Tulsa Police Choose Furloughs Over Layoffs
July 9, 2009
The union approved their contract with the city, meaning officers will have to take eight days off without pay. The alternative would have left 48 officers without a job so the department could stay on budget.
Fraternal Order of Police members approved the contract, but not without a warning for Tulsans. Some officers say either way the vote went tonight, there would be fewer officers on the street, and citizens will pay the price.
Officers began voting Tuesday at precincts across the city, forced to choose between what they say are the lesser of two evils.
“We felt we were met with ultimatums: come up with money or we’re laying off officers, and that scared a lot of people. I’m not going to lie to you, that scared a lot of people,” said Sgt. Shane Tuell of the Tulsa Police Department.
Diminishing sales tax revenue means tough times for every city department, including police. The city needed to cut $1.7 million from the TPD’s budget – either through furloughs or layoffs.
Officers who voted to approve the contract agreed to eight furlough days over the next year. That is roughly equivalent to a 3% pay cut.
But voting no would have meant firing as many as 50 officers.
In a statement released this evening, FOP Lodge 93 President Phil Evans said the citizens of Tulsa are the real winners because the City will retain the officers.
“The citizens will maintain 48 Tulsa police officers which means the same officers are on the streets. The bad news is there are over 52,000 total hours in which the citizens are losing some type of protection,” said Evans.
Related Story 7/8/2009: Police Fear Contract Will Cost Citizen Safety
The contract will remain in effect until June, 2010.
Very cool, although it’s a shame Springsteen never wrote back to him….
———
There’s a piece of Syracuse in the new Bruce Springsteen exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
In 1987, New York State Trooper Robert J. Burns sent the rock star his trooper’s hat and a heartfelt letter of appreciation. Both have made it into “From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen.”
Burns was on disability from the state police at the time, living in Bridgeport.
“Bottom line is, it happened,” Burns says of the gift by telephone in Virginia, where he’s vacationing with his wife, Shawn.
Burns, 60, retired from the state police in 1988 and moved to Melbourne Beach, Fla., where they live today.
Back then, he recalls, Springsteen’s music — live and on record — helped him get through a hard time. He says he was on disability for “multiple accidents.”
“At that point in my life, his music helped pick my spirits up,” Burns says. “It was his ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ period. … We went to his show (in the Carrier Dome). We were paid participants. (Sending Springsteen the hat and letter) seemed to be the right thing to do. … I was out in pain and listening to his music.”
Burns says he still listens to Springsteen’s music.
“The old stuff. I enjoy his music. That’s all,” he says.
Burns says he doesn’t recall how he worded the letter of appreciation.
Springsteen representatives said the musician wasn’t available to comment about items displayed in the exhibit. The display in Cleveland says Springsteen received the letter and hat for his 38th birthday.
Burns says he was surprised to learn when he listened to a message from a reporter left on his home number that his old hat and letter are on display in Cleveland through spring 2010.
“Myself and my wife were talking about that. Now we have to see if we can get up to Cleveland,” Burns says.
Even 21 years retired from police work, Burns sounds like a trooper, a tad miffed that his gift has seen the public light.
“I think in essence that was misappropriated state property,” he says of the gift of his hat to Springsteen.
But … “As far as I know, the statute of limitations is up,” Burns says. “And I (bought a new hat and) turned in a complete uniform when I retired.”
Editor’s note: This is the text of Robert J. Burns’ letter to Bruce Springsteen that appears on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland. Burns also included his home and work addresses at the time as well as two phone numbers. Also, the letter is cut off when he mentions his own birthdate.
Unfortunately, Burns never heard back from the Boss.
9/17/87
Mr. Springsteen,
I hope that you will accept this Stetson as a token of my appreciation of your talent as a songwriter and singer. I attended your concert at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse NY and it has been one of the highlights of my life.
At the present time, I am in my eighteenth year as a New York State Trooper and a veteran of the U.S.N. serving from ‘66 through ‘69 as well as a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 103, Syracuse, NY.
Through the years I have collected every one of your albums and listening to them has helped me through many a troubled time. There is no way that I can ever repay you for, from my viewpoint, much of the sanity that I have left is because of you and your ability of putting into words and song some of my very thoughts that I was unable to express myself.
The enclosed Stetson is one (of) the most coveted pieces of uniform of the N.Y.S.P. and I (hope) that it is somewhere close to your size. Should you desire another size please contact me and I will do my best to appropriate another.
It is my sincerest desire that this letter find you in good health and that your life be long and trouble free.
Again, I wish to thank you for your gift of sanity through your works to me and also your unselfishness as to benefits for the Vietnam Vets and your contributions to the food banks. I am presently on disability and awaiting a determination on retirement due to injuries sustained in the line of duty here. There have been countless numbers of times where depression sets in that I can turn to your songs to help be back up. I am currently anxiously awaiting the release of your new album and hope it achieves the same success as Born in the U.S.A.
If there is anyway that I can do anything for you, please feel free to call, write or whatever.
Your devoted admirer,
Robert J. Burns
Bridgeport, NY
PS: Hoped this arrived in time for your birthday. Happy #38.
(It’s easy for me to remember since I was born in Dec. of … )
Editor’s note: Springsteen wrote a song titled “State Trooper.” It was on his 1982 album “Nebraska.”
Just in time for the increase in traffic on the Kenai Peninsula that comes with the Fourth of July holiday, a new Bureau of Highway Patrol unit opened in Soldotna.
As part of a new bureau within Alaska State Troopers, the highway patrol, which opened July 1, will primarily focus on highway enforcement, said Eugene Fowler, highway patrol sergeant.
“The idea is to create a separate unit with a main focus of highway enforcement,” Fowler said.
In Alaska, troopers handle every service call that occurs outside of city limits. Anything from a broken window to an assault, troopers respond to. Because troopers cover such a wide range of calls in a massive jurisdiction, highway enforcement hasn’t been a top priority, Fowler said.
The new bureau is hoping to change that.
“(Traffic complaints) are now going to be tasked to the bureau, and that frees up other units,” Fowler said. “The idea is to try and cover as much road as possible. Hopefully, we’ll make a positive impact by doing this.”
The bureau was created in December of last year with the opening of two units, one in Palmer and the other in Fairbanks.
“This is a brand new concept,” Fowler said.
The goal from the beginning of the program was to have three units throughout the state.
Fowler said Soldotna, Palmer and Fairbanks are three cities with large a concentration of people on the road systems, making them ideal locations for the new highway patrol units. Those cities also act as trooper training posts.
The bureau will look for aggressive drivers, speeders and impaired drivers to reduce the number of serious injuries. The Soldotna team will cover the entire Kenai Peninsula.
“(We’ll be) everywhere we can be,” Fowler said.
Turnagain Arm and the stretch of road from Mackey Lake to the Sterling weigh station are two notorious areas for highway crashes and fatalities, which the highway patrol will be focusing on.
“We’re trying to flag these areas,” Fowler said.
Fines and number of points on a driver’s license are doubled in the Sterling area where marked.
The officers on duty will fit their schedule around peak hours of traffic and/or violations. Fowler said this is based on the statistics over the last decade to see where and when their services is needed on the peninsula.
“We’re trying to address any issues out there to keep Alaska safe,” he said. “That’s our mission as troopers.”
So far, the Soldotna unit has Sgt. Fowler and one other officer. Within the next three to six months, Fowler said the bureau should be expanding to include two more officers.
The bureau will be working with the other units throughout the state for large events, such as Seward’s Fourth of July celebration and the state fair.
“This is a real statewide team concept,” Fowler said.
Safety is the bureau’s main concern.
“We’re trying to slow people down and make them aware of their driving,” Fowler said. “We’re trying to make a positive influence on the community and keep the community safer.”
Police officers get refresher on river rescuing
July 8, 2009
It’s been a deadly start to the summer season for Idaho’s waterways and to help make sure Boise River floaters stay as safe as possible police officers worked Tuesday afternoon tuning-up their rescue technique.
“We’re out here today trying to do some familiarization with all our boats, training new officers on the river,” said Joe McCarthy, an officer and river instructor with Boise Police. 
Every summer Boise Police have a contingent of officers who patrol on the river.
On Tuesday those officers got a refresher course on basic rescue methods.
“If somebody is in a situation where they need immediate attention and the fire department is not there fast enough it may be something where we have to go after them, try and rescue them ourselves,” said McCarthy.
The goal for officers on the river is education. They want to limit rescue scenes like the one from June, where three teenage girls got stuck along the side of the river, popping their raft.
“We’re seeing people float by on the river right now and people don’t have life jacket in the boat,” McCarthy said.
It may seem like common sense things the officers are stressing to floaters.
“I think you need to be safe, and be smart about it, and just have fun,” said Wilcke.
But officers say too often that common sense isn’t used and that’s where they hope their work can help keep floating fun for everyone.
On average Boise Police say they respond between five to six rescues along the river a year.
Officers will begin patrolling on the river following their training Tuesday.
Red Willow County signs agreement for new dog
July 8, 2009
Red Willow County commissioners signed an agreement Monday morning to purchase a dog from an Alabama kennel, a German shepherd or Belgian Malinois to be trained as a K-9 officer for the Red Willow County sheriff’s department.
Sheriff Gene Mahon told commissioners during their weekly meeting that a K-9 committee has raised about $9,200 in donations, $6,000 of which will be used to buy the dog. Training for the dog and sheriff’s deputy Sgt. Joe Koetter will cost about $1,400.
The dog will be shipped from Kasseburg Canine Training Center in New Market, Ala., probably in September, Mahon said. Training in tracking and drug detection for the dog and Koetter will start in October at the Nebraska State Patrol Training Center in Grand Island.
The new dog will be the county’s second K-9 officer. Styker, a German shepherd, served the county from summer 1997 until his retirement in 2006. He died March 23, 2007, after veterinarian Dr. Wayne Watkins diagnosed a cancerous growth on his back.
The sheriff’s department will continue to accept donations that will help pay for dog food, regular veterinary care, training/recertification and liability insurance. Tax-deductible donations can be made out to the “Nebraska Community Foundation,” the non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides Nebraskans and former Nebraskans a way to donate to the state or its communities.
The note on a check must indicate that the donation is for the “Red Willow County Canine Unit,” Sheriff Mahon said. Donations are to be mailed to the sheriff’s office, at 502 Norris Ave., McCook, Ne 69001.
Injured K9 to retire, get treatments
July 8, 2009
After six years on the force, a K-9 officer is hanging up his collar due to medical problems.
Ferda, a 7-year-old Dutch Shepherd, was partnered with Seguin Police Patrolman and K-9 handler Jaime Diaz for less than three months.
Diaz said it didn’t take long to realize his new partner was not moving quite as fast as he should have.
“It was right away when I started noticing that,” he said. “The more we waited it just got worse. So I took him to the vet. After pills and injects, nothing was working.”
After trips to two local veterinarians, test and x-rays, Ferda’s diagnosis was the same — inconclusive, Diaz said.
“They are not sure unless they do an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging),” Diaz said. “But the X-rays did show he has bone fragments in the joints in his knees.”
Seguin Police Chief Kevin Kelso said the four-legged officer has been undergoing treatment for the last two months due to his condition.
“It’s obvious that he can’t work in the condition that he is in now,” he said. “His leg does not work like it should and it makes it difficult for him to jump in and out of the cars.”
Being that the Ferda is no longer a young pup still does not make the decision to retire him any easier, Kelso said.
“We are kind of torn because he is one of our partners and we don’t want to get rid of the dog,” he said. “But in a business sense it is going to cost us $1,200 to $1,500 just for an MRI and that doesn’t take into account what surgery has to be done after that. Then there is no guarantee that after the surgery is done that he can actually work in full capacity as a patrol K-9 or how long it might take.”
Diaz said it is going to be hard say goodbye to his newly acquired partner.
“I am sad, I was starting to get attached to him,” he said. “He is an awesome dog. He follows me everywhere I go and he never leaves my side.”
On Tuesday, City Council approved the chief’s request to allow the dog to be adopted — giving Ferda the chance to go to a good home and get the medical attention he requires, Kelso said.
“Dr. (Scott) Bugai has offered to take Ferda and to do whatever corrective measures that need to be take to fix the dog up and make his upcoming years as comfortable as possible,” Kelso said.
As part of the police force, Ferda’s job description consisted of tracking, searching for narcotics and patrol along with keeping his partner protected, Kelso said, adding that it will take a lot to get a suitable replacement.
“It is upwards of about $7,000 to get a fully trained dual purpose narcotics dog,” he said. “We want a dog that will do patrol work, crowd control, building searches, as well as narcotics detection.”
The Seguin Police Department has three other K-9 officers, one who has the same narcotics detection certification as Ferda, Kelso said adding that having more units will help the department’s war against drugs.
“Narcotics are a big problem in and around our county and within our state,” he said. “All of the tools that we can have to further enhance our abilities to locate and identify those transporting illegal narcotics, the better off we are here.”
Donations from individuals, civic organizations or businesses are welcome to help cover the cost of a new K-9 patrol officer.
For more information call 830-401-2340.
Opelika police canine officer retires
July 8, 2009
When you read, “designate surplus personal property and authorize disposal” on the Opelika City Council agenda, a dog is not the first thing that pops to mind.
But that’s exactly what it was on Tuesday night when the council voted to release Wissel, a 8-year veteran police dog, to his handler, officer Craig Vickers.
Opeilka canine officer Craig Vickers poses with 10-year-old Wissel Tuesday, July 6, at the Opelika Police Department.
“He’s going to get to go home and he’s going to be spoiled out of his mind. It’s his retirement,” Vickers said. “He’s as close to me as my kids are. He’s definitely part of my family.”
Wissel, a Belgian Malinois, is retiring due to age and arthritis. Although Wissel has lived with Vickers for some time now, the rest of Vickers’ family could not have a lot of contact with the dog for training reasons. Now, he gets to just be a dog.
Wissel spent eight years with the Opelika Police Department. Retirement is going to be difficult for the dog, Vickers said.
“When I get dressed and stuff like that he’s not used to me leaving without him. And I’m not use to leaving without him,” he said. “He (used to be) with me for 12 and a half hours a day.”
Capt. Melvin “Bubba” Harrison, head of the K-9 unit at OPD, said the dogs become like pets to the officers.
Currently, Vickers is helping to train a new police dog, Kaz, who is also a Belgian Malinois.
“We got to get him trained up and get him on the street with me,” Vickers said.
Like Wissel, Kaz will go home everyday with Vickers and when he retires, he’ll be released to an officer.
In other business:
In addition to proclaiming July 2009 Firefighter Month in Opelika and naming Bruce Brown police officer of the month, the Opelika City Council unanimously approved the following items at Tuesday night’s meeting:
* The Run to Read event was re-scheduled to Saturday, Oct. 3.
* An on-premise retail wine and beer license request for Alpen Café & Bakery.
* An request by Opelika Mainstreet for their annual Summer Celebration event. The event will be on July 17.
* A grant application for a Byrne Justice Assistance Grant for the Opelika Police Department. The grant would be divided between the OPD the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Auburn Police Division. OPD would receive $35,568.
* Authorization for the mayor to sign a Byrne Justice Assistance Grant in the amount of $5,028 for bulletproof vest for the Opelika Police Department.
* A public hearing was set for Aug. 4 to fix assessment of demolition of a house at 102 East Johnson Avenue.
* The designation and authorization of disposal of surplus personal property. In this item an Opelika Police dog was released to its handler for retirement.
* An authorization for an American Recovery and Reinvestment grant for the Opelika Fire Department. The fire department is asking for $1 million. The city will match $200,000. The money would be used for construction of future fire departments.
* A resolution to amend the city’s Action Community Development Block Action Plan.
* A resolution for a license agreement to install a balcony above at 115 8th Street, which is the old Goodson’s Building in downtown Opelika.
* A resolution for a license agreement to install a balcony above 833 South Railroad Avenue in downtown Opelika, which is the old Opelika Pharmacy building.
* A public hearing for the abatement of a weed nuisance at 702 Hillflo Avenue was set for Aug. 18.
New police K-9 sworn in as he predecessor retires
July 7, 2009
Benjamin Chase, at right, and K-9 Chino were sworn in as the newest members of the Cromwell Police Department Monday. Pictured with Chino is his partner, Officer Matthew McCarter. (Catherine Avalone | The Middletown Press)
Two new police recruits were sworn in Monday by Town Clerk Darlene DiProto, including one who gave her pause — or, more correctly, paws.
One recruit was easy: Benjamin Chase, the department’s newest officer, simply raised his right hand and took the oath of office from DiProto.
However, it was a little more difficult with the second recruit.
Chino, a four-legged Czech Shepherd, had to raise a paw to be sworn in.
And then, DiProto had to coax a decidedly reluctant Chino to dip his paw onto an ink pad.
Once she accomplished that — with help from Chino’s handler, Officer Matthew McCarter — DiProto then had to convince Chino to step down on his record of employment with the inked paw.
He didn’t like it much, but he did it.
Once he did, a relieved DiProto triumphantly held the page aloft like Serena Williams hoisting the Wimbledon trophy.
With that, Deputy First Selectman Fran Monnes, who was subbing for the absent First Selectman Jeremy J. Shingleton, presented Chino with his own badge.
In return, Monnes was rewarded with a two-paw shake.
For all the humor of the moment, it was still a bittersweet ceremony Monday morning in the atrium of Town Hall.
The swearing-in of Chino also marked the retirement of Argo, the department’s K-9 for the past six years.
Argo has proved to be one of the police department’s most visible and popular ambassadors during his tenure on the force.
But now Argo has turned eight, and the decision was reluctantly made to let him retire.
The story has a happy coda, though.
Throughout his career with the department, Argo was partnered with Officer Fred Gengler.
Fortunately, he will spend his retirement with Gengler, too.
Once the ceremony was completed, Gengler went to fill out the paperwork that allowed him to buy the dog, who has become a fixture in Gengler’s family.
Even as Argo was preparing to step aside, Chino was preparing to take his place front and center as a symbol of the department.
McCarter readily acknowledged he has big paws to fill.
Police Chief Anthony J. Salvatore hailed Argo for embodying the ideals of the department — courage, pride and professionalism.
McCarter has worked diligently with Chino for the past eight weeks at Renbar Kennels in Monroe, training to work together as a team.
Locally, McCarter has also worked with Pieper-Olson Veterinary Hospital.
“They have been so helpful,” McCarter said. “They couldn’t be more accommodating.”
So, too, has Gengler, McCarter said.
“We’ve been working together with Fred [Gengler] as much as possible,” he said, “to further enhance Chino’s development.”
During the ceremony — the first awards ceremony the department has held — Salvatore also thanked Michael Strumskas, the community involvement coordinator for the local Wal-Mart.
Strumskas and the other associates at the Route 372 store have adopted Argo, providing him with all variety of equipment over the years, including his own bulletproof vest.
They even went so far as to make Argo an honorary associate, the chief said.
As he made his last official appearance as a member of the department, Argo was still boisterous, barking loudly as town employees, family members and fellow officers saluted the new team of McCarter and Chino.
Gengler said Argo “still has a lot of energy,” and clearly misses his work with the department.
In turn, Argo will be missed, as confirmed by the number of people who sought photos of and with him Monday.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 handlers will no longer be able to use a remote control to release their dogs from their cruisers, sheriff’s Capt. Gary Montee announced this afternoon.
“We’re going to permanently remove (the remote control system),” said Montee, a former K-9 handler and the officer in charge of the Sheriff’s Office fleet maintenance. “We will go manual only, meaning the handler has to open the door and let the dog out.”
The change comes after two sheriff’s dogs inexplicably escaped their cruisers last month, one of which attacked an innocent bystander. Criminalistics Inc., the remote system’s manufacturer, admits that the doors may open unintentionally if the systems are not installed properly.
“We haven’t come up with a clear problem as far as what caused this,” Montee said.
There will still be a way to keep the dog from getting too hot, he added.
“There will still be a device in there that senses when the car temperature is too hot,” he explained. “If the air conditioner fails, and the vehicle is unattended, it will roll the windows down and start blowing the horn. It goes into an alarm mode.”
The K9 issue first arose June 15, when a dog inexplicably escaped a vehicle and attacked an innocent bystander while his handler was assisting with a medical call. The victim suffered bite marks and bruises.
Then, on June 23, another dog escaped from a cruiser while its handler was inside a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store. No one was injured in that incident.
Although Sheriff David Morgan initially dismissed suggestions that the an equipment malfunction may have led to the first dog’s release, a remote-controlled door-opening system that was installed on both vehicles has become the focus of the investigation.
Following the second escape, the Sheriff’s Office discontinued use of the remote controls pending the results of the investigation.
Chief James Lewis, New Haven PD
The Police Chief in New Haven has been trying to beef up the narcotics unit. Today, the chief officially welcomed two new K-9 members.
When New Haven police went in a home on State Street with a two-year-old lab named Orvis, the dog was able to spot the drugs immediately; a dog’s nose is reportedly a thousand times more powerful than that of a human.
K9 Orvis
“We continued our search and he actually located it in a vent, a heating vent under the bed; it was a pretty secretive hiding spot,” said Detective Robert Criscuolo of the New Haven Narcotics Unit.
Found was $65,000 worth of heroin. It’s something the detectives may have missed. But it’s not just drugs. A three-year-old dog named Nia has a nose just as sharp. She sniffed out nearly $17,000 in cash that had just been handled by drug dealers. The chief said their value to the unit is immeasurable.
“One of the [dogs] went in and hit on four different locations, located narcotics in four locations, we then sent the other dog in, it hit on the same four locations,” said Chief James Lewis of the New Haven Police Department.
Nia and Orvis were both officially sworn-in Monday in a brief ceremony. It took twelve weeks of training to get to this point. The dogs now live and work with their handlers 24-hours a day. In fact, their training never stops.
“They only get fed when they work which we work them everyday but they have to find drugs to get fed, they don’t get fed out of a bowl anymore,” said Detective Ted Forbes of the New Haven Narcotics Unit.
So even when they’re off-duty, their handlers hide things for them to find. It’s a weapon the department said will work wonders for them.
“When we go into a search warrant, they can pick up the odor of controlled substances a lot quicker than we can find them, so it helps out a lot,” said Detective Jodi Novella of the New Haven Narcotics Unit.
New Haven was able to get the K-9 officers because of donations from Milk Bone and Walmart , as well as fundraising by the South Humphrey’s Neighborhood Association.
Labs are now the preferred dog of choice for narcotics units; their sense of smell supposedly ranks above all other breeds. They are also extremely obedient.
