Access to Tobacco: Starting a New Enforcement Program in Your Police Department Corporal Kelly...

Access to Tobacco:Starting a New Enforcement

Program in Your Police Department

Corporal Kelly Gordon

Montebello Police Department

Overview of Topics

• Overview of the Montebello Police

Department’s Program

• Establishing Relationships

• Motivating and Educating Officers

• Operational Guidelines for a Youth Decoy

Operation

Montebello Police Department’s Program• Grant awarded by the California Department of

Health Services Tobacco Control Section

• Funded by the Master Settlement Agreement

• 16 Agencies in California were awarded an enforcement grant

• 33 month program and $250,000 in funding

• Enforcement of:– Penal Code Section 308(a) Selling Tobacco Products to

Minors

– Labor Code Section 6404.5 Smoke-Free Workplace

Establishing Relationships

• Who:

– Prosecuting Agencies

• District Attorney

• City Attorney

– Local Health Department

– Local Coalitions

– Police Department


• Prosecuting Agencies– BE EDUCATED– Prepare a professional presentation (power

point)– Have a handout with the facts– To the point– Consult with before you start enforcement– Don’t preach about how bad tobacco is, focus

on the law


• Local Health Department– Ask about Master Settlement Agreement

Money for enforcement– Ally– Resource

• Youth recruitment

• Data collection

• Educational materials

• Incentives (pens, t-shirts, etc)


• Local Coalitions

– Ally

– Want to be involved

– Politically active

– Youth recruitment


• Police Departments– Respect their time– Keep material short and to the point– Credibility a must (don’t guess at answers)– Tobacco control laws are not top priority but

are highly visible– Public Recognition– Talk to the right person (chain of command)

Motivating and Educating Officers

• Make it fun

• Keep it simple

• Don’t overwhelm with extra paperwork

• Overtime

• Don’t preach to officers

• Feed them

Youth Decoy Operations

• Planning the Operation– Coordinate with the D.A.

– Recruitment of Personnel

• Adult Chaperones

• Youth Volunteers

• Officers

– Merchant Education

– Working with the media (press releases)


• Planning the Operation (con’t)– Operational Mission

– Date and time

– Personnel assignments and responsibilities

– Selecting and assigning locations

– Communications

– Operation Briefing

– Forms and Materials used


• Planning the Operation (con’t)

– Safety Issues

– Volunteer Recognition

– Recognizing Businesses in Compliance

– Record Keeping

– Filing cases and follow up

Most Important Focus

• Use your resources, help is out there, use it

• Educate Retailers & Public

• Work in partnership with the district attorney

• Take the time to do presentations

• Follow up with Enforcement

• Have Fun and Be Safe

Contact InformationCorporal Kelly Gordon

Montebello Police Department

1600 W. Beverly Blvd.

Montebello, CA 90640

(323)887-1341 Office

(323)887-1317 Fax

(323)816-5081 Cell

[email protected] E-mail

Access to Tobacco: Starting a New Enforcement Program in Your Police Department Corporal Kelly...

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