Police Association Launches Trading Card Program

The South Gate Police Officer's Association has launched the South Gate Police Department (SGPD) Trading Card Program.

This program will allow residents to collect baseball like cards that feature SGPD officers with a photo and their career biography.

“Officers will distribute cards to the public at community events or during the course of their daily contacts,” said a citywide press release announcing the program.

Residents that take part in the program are tasked with gathering the most cards of different officers within a designated 4-month period of time.

“After the 4 month ‘collection period,’ the community will be invited to the police station to present their collected cards,” said the citywide press release.

The association will pick 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners at the end each fourth month through for one year.

The prizes have yet to be decided upon, but could be gift cards to local businesses, according to Ismael Ververa, an SGPD officer and canine handler, who is in charge of the program.

Money for the program has come from donations of residents and local businesses. The program is also being sponsored by Primestor Development and Mcdonalds of South Gate.

The trading program was created to better the outreach of the SGPD within South Gate. Police officers hope that participating residents will not only get to know their own police department, but will also have more positive interactions with officers.

The desire for greater transparency is also another reason behind this project.

“The southeast has been hit with a lot of political turmoil,” said Ververa. “People want transparency and one outcome of this is that they get to know their policemen.”

Interested residents should visit www.southgatepd.org for the latest information on these trading cards. Participants in the contest may only compete once during any of the several four month periods of time to win a prize. Residents affiliated with city government may not participate. 

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