Provides a variety of crime prevention programs such as neighborhood watch and business and residential security reviews. Hosts events such as document shredding and prescription drug disposal. Offers adult fingerprinting, police reports, station tours, ride alongs, and the Citizen Police Academy. Also provides crime victim services.

Avondale Police Department Community Services | Avondale Police Department Community Services

Businesses that destroy sensitive documents at the request of organizations to ensure that client, employee and confidential business information is kept secure; and for private individuals who want to safely dispose of bills, tax documents, credit card and bank account statements, and other items that could be used by thieves to commit fraud or identity theft. Shredding services may be provided onsite using mobile shredding trucks or at off-site shredding facilities; and typically handle office paper, staples, paper clips, books and binders, but with increasing security concerns customers can also request shredding of CDs, DVDs, hard drives, credit cards, reel tapes, cassette tapes and other, more durable materials.

Shredding Services

Programs that provide a variety of supportive services for victims of crimes and their families which may include general emotional support, crisis counseling, information about police investigative procedures, liaison to police personnel, assistance in completing and filing applications for reimbursement of crime-related expenses or losses, information about the mechanics of court proceedings, advice concerning court appearances, court accompaniment services, assistance in preparing victim impact statements and referrals for other needed services such as medical treatment, shelter away from home, transportation, child care, financial assistance and protective services.

General Crime Victim Assistance

Programs whose primary purpose is to introduce the public to the activities involved in community policing by allowing citizens to "ride along" in a patrol car with a policeman or woman while on duty.

Police Ride Along Programs

Programs that operate academies that provide opportunities for community residents to get an inside look at local law enforcement through a series of courses which focus on tactical operations, search and seizure laws, the use of deadly force, crime scene investigations, K-9 and special operations, domestic violence, juvenile crime, vice, firearms training and other related topics. Participants may also be given ride along experiences with on-duty police personnel. The purpose of citizen police academies is to increase appreciation for and understanding of local law enforcement through education and interaction with individual officers and to dispel suspicions and misconceptions. Most academy programs are for adults age 18 and older though some communities have youth academies for individuals age 14 to 18 and special academies for businessmen and women.

Citizen Police Academies

Programs that provide information about a wide variety of options which help citizens protect themselves from crime rather than specializing in a particular type of crime prevention.

General Crime Prevention Programs

Programs that accept and safely dispose of unwanted or outdated medication. Substances that qualify for the program typically include such things as prescription drugs, nonprescription medication, acne therapies, athlete's foot treatment, vitamin and mineral supplements and throat lozenges.  Medication disposal programs provide a environmentally safe alternative to flushing medications down the toilet where they may not be completely removed by the sewage treatment process or discarding them with household garbage where they may be found and consumed by children or animals or enter into the groundwater supply.

Medication Disposal

Programs that encourage total community involvement in discouraging preventable crime by organizing awareness meetings to help neighbors get to know one another and look out for each other, learn to secure their property, and recognize and report suspicious activity. Technical assistance may also be provided. Included are Park Watch programs that encourage residents to be on the lookout for and report vandalism or other criminal activity in local parks.

Neighborhood Watch Programs

Programs that provide professional advice regarding measures that homeowners can take to improve the security of their residential property.

Residential Security Evaluations

Programs that provide professional advice regarding measures that owners or managers of small businesses and other commercial enterprises can take to improve the security of their property, equipment and facilities.

Business Security Evaluations

Organizations such as factories, processing plants, stock exchanges, broadcast facilities, research laboratories, fire stations, police stations, hospitals and other business establishments that provide guided tours of their facilities for the public.