded to 327 Calls-for Service in Cotati. Public Assists consist of providing any kind of service available (blankets, food/water, transportation).
These calls break down into the following general categories:
11 The Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) was formed as part of AB953 (Weber, 2016). The RIPA Board is a diverse group of members that represent the public, law enforcement, and educators.
The goal of the RIPA Board is to strengthen law enforcement-community relations in California through collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
The California Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Attorney General, has the primary oversight of the RIPA Board.
One of the responsibilities of the RIPA Board has been to develop a “stop data” collection process. On July 1, 2018, the eight largest police agencies in California began collecting stop data and reporting the information to the DOJ.
A “RIPA stop” is defined as any detention or search, with the goal to “collect perceived demographic and other detailed data regarding pedestrian and traffic stops.”
The bill requires an agency that employs between one and 334 peace officers to issue its first annual report to DOJ by April 1, 2023. (All police agencies in Sonoma County, including the Cotati Police Department, are in this category).
For transparency, the Cotati Police Department decided to collect RIPA data before the scheduled mandate. Our Police Department is a member of a Public Safety consortium. Members of the consortium include the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department and the cities of Cotati, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, and Windsor (Sonoma and Windsor contract services with Sheriff’s Department).
Collectively, the consortium agencies started collecting RIPA data using patrol cars mobile computers and smart phones on July 1, 2021. The data is collected by the consortium and transmitted to the DOJ daily for review and quality control.
RACIAL AND IDENTITY PROFILING
ACT (RIPA)
12 13
RIPA
In 2022, there were 2830 total RIPA stops conducted by the Cotati Police Department.
Of those stops, the following data was collected:
In 2023, there were 2808 total RIPA stops conducted by the Cotati Police Department. 14 RIPA
Perceived Race/Ethnicity
15 RIPA
Perceived Gender
16 RIPA
Perceived Age
17 RIPA
18 RIPA
In 2022, of all 2830 RIPA stops, 418 people were searched (15%).
In 2023, of all 2808 RIPA stops, 460 people were searched (16%). 19 RIPA
20 RIPA
21 RIPA
*”FI” is a Field Interview information-only card. Cotati PD has not used these cards in over two years.
HI-LO SIREN DRILL
All Sonoma County Law Enforcement Agencies use “Hi-lo” sirens for emergency evacuations. Hi-Lo sirens have a distinct European emergency vehicle sound. When you Hear the Hi-Lo, it’s Time to Go. We will only use Hi-Lo sirens for emergency evacuations.
On September 20th, 2023 the Cotati Police Department and Sonoma State University Police Department conducted a coordinated Hi-Lo Siren evacuation drill. To see which evacuation zone you live in, go to the City website (www.cotaticity.org) and click on the Police page. 22 City of Cotati
Evacuation Zones
6A
6B
3A
3B
1 2
4 5
DEA PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKEBACK
The Cotati Police Department hosts Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) prescription
drug takeback events. In 2023 we hosted two
drug takebacks; the first was on April 22, 2023,
and the second was on October 28, 2023. The
combined weight of items collected from both
was over 70 pounds. Proper disposal of
prescription drugs makes your home a safer
place and it also benefits our environment.
Keeping old medication in the house or throwing
medications away in the garbage may be
dangerous and lead to tragic accidents - as they
can end up in the mouths of children or
household pets. Many people also flush expired
or unused medications down the toilet or drain,
resulting in these drugs ending up in our lakes,
streams, and water supplies.
The Cotai Police Department also has a bin in
our public access lobby where you can dispose of prescription pills throughout the year. Please remove pills from their containers and bag them up so there is plenty of room for all to dispose of their unwanted and expired medications.
23 CIVIC READY ALERTS
The City of Cotati has transitioned away from Nixle to
a new public alert system. We are now using Civic
Ready for routine and emergency public safety alerts.
If you have not already done so, you may sign up at:
https://www.cotaticity.org/1526/Get-Alerts-Notifications 24 POLICE POLICIES
Lexipol is a company which is the industry standard for public safety policy manuals. The Cotati Police Department uses Lexipol services; our policy manual is routinely updated and available on the city website. The California Legislature continues to enact laws that direct law enforcement to update polices to reflect nation-leading best practices. As we make additions and addendums to our policy manual, we republish the manual and repost it on our city website for public view.
Sherman Block Supervisory
Leadership Institute (SBSLI)
In 2023 Cotati Police Sergeant Baudelia Gallo graduated from SBSLI. (SBSLI) is a program designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision-making in California law enforcement front-line supervisors. Designed and implemented in 1988 through the efforts of California law enforcement professionals and top educators and trainers, the SBSLI is an intense program based on experiential learning techniques. Students are challenged to learn new ways to resolve issues through group and individual work.
The curriculum takes students through an analysis of management (planning, organizing, directing) and leadership (inspiring, challenging, developing) and how each discipline compliments the other. The course progresses from self-evaluation to interpersonal evaluation, to organizational relationships.
During the program, a typical successful student develops the ability to:
Correlate the relationship between personal and organizational principles and values.
Exercise greater leadership in personal and professional activities.
Increase personal influence with individuals and groups to accomplish organizational goals.
Analyze issues from multiple perspectives.
Develop increased self-confidence and confidence in the ability of others.
Provide support and development for peers and subordinates.
Recognize and address areas for personal improvement.
Effectively integrate management skills and leadership qualities
TRAINING
25 The Cotati Police Department is certified by the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST). Lieutenant Paul Goodin is our training manager assigned to keep our department in compliance with POST. Some POST training is mandated, such as perishable skills. However, the Cotati Police Department routinely trains beyond POST mandates with our police officers, police dispatchers, and civilian staff. POST also conducts audits on all certified law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with training and hiring standards. Our police department continues to remain in POST compliance.
During 2023, the following trainings were attended or completed by Officers: Hate Crimes, Human Trafficking, First Aid & CPR, Reporting RIPA data, Standard Field Sobriety Tests and Detection, Advanced Roadside Driver Enforcement, Use of Force, Driver Training (EVOC), Bias and Racial Profiling, Strategic Communication (including de-escalation), Serious Misconduct Reporting (SB2), Criminal Investigation (ICI CORE), Homicide Investigation (ICI), Interview and interrogation, Court and Temporary Holding Facility, Field Training Officer update, Field Training Officer S.A.C. Course, K-9 Training, and Active Shooter.
Dispatchers completed the following trainings: Dispatch Priming, Public Safety Dispatch Academy, Science of Wellness, De-escalation Training for Dispatchers, Handling the Rising Tide of Suicide, and Active Shooter Situations for Dispatchers.
Officers and Dispatchers are required to complete 24 hours of Continuing Professional Training (CPT) during the determined training cycle as prescribed by POST. Additionally, Full time Officers are required to complete 16 hours (as a part of or in addition to the 24 hours of CPT) of Perishable skills training such as arrest and control, firearms, emergency vehicle operation course, use of force, and strategic communication, some of which encompass de-escalation training.
Our detective successfully completed the Robert Pressley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) Core Course. The ICI Core Course is a complex two week training that is designed to enhance the effectiveness of the individual criminal investigator’s skills in performing the multi-disciplined and multi-leveled tasks necessary to successfully conduct comprehensive criminal investigations. The ICI Core Course is the prerequisite for all subsequent ICI Foundation Specialty Courses within the program. Our Detective also successfully completed the ICI Homicide Investigation Course. This course is also a complex two week course. These courses are to aid the detective in complex investigations and also benefits the small agency mutual aid team.
RECRUIT TRAINING OFFICER
26 The Cotati Police Department is proud to have
Sergeant Tyler Wardle assigned as a Recruit
Training Officer (RTO) at the Santa Rosa Junior
College’s Public Safety Training Center (Regional
Police Academy). Sergeant Wardle is cadre at the
Academy assisting full-time faculty and instructors
to provide our future law enforcement officers with
the knowledge and skills to better serve and protect
our communities.
AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE
READER (ALPR) TECHNOLOGY
Since 2021 the Cotati Police Department has deployed ALPR investigative technology. The police department received funding for the ALPRs through the State Homeland Security Grant totaling approximately $60,000. The purpose of the ALPRs is to identify lost or stolen vehicles/license plates or to help locate a vehicle involved in various crimes.
When Cotati has utilized this technology, it has directly led to the identification and recovery of numerous stolen vehicles within our city.
In 2022 the police department had 12 successful recoveries of stolen vehicles. Our officers also use the ALPR system for investigations and for public safety by adding wanted and dangerous vehicles into the system. In 2022, due to the rampant “sideshow” issues in the Bay Area, Cotati Officers, utilized the ALPR vehicles to respond to the “Sideshow” location and log participants in the illegal activity. Instead of immediately chasing the suspect vehicles, and potentially creating risk of life and/or property, as well as the potential for use of force, the collection of data is often used later to safely serve a warrant to impound the vehicle used in the illegal activity.
In 2023, ALPR’s were used 4 times in the successful recovery of stolen vehicles, 3 of which resulted in arrests made.
Though the department had patrol vehicles outfitted with ALPR technology in 2023, ALPRs were not used due to compatibility issues with the Vigilant system and the in-car computer software (since April 2023). ALPRs were not in use from June 2023 - March 2024.
As of March 2024, Axon ALPRs were installed and are now being utilized. 27 USE OF FORCE
In 2023, the Cotati Police Department experienced zero URSUS (California Department of Justice Use of Force Incident Reporting database) reportable use of force.
1. An incident that involves the shooting of a civilian by a peace officer.
2. An incident that involves the shooting of a peace officer by a civilian.
3. An incident in which the use of force by a peace officer against a civilian result in serious bodily injury or death.
4. An incident in which the use of force by a civilian against a peace officer results in serious bodily injury or death.
Nevertheless, in Cotati, we have adopted a far more expansive definition of use of force (UOF), including any incident beyond simple handcuffing. Reportable UOF events in Cotati even include the display of force (such as unholstering specific police tools, including electronic devices [Taser], pepper spray, or firearm). In 2023 all UOF incidents were tracked using police record management software system. When a UOF occurs, officers record their incident using a checklist, which lists which officers were present (including mutual aid officers), what tool was used, whether officers or suspects received injuries, and why force was used. When supervisors review the arrest/incident report, it is flagged for UOF.
Sergeants read the report narrative, review the UOF module, and view the officer’s Body Worn Camera. Management also reviews each UOF for any policy violations or an opportunity to consider alternate equipment, techniques, de-escalation, or training in the future to reduce or avoid the use of force.
URSUS Criteria
28 Total Events for 2023: 11,217
Events that resulted in arrests: 323
Total events that resulted in arrest: 2.8%
Use of Force instances: 30
Total events that resulted in Use of Force: 0.2%
Use of Force Breakdown
Although there were 30 UOF events in 2023, many UOF events include the use of multiple tools/techniques, resulting in more tools/techniques used than UOF events.
USE OF FORCE
2023 Summary
Tool/Technique Used
Baton/Impact Weapon
Bean Bag Shotgun Displayed
BOLA Wrap
Control Hold/Defensive Technique
Firearm Discharge
Times Used
0 0
12 0
0 Firearm Displayed
K-9
Pepper Spray
Taser Discharge
Taser Displayed
15 8
2 0
0 WRAP 0
Total 37
29 Baton/Impact Weapon: Use of a baton on an uncooperative subject to gain compliance.
Bean Bag Shotgun: An AB 481 tool that projects bean bags from a shotgun; in certain circumstances it s used in lieu of a Taser or firearm.
BOLA Wrap: A tool that projects a weighted rope that wraps around and restrains an uncooperative subject; in certain circumstances it is used in lieu of a Taser or firearm.
Control Hold: Controlling someone who is resisting.
Defensive Techniques: Defending oneself against someone who is actively attacking the Officer.
Firearm Discharged: Firearm discharged during an event.
Firearm Displayed: Firearm removed from holster during an event.
K-9: Police dog used search, or hold/apprehend an uncooperative subject.
Pepper Spray: Use or pepper spray on an uncooperative subject in certain circumstances in lieu of another tool, such as Taser or impact weapon.
Taser Discharged: Taser Darts Launched or Taser Contacting an uncooperative subject, in lieu of impact tools or firearm.
Taser Displayed: Taser Removed from holster.
WRAP: A safe restraint system, designed to protect uncooperative subjects and officers.
Incident to Arrest: 30 (in 2023, every use of force event resulted in arrest) Combative/uncooperative 5150 Subject: 0
Outside Agency Assist: 0
Other: 0*
*no arrest, e.g.: Building Searches/Possible Weapon Reported Use of Force By Reason
Uses of Force Defined
ASSEMBLY BILL 481
30 This bill requires a law enforcement agency to obtain approval of the applicable governing body, by adoption of a military equipment use policy by ordinance at a regular meeting prior to the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment, as defined.
In 2022 the Cotati City Council approved an ordinance to direct our police department on the use, deployment, and policy for Military Equipment. The Council approved the use and possession of our Command Van and Bean Bag Shotguns.
In 2023 our Command Van was not deployed for any Mutual Aid Investigations.
In 2023 Cotati Police had zero deployments of the Bean Bag Shotgun. However, it was used/displayed by a SSU officer (not Cotati PD) as part of a react/de-escalation team due to a critical incident involving a subject wielding a knife. The SSU officer had previous training on the equipment.
NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICER MEETINGS
Cotati Police Officers hosted two Neighborhood Officer meetings for each of the neighborhood areas in 2023. Cotati is comprised of six areas (beats), which are coincident with evacuation zones. Maps of both beats and evacuation zones are available for view on the Police page of our City Website. An individual officer is assigned to each of the six areas and their phone numbers and emails are available to citizens and business owners to ask questions and make requests. Officers rotate annually to allow officers to better learn the areas and for residents and businesses to better know our officers. We invite you to attend one of our meetings.
31 ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET
In 2022, the Cotati Police Department was the first law enforcement agency in the North Bay area, and one of the first in the nation, to deploy a fully outfitted and marked police electric vehicle (EV). Pictured below, the white Tesla was our first electric patrol vehicle. In 2023, we increased our electric patrol vehicle fleet.
We currently have 2 Tesla Ys and 2 Ford Mustang Mach-Es, and are also in the process of outfitting a new Ford F-150 Lightning EV for our K9, which will bring our total EV fleet count to 5.
32 PATROL
33 Our sworn police staff are here 24/7 hours a day to keep our community safe. The list of things that officers do on a daily basis is long, including the following summary of the main efforts our officers do to enhance the quality of life in Cotati.
Protect life and property through the enforcement of laws & regulations; Proactively patrol assigned areas
Conduct traffic and parking enforcement
Respond to calls for police service
Conduct preliminary & follow-up criminal and traffic investigations Conduct interviews
Prepare written reports and field notes of investigations and patrol activities Arrest and process those involved in criminal activity
Testify in court
Emergency duties required during adverse weather conditions Operate a law enforcement vehicle under emergency conditions day or night Analyze legal documents including citations, affidavits, and warrants Command emergency
personnel at accident
emergencies and
disasters
Community Oriented
Policing and
community
engagement
Self-initiate traffic
and/or criminal
investigations
Supplement animal
control
Perform bar and
business checks
ANIMAL CONTROL
34 All of our sworn personnel are designated as animal control officers. Our police officers respond to calls for service regarding both domestic and wild animals.
The City of Cotati Administrative Services Department is responsible for dog licensing for our City. Please license your dogs so that we can better serve you and your pet if they get loose or have other issues. Cotati contracts with Rohnert Park Animal Services for sheltering our animals. “As part of the No More Lost Pets campaign, Rohnert Park Animal Services offers FREE ID tags and microchips for all Rohnert Park and Cotati city residents!”
DISPATCH
The Cotati Police Department employs six
Police Dispatcher/Clerks. Our police dispatch is
a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
receiving all 911 calls for law enforcement, fire,
and medical emergencies for both the City of
Cotati and the Sonoma State University (SSU)
campus (we have a dispatch contract with SSU
Police Department). In addition to 911 calls-forservice, our dispatchers answer regular police business calls for our City and SSU, and
dispatch the SAFE team for the City and SSU.
Our dispatchers are also clerks who process
police records, Public Records Requests, and
other administrative duties. Our lobby is open to
the public 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
35 Cotati Police Dispatchers at National Night Out 2023 K9 TEAM
In July 2023, K9 Remo retired after 7 years of dedicated service. To fill a need in the greater Sonoma County area, The City of Cotati acquired K9 Dolly. She is a purebred bloodhound whose sole purpose is to find (track/trail) missing/lost persons and fleeing suspects. She is the only dog of her breed and purpose in Sonoma County.
Dolly is a valuable resource available to law enforcement for locating at risk members of the community. Statistics from The Alzheimer’s Association state that approximately 60% (3 in 5) of patients with dementia will wander without notice. Numbers are also significant for young children, especially those with Autism.
Each person, even identical twins, has their own unique scent. “Scent discriminate” means that Dolly is able to decipher among a myriad of odors and which scent belongs to the person she is instructed to find. In addition to a superior sense of smell, a bloodhound’s loose skin and floppy ears aid in its sniffing ability.
Dolly was born on January 8, 2023 in Tennessee. She was formally trained by Scent Evidence K9 in Tallahassee, Florida. In October of 2023, Officer Sullivan flew to Tallahassee to meet Dolly and learn basic training.
In 2023, Dolly was requested by or offered to allied agencies 18 times and deployed 6 times.
Her handler, Officer Sullivan, has worked for Cotati PD since June of 2019. In 2022 he received a Rotary award for Officer of the Year. He also received a 10851 CVC award for recovering 12 stolen vehicles, 3 of which resulted in arrest. Also in 2022, Officer Sullivan received a MADD award for his commitment to making communities safer by arresting 13 people suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. Officer Sullivan is an EMT, avid outdoorsman and passionate about search and rescue. Officer Sullivan will receive another MADD award for his efforts in 2023.
Dolly lives with Officer Sullivan and his wife. In addition to training, Dolly stays preoccupied with her German Shepherd “sister,” 4 cats, 3 goats, and 12 chickens.
Training is constant for Dolly. Officer Sullivan and Dolly train locally multiple times per week.
Once per month the pair trains with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit. On those trips, Dolly enjoys seeing her K9 friends and bloodhound cousin Bingo. Dolly loves toys and her reward for a job well done is any toy that squeaks. 36 K9 TEAM
OFFICER SULLIVAN & DOLLY
37 Dolly with retired K9 Remo
38 CADETS AND VOLUNTEERS
The police department has both Cadets and Volunteers, providing them with an opportunity to assist our department and learn about career opportunities in law enforcement. Our cadets are typically high school students who help with mutual aid for parades and other events in Sonoma County, including the Butter and Eggs Festival, the Apple Blossom Festival, and our own Kids Day Parade and Festival. Cadets also go on ride-alongs with officers, attend in-house trainings, and take criminal justice field trips. Our volunteers help with daily duties at the police department, such as maintaining the inventory of police equipment and supplies. Often our cadets and volunteers become police officers, deputy sheriffs, and public safety dispatchers.
In addition, we assist Sonoma State University Police Department by taking their Student Interns on ride-alongs to allow them the opportunity to see how our agency operates.
In 2023, we hosted and participated in multiple community events including but not limited to:
National Night Out at La Plaza Park
Coffee with a Cop (and K9 Dolly) at Cotati Coffee
Cotati Kids Day Parade
Rohnert Park/Cotati Rotary Toy Drive
SSU Warm Clothing Drive
SSU Canned Food Drive
Thomas Page Academy and Police Station Tours
Woman in Public Safety Day in Santa Rosa
Apple Blossom Parade & Festival in Sebastopol
PARTNERSHIPS
The Cotati Police Department has a strong relationship with the Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District, Sonoma State University Police Department, and the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety. Together, through teamwork, mutual aid, and allied training, we make all of our jurisdictions a safer place to live and improve the quality of life for our residents and businesses.
39 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
& SOCIAL MEDIA
40 We invite you to follow us on
our social media platforms.
Our police department maintains a public
information presence to better engage with our
residents and to be accessible to our community
where they are. In addition to the police page of
the city website, and regular pieces in the Cotati
Connection newsletter, we use Facebook (now
with over 5,400 followers), Instagram (now with
over 2,850 followers) and Civic Ready for time
sensitive and emergency information.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
& SOCIAL MEDIA
Baudelia Gallo, Police Sergeant
Casey Perry, Police Officer (2023 Officer of the Year)
On the morning of January 13, 2023, officers were dispatched to a residence for an emergency medical call for service with limited information. The reporting party was heard by dispatch yelling at someone to “wake up and breathe.”
Upon arrival, they discovered that the reporting party’s son was lying on the bedroom floor.
They discovered the subject had blueish skin color, was unresponsive, not breathing and they observed drug paraphernalia associated with Fentanyl use in the room.
Utilizing teamwork, they administered Naloxone (Narcan) and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The combination of Narcan and CPR ultimately revived the subject, who would have otherwise died of an overdose.
COMMENDATION
41 Ryan Sullivan, Police Officer
Casey Perry, Police Officer
On January 16, 2023, officers responded to an address for a report of a female screaming, “help me.”
The reporting party indicated where he thought the voice was coming from. Officers checked multiple addresses in the area and determined the location of the female.
Ultimately, the woman was assisted and her partner was arrested for domestic violence.
COMMENDATION
42 Baudelia Gallo, Police Sergeant
Brian Deaton, Police Corporal
Jerry Cunningham, Police Officer
Ryan Reinke, Police Officer
Anthony Garber, Police Detective
Michael Iturbe, Police Officer
Kirsten Ott, Police Dispatcher/Clerk
On Saturday, August 19, 2023, the Cotati Police Department received numerous 911 calls for a “shooting” that occurred at 298 East Cotati Avenue. The shooting was determined to be a homicide, with a firearm used as the murder weapon.
I commend the performance of the above personnel who were off-duty and responded without question to support this critical investigation.
COMMENDATION
Brian Deaton, Police Corporal
Ryan Reinke, Police Officer
Michael Iturbe, Police Officer
On Saturday August 19, 2023, Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety requested assistance for an extremely large fight in their city. Officers responded quickly and professionally assisted with deescalating the situation, which ultimately led to the arrest of a subject involved and the discovery of a handgun.
COMMENDATION
43 Kristin Abbott, Police Dispatcher/Clerk
Michael Callen, Police Dispatcher/Clerk
Casey Perry, Police Officer
Paul Goodin, Police Sergeant
On Saturday, August 19, 2023, the Cotati Police Department received numerous 911 calls for a “shooting” that occurred at 298 East Cotati Avenue. The shooting was determined to be a homicide, with a firearm used as the murder weapon.
Upon receiving the 911 calls, dispatchers quickly determined that a shooting had occurred at the address. The location of the crime scene, victim and suspect were quickly disseminated to on-duty Cotati Police Officers and Sonoma State University Police Officers. Dispatchers continued to update our officers on the suspect’s description and direction of travel.
Additionally, dispatchers quickly directed a mutual aid response by requesting the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety and medical agencies to assist in this public safety emergency.
Cotati Officers located the suspect nearby and took him into custody. The on-duty Cotati Officers and Dispatchers continued to support the mission of the investigation throughout their assigned shifts and beyond. All department member demonstrated calmness under pressure and professionalism in their assigned duties.
MERITORIOUS CONDUCT
(Special Chief’s Commendation)
MADD AWARD
Ryan Sullivan, Police Officer
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will be recognizing K9 Officer Ryan Sullivan for his outstanding efforts in having over 25 Driving Under the Influence arrests in 2023, which is MADD’s top achievement and threshold for officers conducting DUI enforcement. Officer Sullivan will receive a plaque and pin, and will be honored at an awards ceremony in Sacramento on July 16, 2024.
2024 SNAPSHOT
Four months into 2024, the Cotati Police Department continues to explore additional ways to best prioritize and enhance our service to the community, in specific alignment with the department’s strategic goals and the city’s vision and quality of life objectives for our residents.
Continued focus on equity and inclusion
Accountability and partnerships with the community
Targeting specific public safety needs - Traffic, pedestrian, and bicycle safety; theft; illicit drugs; trafficking; emergency preparedness
Increased transparency, especially in ways that are helpful, easily accessible, and provide requisite context
De-escalation and implicit bias training
Expanding crisis intervention and mental health training SAFE Team collaboration, communication, training, and deployment Increased community outreach and participation in community events Social media, website, and public-facing accessibility
Supervision and managerial organization; staffing, promoting, and recruiting top candidates
Enhanced data analytics and records training
Seek and incorporate environmentally friendly and green alternatives (e.g.: EV vehicles)
44 THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SUPPORT!