The City of Long Beach Recreation Department’s Annual Snowflake Race will be held on February 11, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. The Recreation Department is currently registering all runners for this 4-mile race. The fee is $20.00 for those who pre-register by February 10th at 5:00 p.m. and day of race registration is $25.00 which closes at 8:00 a.m. sharp.  All registrants will receive a long sleeve t-shirt. For more details, call 431-3890

The Snowflake Run is always a fun winter event in which the community can be more active in an otherwise very quiet and slow season.

This is an excellent opportunity for all officers, especially new and probationary officers to get some hours of experience in the slower winter season.       Despite the cold weather, the bike patrol will be on assignment.  Muster will be at 7:30 AM at Aux PD HQ.

LONG BEACH POLAR BEAR CLUB Super Bowl Sunday Splash is an annual event that started in 1998.  All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Since its inception, the Long Beach Polar Bears and their many supporters have been able to grant many wishes.

This year the event will be held on Super Bowl Sunday February 5, 2012 and will officially take place at Riverside Boulevard at 1:00 PM.  Participants are asked to arrive by 12:30 PM.

To say that the growth and notoriety of the Long Beach Polar Bears has been amazing is definitely understated.  In 2001 they were able to raise $12,000 and grant two wishes.  This doubled the next year and has continued to grow exponentially since.  In 2008, with an incredibly huge turnout, the Long Beach Polar Bears raised $270,000 and granted 35 wishes.  In 2009 The Long Beach Polar Bears broke a Guinness World Record.  Officials from Guinness were on hand to asses the number of folks that turned out for this important event.

To learn more about the Polar Bears, to register for future Super Bowl Splashes, to buy apparel or to make a direct donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation, visit:   http://www.longbeachpolarbears.org/

Not only do many participants show up, but many many onlookers and cheering supporters show up as well.  It is amazing to see many thousands of people convening on the beach on a winter morning.

This is always a major event for the Long Beach Auxiliary Police.  Given the many thousands of people that show up, we are counted upon to provide necessary traffic and pedestrian control and well as directing vehicle parking. There will be many pedestrians and vehicles on the road.  Traffic is expected to jam quickly as thousands of participants and supporters head to Broadway and Riverside Boulevard.  After the event, the traffic conditions will continued, but in reverse as participants and onlooker leave the beach and boardwalk.

This is an ALL HANDS event.  Given the relatively slow season for special event training, uniformed and especially probationary officers are always urged to get and maintain necessary training by participating in the somewhat rare winter season events.  Muster will be at 10:30 Am at Auxiliary PD HQ.

The “March for a King” will begin at 10:30AM at Laurelton Boulevard and Park Avenue and headed East on Park Avenue to Riverside Boulevard and then North to the MLK Center at 615 Riverside Boulevard where a celebration honoring Dr. King will follow.

For details about this and other MLK sponsored events and programs, contact the MLK Center at 516-889-6300 or go to www.lbmlk.org

Due to traffic control needs, the Auxiliary Police are asked to assist with this event.  The LBAPD provides both traffic and pedestrian control to assure that the March will be safely conducted.

If officers are available, please sign up on the Duty board. Muster is at LBPD HQ at 10:30 AM

The 1 mile race will start at 8:30 AM and the adult race will follow.

Given the size of Long Beach relative to the 10K distance that is covered, a lot of intersections including Park Avenue, Beech Street and Broadway require traffic control to protect the runners. In total, almost fifty intersections are crossed by the runners. The race tends to spread out quite a bit and we rely on a lot of resources to handle the posts. Given the distance and the expanse of the runners, this event is an ALL HANDS event and every uniformed and probationary officer is urged to participate.

Muster at Regular Headquarters at 8:00 AM

It will feature entertainment, food, rides, craft vendors, and so much more. There will be fun and interests for the entire family.

In addition to the pumpkin patch, the kids can enjoy their own costume parade, puppet shows, crafts, a petting zoo, haunted house and a real carousel. Hay wagon and fire engine rides will also beavailable at a minimal cost.

Adults will enjoy eating Autumn treats in the Wine and Food Hut. There will be a live musical acts.

On Saturday a children’s Halloween Costume Parade will begin at 12:00 noon at the Recreation. Center Field.

Long Beach Auxiliary Police will be operating a booth offering hot dogs and beverages. It will be operated through the volunteer efforts of members of the unit, family and friends. The booth serves as an important fundraiser for the Auxiliary Police and provides yet another great opportunity to interact with each other and the community while promoting awareness of the department’s functions. Please mote your availability on the duty board at HQ!

The entire length of Beech Street in the trendy West End from New York Boulevard to Connecticut Boulevard will be closed for the festival.

The Auxiliary Police will play an important role in assisting the Police Department throughout the day providing traffic control for the Parade, foot and bicycle patrols during the event and assisting with the closing of the event.

LBAPD participants should muster at Long Beach Police Headquarters at 11:00 AM. This is a two-phase event with required coverage for the parade and later for the festival closing. Any uniformed or probationary officer that is available for either or both assignments should notify their Sergeant immediately.

The City of Long Beach Police Department enforces a Zero Tolerance Alcohol Policy on Irish Day. No open containers of alcohol are allowed in the public and must be consumed at the establishments licensed to sell them or on the private property of drinking-aged adults.

A reminder that effective October 1 uniforms will include the long sleeve shirt.

(The Irish Day event will take place the same day!)

Anyone in short sleeves will be considered, “out of uniform”.

If anyone requires a Long Sleeve shirt, they must immediately inform their Sergeant.

In addition:

When out of the car and on duty the uniform cap must be worn.

On any traffic assignment an OSHA approved vest MUST be worn at all times!

One of the BIGGEST events to ever come to Long Beach!

The Quiksilver Pro New York is the first-ever ASP World Championship Tour stop on the East Coast of the United States.  See the world’s best surfers competing for the biggest prize purse in surfing history — $1 million dollars.

For mor details head to:  http://quiksilverpro.com

Post Hurricane Irene Update from the City of Long Beach:
August 30, 2011 - Quiksilver is working closely with the City of Long Beach to preserve the heart of the professional surf contest scheduled to start on Sunday, September 4 in light of the impact of Hurricane Irene and concerns for the Long Beach community, which suffered significant damage from the storm.

The Quiksilver Pro is scheduled to start its 11-day “holding period” on Monday, September 5. The Quiksilver Pro Trials presented by Unsound Surf will run on Sunday, September 4.

The situation has been changing daily, and we recognize that City resources are focused on hurricane restoration and clean up as first priority. In that context, the festival and music components of the event are no longer achievable.

The Quiksilver Pro NY is first and foremost about the surf contest and Long Beach has an incredible surfing tradition and spirit. We are committed to holding the ASP tour event at Long Beach so that together we can promote the sport by bringing together the best surfers in the world to this terrific community.

Long Beach Auxilairy Police has been an active partner in the planning of this event and will be an active partner in assisting the City of Long Beach in assuring the safety of our neighbors and visitors. A detailed duty-roster has been posted at Long Beach Headquarters. If available, please sign up!

For details and registration:

http://www.active.com/running/long-beach-ny/22nd-annual-robert-c-mcavoy-labor-day-five-miler-2011?int=29-6

A race in a small geographical area such as Long Beach means that many intersections will be crossed by the runners- sometimes involving easily more than sixty times- including major thoroughfares such as Park Avenue, Beech Street and Broadway. The Labor Day race is one of our “all hands needed” events. The LBAPD Bicycle Patrol plays an important role both leading the runners and sprinting around the City to locate the various tail runners that break away from the pack.

If you are available, please put your name on the roster at Auxiliary Police Headquarters.

All residents must vacate Long Beach no later than 5PM on Saturday, August 27.

Now is the time to find an alternative location with family or friends north of Sunrise Highway or to get to one of the shelters designated by the county*.

Please note that the City’s bus transit system will be closed the entire weekend – except for buses taking people to shelter at Nassau Community College.

Long Beach Buses will pick up residents at three staging locations beginning at 7:30AM on Saturday and ending at 3PM on Saturday. Those three locations are East School, West School and City Hall. Buses should take an hour each way to the college. Once the hurricane has ended, shelter staff will advise you about buses returning home.

Be sure to bring necessary items to the shelter, ie medication, ID’s, blankets, etc.

A special “pet” bus will be available at 7:30AM ONLY at City Hall to take residents with pets to Mitchell Park Field House in Uniondale.

The MTA WILL SHUT DOWN LIRR service at 12 Noon on Saturday. (MTA bus and subway services will also shut down at the same time.)

You may take a train to Valley Stream on Saturday morning through 12 noon to get a bus at Valley Stream to a shelter.

Our Recreation Center and Ocean Beach Park will be closed, with swimming prohibited and no lifeguards on duty all weekend. The City’s Sanitation Department will have no pickups this weekend.

The City will continue to communicate to residents via the Swift911 emergency phone call system and will continue putting information on our website. Residents may also receive updates by calling 431-1000 x 1.

*For shelter locations log onto www.nassaucountyny.gov or call their hotline number at 1-888-684-4274