What started as a Secret Santa Operation in December of 2021 has grown into a year-long project aimed at spreading kindness around Oceanside. Oceanside Police Department’s Random Acts of Kindness Project, made possible by community donors, provides officers with resources to further their ability to serve with compassion. Each month throughout the year, a different giving effort has focused on making connections between officers and the community.
“It’s a cool experience to get out in the community and make people smile and serve in a different way,” Oceanside Police Officer Andy Gularte.
Every day throughout the holidays, officers will surprise unsuspecting community members with gifts. Police will grant random acts at local stores, at bus stops, and even during traffic stops. Families in need have been adopted by the department and will be surprised with
deliveries from their local officers. Officers encounter people daily that could use a helping hand or just a kind gesture to brighten
their day—often providing meals, clothing, or even transportation assistance.
“The more opportunities that we have to engage with people outside of crisis situations, I think, deepen relationships and deepen understanding,” Chief Fred Armijo
.
For more information about the Oceanside Police Department’s Random Acts of Kindness Project, please contact Oceanside Police Department Public Information Officer Jennifer
Atenza at (760) 277-5237 or email jatenza@oceansideca.org.
