Placentia Police Trading Cards Come in Spanish

Hoping to reach more young people, the Police Department has introduced its second series of police trading cards in both English and Spanish.

The 20-card collection features photographs of police officers, civilian employees and support services on the front, with a brief description of their jobs on the back. Each card also includes a safety tip for children.

According to public information officer Corrine Loomis, the cards dovetail with the department’s efforts toward community-oriented policing.

“We want to make officers more accessible,” Loomis said. “The cards put names to the faces and give kids an idea of what our jobs are.”

Loomis said a previous 16-card collection was very popular but was printed only in English. The new series has all-new cards, with 100,000 printed in English and 20,000 in Spanish.

While most of the cards depict smiling police officers in a non-threatening setting, one shows the department’s Contingency Action Team with guns and rifles drawn as they simulate busting into a warehouse. One officer wears a stocking-cap over his face, which Loomis said was necessary because he is an undercover officer.

Beginning Feb. 21, the city’s two DARE officers as well as patrol officers and those on a foot beat will carry the cards to distribute to children. The cards also will be available at police headquarters at City Hall.

Each week for the next 20 weeks, a different card will be distributed. Children who collect a complete set can enter an essay contest on what the cards mean to them.