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The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety's Narcotics and Vice Unit—eliminated a year ago to meet budget demands—hit the streets of Sunnyvale on July 1 for the first time in 12 months. The city council restored the unit's funding during this year's budget process.
Three of the original four officer positions—that handled crimes related to drugs, gambling, prostitution and other "adult entertainment"—were eliminated last year, and the officers were sent to other spots on the force. The only remaining narcotics and vice investigator in Sunnyvale became part of the county's narcotics task force.
Special Operations Capt. Byron Pipkin said the restored unit is at an effective operating level. Officers can now begin cleaning up some of the problems that rose in their absence and resume following community tips and leads on possible crimes.
"It's just like if you stopped mowing the lawn in your backyard for a year," Pipkin said. "When you get back, you have a lot of mowing to do."
The city council allotted almost $1.1 million to the department of public safety to restore one supervisor position and one officer position to the unit. In addition, the officer who was sent to the countywide task force has returned to Sunnyvale duty.
Pipkin said the loss of the unit led to a "measurable increase" in vice crimes. While he doesn't have a specific number or percentage increase, he said the department did notice an increase in advertisements in local newspapers for massage parlors and other similar services. He said that a high percentage of those advertisements are often covers for illegal activities.
"Sunnyvale doesn't have a lot of streetwalkers, but we do have a lot of 'massage' parlors that pop up," Pipkin said.
With only one active narcotics and vice officer in Sunnyvale, the department was also unable to follow up on community leads or complaints from residents.
"If a tip came in a year ago, it just sat there," Pipkin said. "Now, the officers have the time to follow it up and look into it."
Officers can also take part in long-term surveillance of suspected vice locations, something they were unable to do for a year.
Pipkin added that although the unit is now at operational levels again, an additional officer would help their efforts, as the city's narcotics and vice unit is still smaller than average for a city of Sunnyvale's size.
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