The headlines and images of unprovoked and senseless violence that we so frequently see in the news “hit home” for southern California on Wednesday as we witnessed our neighbors to the east scrambling to make sense of the mass shootings that took place at a government building in San Bernardino. The horrific acts committed by two individuals which left 14 deceased and 17 injured are nothing short of a tragedy. The thoughts and prayers of the UCI community are with the victims and their families.
Unfortunately, incidents of terrorism, active shooter or workplace violence are occurring more frequently than ever before and, while there have been advancements made in the law enforcement/intelligence-sharing community, these networks cannot intercept all premeditated threats alone. This is why the “See Something, Say Something” campaign (www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something) is so important. It empowers everyone to report suspicious behavior or anything that just doesn’t look or feel “right.” Far too often, following these incidents, we hear of reports from colleagues, neighbors, friends, family and even complete strangers that noticed suspicious behavior about the assailant but failed to report it to law enforcement.
The Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC) reminds us that there are no tips too small or insignificant to report. All tips will be received and analyzed for the need for further investigation. However, law enforcement cannot do anything with no information at all. So anything you believe might be worthy of a report is worth reporting. For more information on how to report a tip and increase your personal awareness visit OCIAC’s website @ www.ociac.ca.gov
The greatest asset to national security, particularly in the world we live in today, is a society of individuals who are informed, aware of their surroundings and willing to report something out of the ordinary. “It takes a community to protect a community” – Department of Homeland Security.
We encourage the community to partner with the UC Irvine Police Department to prevent or report crime by calling (949) 824-5223. If you wish to remain Anonymous, call “OC Crime Stoppers” by dialing 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227), text "OCCS" plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or use the website http://occrimestoppers.org/
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UC Irvine Police Department
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