Traffic/Community Services

Division Commander: Lt. Petersen

This unit consists of the Traffic Unit, which provides traffic enforcement, accident investigation and reconstruction and traffic control; the Community Services Unit, which has charge of the volunteer programs, the neighborhood watch program and crime prevention; and the Business Office, which provides customer service and maintains records.

You may contact Lt. Petersen at 951.486.6900 or email  epeterse@riversidesheriff.org

Select a unit or program to learn more...

• Business Office
• Cable TV Programs
• Community Services Unit
• Neighborhood Watch
• Traffic Unit
• Volunteer Services Unit
• Youth Court:
  Juvenile Crime Prevention and Diversion Program

Lt. Petersen

Business Office

This unit is staffed by two supervising office assistants and fifteen office assistants and is charged with customer service, record maintenance, fee collection and data entry.

For more information you may contact Lt. Virginia Busby by e-mail: vbusby@riversidesheriff.org.

Cable TV Programs

The Moreno Valley Police Department, in conjunction with MVTV-3, produce several televised public safety programs. The first is called "Safety 1st." This show focuses on public safety issues. Topics include vehicle theft prevention, swimming pool safety and living with Africanized honey bees.

Past shows have included topics such as Halloween Safety, Gang Awareness, Traffic Safety, P.O.P (Problem Oriented Policing), Team Programs, Dispatch, Sheriff's Personnel, Talk to the Chief and Internet safety. Look for more exciting programs soon.

Safety 1st. airs daily at 8 a.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on MVTV-3, the City's government access cable television channel. If you're a local cable TV subscriber, MVTV-3 is on channel 3.

Click here to watch archived episodes of Safety 1st online

For information on Safety 1st.:
call 951.486.6715 or send email to
Officer Richard Hutson at: rhutson@riversidesheriff.org

Also of Interest...

• Current MVTV-3 Schedule

Community Service Unit

Unit Supervisor: Sgt. Marcus Boydd

This unit contains one Sergeant, three sworn officers and two non-sworn officers.

The Community Services Unit duties include crime prevention, Volunteer Services, Neighborhood/ Business Watch, Youth Court, Police Explorers and school presentations.

For more information email mboydd@riversidesheriff.org

Neighborhood Watch

Coordinator: Officer Richard Hutson

Neighborhood Watch is a program designed to educate the public on crime prevention and to bring neighborhoods together to make their community a safer place to live.

A sworn officer, along with a police volunteer, respond to different areas within the City to give classes which include training in burglary prevention, how to recognize suspicious activity/persons, personal safety and when to call 911. The training also takes the citizens through the process of reporting a crime and what to expect when calling 911.

For more information, or to set up a Neighborhood Watch in your neighborhood, call 951.486.6715, or e-mail Officer Richard Hutson at rhutson@riversidesheriff.org

Traffic Unit

Coordinators
Sgt. Jackie Horton and Sgt. Don Goodrich

For more information call, 951.486.6900 or e-mail: jhorton@riversidesheriff.org or dgoodrich@riversidesheriff.org

The Traffic Unit is responsible for traffic enforcement, accident reconstruction, investigation and traffic control. The Traffic Unit consists of two supervising sergeants, twelve sworn motorcycle officers, eight sworn accident investigators, five non-sworn accident investigators, one management analyst and one office assistant.

The Traffic Unit works most major special events that occur in the City to prevent traffic related problems.

The Moreno Valley Police Traffic Team has received state and national recognition for its traffic programs.

It provides opportunities for public recognition of exemplary programs (e.g., Nifty Fifty), incentive for continuing traffic safety activities and documentation of agency effectiveness that can be used in future grant proposals. This documentation can help provide accountability and demonstrate the value of a strong traffic program.

The Moreno Valley Police Traffic Team has submitted an application for the California Law Enforcement Challenge annually since 2003. We received 1st place within our category of 101-250 sworn officers in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007. In 2006, we were awarded 2nd place within our category.

The California Law Enforcement Challenge application may also be judged for a Special Award consideration. Some examples of special award categories are Occupant Protection, Impaired Driving, Speed Awareness, Child Passenger Safety and Underage Alcohol Prevention. The Moreno Valley Police Department has applied for the Occupant Protection Special Award and we were selected in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Occupant Protection Special Award is based on an agency's notable efforts to promote and enforce occupant protection laws.

The National Law Enforcement Challenge program, the model for the California Law Enforcement Challenge, is financed through a grant awarded to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). IACP & NHTSA believe an increase in traffic law enforcement in a community results in a decrease in motor vehicle crashes, injuries and fatalities and they have the studies to prove it! In fact, no other single program or strategy works as well as traffic law enforcement in making the roads safer.

The Moreno Valley Police Department received an Honorable Mention in the National Law Enforcement Challenge in 2003, 3rd place in 2004 and 1st place in 2005.

The Moreno Valley Police Department also works with Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD). MADD was incorporated on September 5, 1980. The mission of MADD is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. Moreno Valley Police Traffic Officers have received recognition from MADD the past three years due to our efforts in combating drunk drivers through DUI Sobriety Checkpoints, DUI Warrant Sweeps and DUI Saturation Patrols.

The Moreno Valley Police Traffic Team applied for a Kids* Plate grant opportunity in October of 2008. In November of 2008, we were awarded this grant which included 55 car seats for distribution to the community. If you are interested in a car seat inspection, please contact Community Service Officer Beckner at 951.486.6900.

In 1992, due to the combined efforts of child safety and health advocates, the California legislature passed a bill allowing for the sale of Kids* Plates motor vehicle license plates and the creation of the Child Health and Safety Fund. Revenue from the sale of Kids* Plates goes into the Child Health and Safety Fund and is appropriated to support three significant child safety issues in California: 25% of the funds support unintentional childhood injury prevention: 25% support the prevention of child abuse; and 50% support child care licensing and inspection activities.

The long-term goal of the California Kids* Plates Program*s childhood prevention component is to build a movement in California for the prevention of unintentional injuries among children, thus reducing the impact of this highly preventable public health problem. Overall, the Kids* Plates Program will achieve this goal by:

• Providing support to enhance and strengthen the efforts of those programs already working in the field of unintentional childhood injury prevention.
• Providing an opportunity for programs that have never addressed unintentional injury issues to begin working in this critical area of public health.

For more information see Kids* Plates Program

Sgt. Jackie Horton



Sgt. Don Goodrich

Volunteer Services Unit

Officer Brian Nelson

The Volunteer Unit began in October of 1990 with limited duties and only three volunteers. Currently, the program has expanded to 74 volunteers, three sworn officers and two non-sworn officers.

With this expansion, the volunteer program was able to broaden its duties and responsibilities. Volunteers now assist in every division within the department. The department has come to rely on its volunteers for a wide variety of tasks that free up officers for emergency calls. These programs continually strive to enhance the quality of life in the City of Moreno Valley.

The five volunteer programs run by this unit are:

• Anti-Graffiti Patrol Unit
• Citizen's Patrol Unit
• Police Explorer Program
• Reserve Officer's Program
• Station Volunteers

To learn more about these programs, please visit the Volunteer Programs section of this site.
Or call 951.486.6716 or e-mail BCNELSON@riversidesheriff.org.

Youth Court:
Juvenile Crime Prevention and Diversion Program

Coordinator: Officer Brian Nelson

The Moreno Valley Youth Court was established March 9, 1989. Youth Court is an innovative program that makes an impression on youthful offenders and serves as a positive alternative to the traditional criminal justice system. In this program, specific youthful offenders have the opportunity to take full responsibility for their actions and yet be diverted from the judicial system.

Introduction into the system begins when a first time offender has been arrested for a relatively minor crime. The minor must admit to the allegations and then obtain parental permission to divert from the juvenile court system. The defendant then attends a Youth Court hearing where they are prosecuted, defended and punished by fellow high school and middle school students.

Offender assignments range anywhere from 10 to 40 hours of community service to complete the program. The offender is also required to write an essay of apology and also an essay on why crime is wrong. In addition, the minor must complete at least one day as a jury member on an upcoming Youth Court session. In order to be eligible for the Moreno Valley Youth Court, all of the following guidelines must be met:

• Must be a first time offender
• Misdemeanor offense only
• Must admit guilt
• Volunteer for the program

If a youthful offender completes all the requirements of the program, the Police Department drops all charges against the minor. By getting a second chance, the goal is that the minor will think twice before committing another crime.

For more information, call 951.486.6716 or e-mail:
BCNELSON@riversidesheriff.org.

Officer Brian Nelson