SUNNYVALE PUBLIC SAFETY REINSTATES NARCOTICS, VICE UNIT

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) has reopened its Narcotics and Vice Unit, restoring funding for one supervisor and one additional officer. In 2003, three of the four positions in this unit were eliminated as the City addressed budget challenges, while the fourth was assigned to the countywide narcotics task force.

Reinstating these positions allows the City to aggressively address vice and narcotics crimes. Sunnyvale Mayor John Howe praised the action. “Sunnyvale is consistently ranked as one of the ten safest cities in the nation,” said Mayor Howe. ”Reinstating these positions will enable us to more effectively maintain that safety record.”

DPS Captain Byron Pipkin agreed. “These additional officers allows us to operate a viable Narcotics and Vice Investigative Unit that will be effective in proactively addressing these types of crimes in Sunnyvale,” Pipkin said..

The detective assigned last year to the countywide task force has now been reassigned to the Sunnyvale Public Safety unit.