Faith and Blue community event set for Oct. 9 in Rancho Bernardo

by Julie Gallant

A Faith and Blue Community Resource Faire will feature first responders and religious groups sharing information and connecting with the community.

The fourth annual event is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 15750 Bernardo Heights Parkway in Rancho Bernardo.

Representatives of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Poway Station and Poway Fire Department along with the Poway Interfaith Team (POINT) will interact with children, adults and families.

Featured from 6 to 6:45 p.m. will be a fire engine, ASTREA helicopter, a mounted patrol horse and K-9 patrol dogs. From 7 to 8 p.m. a welcome session will be held to introduce Poway Sheriff’s Capt. Claudia Delgado, Poway Fire Chief Brian Mitchell, deputies and firefighters. After the program, the resource fair will be held with refreshments.

A Sheriff's representative with the agency's Mounted Patrol introduces their horse and describes their services to Faith and Blue visitors last year. (Courtesy Abigail Albert) — Courtesy Abigail Albert
A Sheriff’s representative with the agency’s Mounted Patrol introduces their horse and describes their services to Faith and Blue visitors last year. (Courtesy Abigail Albert)

Faith and Blue is an initiative that brings law enforcement and faith-based groups together to better protect communities in San Diego County, said the Rev. Abigail Albert, executive director of the Poway Interfaith Team.

POINT is a nonprofit founded in 2008 to bring together followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship, to increase community awareness and understanding of different faiths and to stand with all faiths for human rights and justice, officials said.

This is the fourth year POINT has collaborated with the Sheriff’s Poway Office on this event. The first year, the event was held at the Sikh Foundation in Poway and every year since it has been at the Latter Day Saints church.

Faith communities appreciate all the services the Sheriff’s and Fire Department provide, Albert said.

“Faith or no faith we all can appreciate how both keep us safe, secure and rescue us when in need,” she said.

Also participating in Faith and Blue are POINT members and churches, centers, synagogues of various faiths, including Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist temples and mosques. All are invited to attend and bring flyers of their events to place on the interfaith resource tables.

Courtesy Abigail Albert
Resource tables set up at a 2023 Faith and Blue event included this table hosted by a crime lab representative. (Courtesy Abigail Albert)

Meet and Greet Resource Tables will feature:

Jayden Hebreo, crime prevention specialist from the San Diego County Sheriff’s OfficeCrisis Negotiation TeamCommunication CenterRecruitingExplorers program for young adults ages 16 to 20 to experience law enforcementK-9 deputySenior Volunteer Patrol – You Are Not Alone ProgramSheriff’s Crime LabSheriff’s Special Enforcement DetailSheriff’s Bomb/Arson UnitYOUTH Resource Table and activitiesSheriff’s ASTREA will visit and provide a short presentationPoway CERT – Community Emergency Response TeamPNEC – Poway Neighborhood Emergency CorpsPoway Patrol DeputiesFire Preparedness – Jenna Stein, Fire Department emergency managerPoway FirefightersAdditional activities include games for children and a Passport game with swag bags and refreshments.

For more information, contact Poway Crime Prevention Specialist Jayden Hebreo at Jayden.Hebreo@sdsheriff.gov or 858-276-8785.