National Police Week
The Brea Police Department celebrated National Police Week May 12 through May 18. During National Police Week, the Brea Police Department recognized law enforcement officers and remembered those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Brea Police Department was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from the community throughout National Police Week. The Police Department received recognition from the Brea Olinda School District, local retail stores, and restaurants.
On May 15, the Brea Police Department held a Peace Officers Memorial Day ceremony to honor our fallen heroes, Detective Danny Valenzuela, Detective Terry Fincher, and all peace officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The Brea Police Department looks forward to continuing to build positive relationships within the community.
The Curtis Theatre Wins
The Orange County Theatre Guild held their annual awards ceremony to recognize excellence in theatre in the Greater Orange County area. Each production is evaluated by a panel from other guild member organizations as well as independent theatre aficionados. The Curtis Theatre submitted two eligible shows – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, produced in association with Southgate Productions, and The Revolutionists, produced in association with Begins & Ends with ‘A’ Productions. The two productions garnered an impressive 16 nominations in 20 categories. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder won a record of seven awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, Outstanding Music Direction, Outstanding Prop Design, two Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, and a special recognition award for Outstanding Wig Design, the most awards won for an individual show. Congratulations Curtis Theatre! We're looking forward to the new season.
Brea Business Spotlight
The City of Brea would like to highlight recent additions to the business community.
CAVA
Enjoy a delicious, nutrient-packed meal at CAVA, now open in the Brea Gateway Plaza. Guests can choose from a series of vibrant salads, hearty grains, and proteins to create a personalized Mediterranean-inspired meal. CAVA’s renowned commitment to use clean, fresh ingredients fosters a connection with the community through health, wellness, and ethical practices.
The Phoenix Club
The Phoenix Club, a German-inspired establishment, has relocated to the Brea Central Plaza. The Phoenix Club prides itself in highlighting and preserving German culture and traditions, through cuisine, social events, and language courses. Guests can experience a traditional, German meal, such as a kassler rippchen - a smoked pork loin dish with mashed potatoes or guests can savor a German draft beer.
Arbor Day
The Public Works Department held their annual Arbor Day event at the Brea Civic & Cultural Center. With the help of Community Services Supervisor, Mary Kathryn Mendoza, who coordinated a group of students from the Brea Community Center’s After School Program to help plant a 24-inch box Golden Rain tree outside the Civic & Cultural Center parking lot along Randolph Avenue. Public Works staff taught the students the proper way to plant trees, fun tree facts, and the importance of trees to the environment. All of the children had the opportunity to help plant the tree and were given Arbor Day memorabilia. This annual event helps maintain the City of Brea’s qualification as a “Tree City USA” member through the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Health & Wellness Expo
Brea Fitness hosted the annual City of Brea Health & Wellness Expo at the Brea Community Center. The event featured 60 exhibitors offering expertise in various wellness areas. Attendees had the opportunity to listen to talks by field experts on topics such as, food and lifestyle, meditation, yoga therapy, and stress management. Participants also had a chance to win raffle prizes donated by exhibitors. Group exercises classes were offered for attendees to join in which included BODYPUMP™, Cycling, TRX: Tone & Flow, and specialized sessions for Parkinson’s Disease, led by St. Jude Wellness Center.
With this free event, Brea Fitness encourages the community to engage with local health resources and offers exclusive deals to support their fitness journeys. This event highlighted the City of Brea's commitment to promote the importance of health and wellness in everyday life.
CAPIO Presentation
The City of Brea’s Communications and Marketing Division attended the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Conference in Indian Wells. The conference offered an opportunity for individuals in the communications field, who work in local government in California, to gather and learn from one another. Our Communications and Marketing team was selected to speak during a breakout session to promote the City’s podcast, Brea Talks, and KBREA, our internal “radio station” that promotes employee communication.
The communications team strategically created a session to simplify external and internal communications for local government organizations. Staff provided tips, tools, and advice for developing their own podcast and pursue internal communication. The Communications and Marketing team is always thinking of innovative ways to promote the City of Brea, so they created a leave behind sticker packet for attendees to remember their session. Each individual left the session with Brea Talks stickers along with the Marketing teams contact information. The City of Brea is very fortunate to have a marketing division within the organization to successfully promote our efforts and information to the community.
APWA Training
The American Public Works Association’s (APWA) - Public Works Institute hosted a Four-Module Program designed to address the supervisory and management needs of current first-line supervisors and individuals aspiring to be better leaders. Five Public Works Department staff attended the Module One Program to learn and discuss a variety of topics which included team development, laws impacting Public Works, customer service, emergency management, facilities/transportation, and to connect with individuals from other California cities. The City of Brea encourages all City staff to participate in trainings that will help refresh and update the knowledge of our employees.
Integrated Crime Center (ICC)
The Brea Police Department has made significant progress in the implementation of their Integrated Crime Center (ICC). This initiative represents a major step toward our commitment to enhance public safety through data-driven policing strategies.
The department has established a collaborative partnership with Motorola Solutions to develop a comprehensive roll-out plan for the ICC's infrastructure. This ensures a smooth and efficient implementation process. The Brea Police Department has successfully created a Drone Pilot Team of approximately ten certified pilots. These team members have undergone training and obtained their FAA certifications, making them fully operational to support aerial operations as part of the ICC.
The Brea Police Department remains committed to the successful implementation of the ICC. They are currently hiring a dedicated Crime Analyst and IT Specialist II. To apply for either position, please visit click on the button below.
2024 Love Brea Recap
The community came together to Love Brea by completing 18 projects during National Volunteer week. Over 350 volunteers participated in this annual day of service to make this day possible. This volunteering event was able to secure 13 sponsors who donated over approximately $9,000. The day ended with three of our local churches providing lunch to all of the volunteers. This event is organized annually by City staff from multiple departments and Southlands Church. Love Brea is part of the county-wide Love Our Cities campaign.
We would like to thank our sponsors for making this event a success: Cynthia Byrd, Danae McDaniel, Rotary, Brea Historical Society, West Coast Arborist, Motorola Solutions, Mandy Wallace, Michael Newcomb, Brea OC Plumbing, The Cause, Sully-Miller, Ubisec Systems, and Regency Centers.
Shelter Supervisor Training
Earlier this month, the American Red Cross of Orange County hosted a training for shelter supervision. During the four-hour training, Brea staff participated in a series of lectures, role playing, and discussion of various topics of shelter management from opening to closing a shelter site. The Brea Community Center and Brea Senior Center both serve as shelter and safe areas for our community during emergencies. It is imperative that staff stay up to date with the newest training techniques for emergencies such as fires, hot weather, and earthquakes that can strike at any time.
In the completion of the training, City staff were awarded certificates for their participation. The American Red Cross is looking for additional training opportunities over the summer so all Community Services staff members can attend. In addition, a group from American Red Cross will be visiting locations in Brea to better understand what we are able to offer during times of need. As we learned during the freeway complex fires, having a shelter or safe haven for community members was beneficial over the three days of the incident. Staff will be ready and well equipped when duty calls.