Please join us in congratulating Fullerton PD’s newest officers!
This afternoon, Officers Erin Escalante and Trent Rodriquez proudly graduated from the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy, marking an exciting milestone in their law enforcement careers.
Following graduation, both officers were officially sworn in by Chief Radus, taking the next step in their journey of serving and protecting our community.
We are excited to welcome Officers Escalante and Rodriquez to the FPD family and wish them continued success as they begin their careers serving the Fullerton community with pride, respect, and dignity.
Congratulations, and welcome to the team!
Every school day, kids cross the street trusting drivers will do the right thing. Don’t be the one who lets them down. Always stop when the stop-arm is out. #NationalSchoolBusSafetyWeek
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is teaming up with The Fullerton Police Department to support National Teen Driver Safety Week, happening this week. It is important to discuss safe driving habits with teens every day, but Teen Driver Safety Week serves as an opportunity for parents and guardians to have a conversation with teens about safe driving habits. Teen drivers need to know the Rules of the Road before parents hand over the keys. Ultimately, it’s parents who are in control.
Traffic crashes are a leading cause of injury and death for 15-18-year-olds in the United States. In 2024, there were 85,947 teen drivers injured in traffic crashes. In 2024, there were 2,320 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver, and 752 were teen drivers themselves. Of the 2,320 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver, 478 were the passengers of a teen driver, and 280 (59%) of those fatalities were other teens riding with a teen driver. Of those teen passengers killed while riding with another teen driver, 61% were male and 39% were female.
“Parents play a critical role in teaching teen drivers safe driving habits,” said Lt. Tim Petropulos. “New teen drivers are gaining experience behind the wheel, which increases the chance of dangerous situations for the teen and other roadway users around them,” he said. “It’s critical for parents to model safe driving behaviors themselves and have discussions with their teens about the choices they make behind the wheel. NHTSA offers parents and guardians helpful tips and a framework for having discussions with teen drivers about risky driving behaviors that can lead to fatal consequences.”
It’s a parent’s responsibility to help teen drivers make smart choices to stay safe on the road. NHTSA gives parents and guardians tips on how to talk about safer driving. These tips include discussions on how to influence positive behaviors and how to approach dangerous driving behaviors such as alcohol and other drug use, lack of seat belt use, distracted driving, speeding, or driving with passengers. Surveys show that teens whose parents set firm rules for driving typically engaged in less risky driving behaviors and were involved in fewer crashes.
Teens need to understand the rules, whether there are any other restrictions outlined in California’s graduated driver licensing law, and the deadly consequences that could occur.
For more information about teen driver safety, https://t.co/jxLbclvKKw.
National School Bus Safety Week is October 19-23, 2026. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers to slow down around school buses and stop when the school bus stop-arms are out and the red lights are flashing. School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation. However, injuries and fatalities do occur outside of or near the buses. This is often caused by a motorist who has failed to slow down and obey the bus’s stop sign, or to follow local traffic laws, stopping is the law whether approaching from the front or rear of the school bus. Nationally, school bus passing is illegal, and it poses a deadly risk to bus riders, child pedestrians, and their caregivers. Drivers should always come to a complete stop when a school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing.
From 2015 to 2024, there were 1.5 times more fatalities among pedestrians (162) than occupants of school buses (119) in school-bus-related traffic crashes. A total of 204 school-age children (18 and younger) died in school-bus-related crashes during that period, either as occupants of school buses or other vehicles, or on foot or bike. Of those deaths, 77 were pedestrians. From 2000 to 2024, there were 63 fatalities in crashes that involved a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus, an average of 2.5 fatalities a year. Almost half of those fatalities (27) were pedestrians who were 18 years old or younger.
⚠️Respect the “Danger Zone”⚠️
The school bus loading and unloading area is called the “Danger Zone.” Specifically, this is any side of the bus where the bus driver can’t see the child and, therefore, the child is in the most danger while crossing the street. These areas include:
➡️10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver may be sitting too high to see a child
➡️10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spot
➡️Behind the school bus
This is why all lanes should stop for school buses, check your state law to find out more. For more information about school bus safety, please visit https://t.co/f4oXJ4sHbG. 🚌
Just under two weeks away…
🧟 Calling all ghosts 👻, goblins 🧌, witches 🧙, and ghouls 👹!
Bring the whole family to our annual Trunk-or-Treat on Friday, October 30th, from 5 PM to 8 PM! 🍬🎃
Dress up in your most fa-BOO-lous costume and join our community for an evening of trick-or-treating, sweet surprises, and family-friendly fun with the officers who help keep your neighborhoods safe. 🧛♂️
Gather your favorite little monsters, invite your neighbors, and get ready for a spooktacular night filled with candy, costumes, and community spirit! Just remember—the scariest thing you should encounter that night is an empty candy bucket. 👀🍫
👉 Enter the event from Commonwealth & Highland.
#TrunkOrTreat #WhereMyGhoulsAt #HocusPocus
🚓 We’re Hiring! 🚓
The Fullerton Police Department is now accepting applications for Lateral Police Officers and Police Officer Trainees.
Join our team and become a trusted partner in keeping Fullerton safe and thriving.
👉 Apply today: https://t.co/ScyCMa1wkQ
#FullertonPDProud #JoinOurTeam #ApplyToday #PreventProtectPursue
📺🚔 Did you miss Chief Radus on On Patrol: Live last weekend?
No worries, we’ve got you covered! Check out this clip of Chief Radus kicking off the weekend’s first OPL Triple Play! 🎬
#OnPatrolLive#OPLive#FullertonPD
🚨 A frightening scene unfolds at a Ralphs supermarket in Fullerton, California, when a woman allegedly attempts to start fires inside the store. Multiple officers rush to the scene, but the woman refuses to surrender. Police eventually use less-lethal force to bring the confrontation to an end and take her into custody. 🔥🚓
Watch #OPLive every Friday & Saturday at 9ET/6PT on #REELZ and streaming on REELZ+!
#OPNation — Chief Jon Radus from @FPDPIO will bring his SoCal insight and experience to the studio this Friday and Saturday night. Tune-in at 9pmET/6pmPT for a full weekend of live moments you won’t want to miss!
Watch LIVE on REELZ, or Stream LIVE with REELZ+ and Peacock.
👉 https://t.co/uzOrA2H2Et
🚔 This past Saturday marked Fullerton PD’s last night on On Patrol: Live as we are taking a break after almost five months of bringing you along for the ride.
Thank you to everyone who tuned in, cheered us on, and shared your support through phone calls, emails, and social media. We’ve loved connecting with viewers near and far! 💙
And you can still catch a little Fullerton On Patrol: Live this weekend, October 9th and 10th, when Chief Radus joins the @OfficialOPLive hosts in the studio! 📺
This isn’t goodbye—it’s “see you later.” We hope to be back!
Here are a few Fullerton PD stats and highlights for September 2026.
Did you know you have the ability to monitor crime in your neighborhood? Visit https://t.co/Htr2LjN5LN to learn more.
Fullerton PD is proud to partner with organizations like the ATF Orange County Violent Crime Task Force to keep our community and the communities around us safe!
🚨 Previously in Fullerton, CA officers investigate an individual for looking in vehicles as well as other suspicious behaviors. #OPLive#OPNation#REELZ
Tune-in to On Patrol: Live NOW on REELZ, REELZ+, Peacock, Prime Video, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV & Google Play.
👉https://t.co/uzOrA2H2Et
You brought the appetite—and the generosity! 🍽️💙
Thank you to everyone who joined the Fullerton Police Department earlier this week at Heroes Bar & Grill for our Tip-A-Cop fundraiser supporting Special Olympics Orange County!
Our officers teamed up with Special Olympics athletes to serve up good food and great company. Together, you helped raise more than $3,000 to support local athletes and opportunities to train, compete, and shine! 🎉
A big thank-you to our athlete partners and Heroes Bar & Grill for helping make the evening a success—and to everyone who dined, donated, and cheered us on. 🙌
See you next year for another helping of giving back!
💗 Small coin. Meaningful cause.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fullerton PD is going pink—and you can join us! 🎀 Our Pink Patch Project challenge coins are available for $10 each, while supplies last.
These coins are a way to show support for those facing breast cancer, honor survivors, and remember loved ones. Whether you’re a collector or simply want to support the cause, every purchase helps make a difference close to home.
Proceeds will be donated locally to the Kathryn T. McCarty Breast Center at Providence St. Jude.
Coins can be purchased through our Community Services Bureau during business hours. For purchase information, contact PSR Shahed Tabaza:
📞 714-738-3147
📧 [email protected]
Add a little pink to your collection and help us turn awareness into support for our community. 💗
☕🚔 Life’s Better Buzzed… especially when coffee and cops are involved.
Join us for National Coffee with a Cop Day on Wednesday, October 7th, from 9:00 AM–10:30 AM at Better Buzz Coffee, 1329 S. Harbor Blvd.
Come grab your favorite drink, say hello, ask a question, or just hang out with your Fullerton Police Officers for a bit.
No speeches. No agenda. No PowerPoint presentation. 😏
Just coffee, conversation, and a chance to connect.
And since it’s October, yes… pumpkin spice absolutely counts. 🎃☕
We’ll see you there!