A police resource center has opened at The Oaks mall, on the lower level outside the Macy's women's store.

The Oaks mall resource center is the third in the city—resource centers have already been established at the Civic Arts Plaza and the Newbury Park Branch Library.

Each police resource center has a senior deputy assigned to it, supported by Volunteers in Policing.

The Police Charities Foundation provided funding and The Oaks mall the nearly 1,000square-foot storefront for the center that opened yesterday.

"We already had a relationship with the Volunteers in Police, who have been helping in our customer service kiosk for a number of years," said Julia Ladd, senior property manager for The Oaks.

The police resource center will provide a place where residents can come for fingerprinting services for their children or for themselves for employment purposes.

Property engravers can be checked out so residents can mark their valuables with their driver's license number in case of theft. Information on other services, such as vacation checks on homes, will also be available at the center.

Special events such as child seat safety checks, home security presentations and seasonal crime prevention information will be offered each month.

In the future the center may provide passport services, police spokesperson Barb D'Anjou said.

Items might be sold to raise money for the police department's K-9 units.

The center also plans to have children's programs in what will be called the Kids' Club. Dangerous strangers and safety tips will be among the topics.

"This is a golden opportunity to reach more residents," D'Anjou said.

The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

"We're thrilled to partner with the Thousand Oaks Police Department," Ladd said.