A Message from the SBPD Chief-Part 2
Editor’s Note: The following is Part 2 of an overview of the resources, training, services and statistics related to the Seal Beach Police Department. SBPD Chief Philip L. Gonshak submitted the comprehensive review to serve as context in the midst of nationwide calls to defund police departments. Most citizens don’t understand the broad reach that local law enforcement provides in areas of community care or the extensive and specific training that officers receive. The first part of Chief Gonshak’s overview was printed in the July 23 edition of the LW Weekly. It addressed SBPD programs and resources.
Due to the current calls for police reform and/or defunding in a number of communities around the nation, as chief of the Seal Beach Police Department, I felt it critical to share the following information with City of Seal Beach community partners.
The information below will give a general overview of what the SBPD has done in the past, continues to do today and plans on doing in the future.
The City of Seal Beach Police Department seeks to be aligned with community needs and expectations.
—Chief Philip L. Gonshak
Orange County Resources Used by SBPD
• Families and Communities Together (FACT)
Families and Communities Together is a network of Family Resource Centers administered by over 100 community partners. They provide services, such as training and strategic planning, to their partners bolstering their work serving and strengthening families. Core services include counseling, parenting education, family support, domestic violence support programs, and youth programs.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
NAMI Orange County conducts free educational programs, meetings and support groups throughout the county, addressing every aspect of mental health. They offer free programs, educational meetings, support groups and advocacy for those families and clients dealing with the effects of mental illness.
A 2017 exhaustive countywide list named 157 resources readily available for SBPD use. For more information, contact the SBPD at www.sealbeachca.gov/Departments/Police
