Contact Info:
HUBER HEIGHTS POLICE DEPT
6121 Taylorsville Road
Huber Heights, OH 45424
www.ci.huber-heights.oh.us

Lt. Gerry Gustin
phone 237-3577
fax 237-5860
gerald.gustin@ci.huber-heights.oh.us

Sgt. Chris Kash
phone 237-3583
fax 237-5860
Charles.Kash@ci.huber-heights.oh.us 

Officer Mark Bruns
phone 237-3607
TIP LINE: 237-3605
fax 237-5860
mark.bruns@ci.huber-heights.oh.us

Huber Heights Police Division
Public Affairs Unit

Summary of Functions

The Public Affairs Unit is managed by the administrative section of the police division, more specifically under the direction of Sergeant Gerry Gustin. The Public Affairs Officer is Officer Mark Bruns. This unit functions as the main link between the community and the police department.

In order to continue to convey the message of crime prevention, the unit is responsible for the following programs and functions:

• The Neighborhood Watch Program - helping neighbors work together, and with their police department, to reduce the crime in their community.
• The Stranger Danger Program - educating children how to recognize “dangerous strangers” and how to tell the warning signs of these dangers and how to react if confronted with them.
• The 3rd Grade Safety Belt and Airbag Education Program - working, through fun activities and videos, on reinforcing the importance of proper seatbelt usage AND educating children on how dangerous airbags can be for them as passengers.
• Operation Identification - registering bicycles with the police department in order to increase the possibility of returning their property if it gets stolen and recovered.
• B.A.T. Program - The “Beat Auto Theft” program is one in which vehicle owners register their cars with the police department and are given special reflective stickers to place on their cars. If a Huber Heights Police Officer sees this vehicle out during certain hours of the night the officer has permission to pull the vehicle over and make sure an authorized individual is operating the vehicle.
• Safety Patrol Awards Program - The Huber Heights Police Department works with the local VFW post, Old Country Buffet, Huber Heights WalMart, and The Wayne Boosters to host awards luncheons once a month for safety patrollers in the HH City Schools. The Safety Patrol Advisor of each school picks one of their patrollers to be the Safety Patrol Officer of the Month. This officer is taken to Old Country Buffet for lunch along with all the other schools' officers of the month. The Crime Prevention Officer is present, along with a local media representative. At the end of the year each school chooses an officer of the year and that child wins a new bicycle for their professional and dedicated efforts.
• Certified Child Passenger Seat Technicians - HHPD has two officers schooled as child passenger seat technicians to assist with Wright Fitting Stations in the Miami Valley . These fitting stations inspect child seats and educate parents on the proper installation and usage of them. The seats are also checked for factory recalls the parents may not be aware of.
• Residential and Commercial Property Inspections - The Crime Prevention Officer will inspect your home or business and give advice about how to “harden the targets” or make yourself less of a target for criminal activity. This includes ideas drawn from training in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) philosophies.
• Child Identification Kits - HHPD stocks a specially designed child identification kit that parents can complete on their time, at their home, where children feel safe and comfortable. This kit includes everything the parent needs to fingerprint their child and collect data necessary to have on hand when a child is missing. We found that waiting in a line for an hour at a mall or event made children, and parents, frustrated and the fingerprints lacked quality sometimes. Parents also did not have some information on hand at these events to properly fill out the forms. At home, parents have this information and can complete the kit with ease. Note: The kits are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the lobby of the police station.
• Knight Blaze - A police and fire rock and roll band. This band is multi-jurisdictional and the drummer of the band is a member of HHPD. This band focuses having fun through all types of rock music without the use of drugs, alcohol, or violence. The band plays at all schools free of charge (though donations are always accepted) and can play at most other functions for a small fee, to cover sound expenses.
• Mc Gruff the Crime Dog - Mc Gruff can make appearances and pass on the crime prevention message at your next event.
• Workplace Violence Programs
• Drug Awareness Programs
• COPS Program – A program for 5 th graders the focuses on responding to bullying in a non-violent way. This program also concentrates on teaching self-discipline, self-confidence and self-control.
• Huber Heights Police Explorer Post #57 – A virtual first step into a career as a law enforcement officer. Young persons between 15 and 20 volunteer their time and work with our officers and learn what it takes to be a police officer in today's society. The program has been successful at HHPD since 1979 and is administrated by HHPD Public Affairs Officer Mark Bruns.
• HHPD Crime Tip Line - The Crime Prevention Unit monitors HHPD's Crime Tip Line (237-3605) and forwards tips received to detectives, officers, or departments that should receive them.

HHPD Public Affairs Unit also has literature available on many different crime prevention topics. This literature is available through the Public Affairs Officer, or in the lobby of the police station at any time, day or night.

This unit is also responsible for the media relations / public information function for the Huber Heights Police Division and handles most of the media contacts on cases the police division is handling.