FULLERTON : Police Department Selects Public Liaison

Sgt. Glenn Deveney has been named head of the Police Department’s Community Services Bureau, which sends officers to schools and community groups to speak about crime prevention, drug abuse and other subjects.

The bureau also schedules department tours and ride-alongs with officers.

“Anything you want to know about the Police Department, you can find it through this office,” said Deveney, a lifelong resident. “I’d like to be readily available to answer the questions that people might have.”

A 29-year veteran, Deveney has worked patrol, robbery and homicide investigations and other assignments.

Joining Deveney at the bureau is Officer Dave Knecht, 28. Part of Knecht’s job will be to edit police publications in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean.

To improve community relations, the department is trying to improve communication with Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese speakers, Deveney said. Korean residents have asked the department to hire an officer to work with their community. Officer Alma Buis currently works with Latino residents from a substation at the Valencia Community Center.

The department also maintains a network of people who speak 26 languages and who are available 24 hours a day to assist officers in the field in emergencies, Deveney said.