Iowa man faces charges after hugging officer

Aww, the officer was probably having a really bad day. I bet he just needs a hu–never mind.
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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A hug has landed an Iowa City man in hot water. An Iowa City man who thought a police officer just “needed a hug” faces several charges including assault on a peace officer and public intoxication.

Police said a 21-year-old man was arrested on Saturday. According to police records, the man ran up to the officer and stuck out his arms.

The officer told him to “get away,” but the man didn’t take the hint and embraced the officer.

When the officer told the man to put his hands behind his head, he refused. He was then handcuffed.

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Police warn of construction zone danger

Boise–Construction barrels line Interstate 84 along several sections throughout the Treasure Valley, with several projects underway at once.

Transportation officials and police are urging drivers to slow down and exercise extra caution.

A fatal accident Saturday afternoon occurred in one of those work zones, right under the Orchard overpass – and police say construction may have been a factor in the accident.

Another accident just a few yards away knocked a piece of construction equipment off a trailer in the same zone earlier last week.

One trooper we spoke with says Saturday’s accident is an example of something that happens all too often across the Valley.

“We have crashes everyday out here due to construction,” said Trooper Shane Langton, Idaho State Police.

We caught up with Langton Monday afternoon during rush hour while he was responding to a fender bender in a construction zone near the Orchard interchange.

Langton says the construction played a role in the crash and this is something he sees often these days.

The cause of Monday’s crash and many others?

“Just following too closely and inattentive driving and not quite paying attention,” he said.

On Saturday a much more serious crash between Cole and Orchard left two people dead.

It happened in front of an area of the interstate that was reduced to one lane on I-84 just for that day.

Idaho State Police is still investigating the exact cause of the crash.

The Idaho Transportation Department says warning signs about the construction project were posted weeks before.

The Department says it is important, especially now during this peak construction time for drivers to be aware of everything around them- from signs posted along the Interstate, to workers along the road and other drivers.

“If you usually give yourself 2 or three car lengths give yourself some extra room,” Reed Hollinshead with the Idaho Transportation Dept. said.

“We just all need to understand we will have construction in the valley over the next few years and its a means to an end and we have to be patient with it,” Langton said.

Langton says drivers really need to slow down and be aware of the speed limit changes in construction zones.

He says Idaho State Police received a grant to put more officers in these areas to protect workers, so you can expect to see them out here in construction areas.

Langton himself was involved in a serious accident last month while responding to reckless driving call.

Langton was searching for a vehicle when his motorcycle slid through the intersection at Ustick and Eagle.

He still has some scars from the crash but Langton returned to work about a week ago and says he is happy to back.

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State Police inspects officers, equipment from head to toe

The Indiana State Police Post at Terre Haute conducted its annual inspection of personnel and equipment Monday at the Riley Firehouse. Commanders inspected the appearance, commission and equipment of 61 officers ranging in rank from trooper to lieutenant. The inspections are conducted once a year at all 18 State Police districts.

During the inspection, each officer is personally inspected for proper grooming and uniform appearance.

The officer’s firearms are then examined for cleanliness and serviceability. The police commission is next and inspected for cleanliness both inside and out, as well as the trunk. Finally, all equipment issued to the officer is accounted for and inspected. Those items include such things as clothing, shoes, radar, computer, camera, baton, mace and any other miscellaneous equipment.

At the conclusion of the individual unit’s inspection, the inspecting commander gave the officer a rating of unsatisfactory, marginal, satisfactory, superior or outstanding. Troopers who received an unsatisfactory rating will have to complete the process again at another district until he or she passes.

Indiana State Police is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The department has a rich history in providing the best law enforcement service possible to the citizens of Indiana. In doing this, the department holds the individual officer responsible for the utmost cleanliness and care of all issued equipment.

“The results of this inspection are a direct indication of the commitment and pride our troopers have in adhering to the standard of excellence required of Indiana State Police troopers,” said Lt. Mike Eslinger, commander of the Terre Haute District.

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Interview with Mike Mette

WindyCitizen.com is running a new interview with imprisoned Chicago cop, Mike Mette.
You can read it here.

SWAT school offers intense training for officers

Officer Will Clark, South Jordan PD

As the Utah Attorney General’s Office investigates a deadly SWAT standoff that happened in Farmington last week, we decided to take a closer look at how officers become members of the SWAT team.

SWAT teams operate in the interest of public safety. In Salt Lake City, police say more than 95 percent of their SWAT situations end with a peaceful resolution, and it starts with intense training.

They come from agencies across the valley — officers or firefighters from Salt Lake, South Jordan, Davis County and more.

Justin Lancaster, with the Salt Lake City Police Department, said, “I think pretty much everybody is here because they want to be the best. As far as training goes, this is the toughest training that our department has to offer.”

About 20 men are attending the Salt Lake City Police Department’s annual SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) school with high hopes of someday becoming a SWAT team member.

Will Clark, from the South Jordan City Police Department, said, “[I'm] a little nervous, pretty excited. I really don’t know what to expect.”

Training is a week long, and is complete with tactical exercises. Lt. Isaac Atencio, the tactical commander of the Salt Lake City SWAT team, said, “We test these individuals physically and mentally.”

Those in attendance will also learn the importance of negotiations and less lethal weapons, all in preparation for what officers call high-hazard situations.

“Anytime, obviously, that we deploy a SWAT team, the main goal there is a peaceful resolution,” Atencio said.

Today’s emphasis is on climbing and rappelling. They’re competing not only with themselves but with each other, too. Their performances will ultimately determine how quickly they join a SWAT team.

Andrew Thompson, from the South Jordan City Police Department, said, “The way a lot of people look at it is we’re just out there, and we’re guys that tote guns and want to kill people. But that’s not the truth; there are many things we do to try and help save lives.”

The officers that complete this training will be put on a list, then they will be selected based on their performance and availability. Sometimes officers will attend SWAT school several times before they’re selected.

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Bluffton’s newest officer lends a helping paw in fight against crime

When Rebecca Whitney retired from a Florida police department to join her husband who had found a job in Bluffton, it also meant an early and reluctant retirement for her partner of five years.

Blade, an 83-pound German shepherd police dog, and Whitney moved to Bluffton, and neither liked being away from their beat.

Then, Whitney was hired as a patrol officer at the Bluffton Police Department. But Blade still was unhappy.

The dog she had trained as a puppy and worked with on the streets of Plant City, Fla., whined whenever she left the house, an indication he wasn’t ready for retirement, either.

Now, Blade, too, has been hired by the department, becoming its first canine badge-wearer.

He’ll be used to sniff out drugs, other evidence and suspects. He’s trained to take down suspects and will even pull them out of thick brush, if necessary.

But above all, he’s trained to protect his partner and other police officers, and will sometimes be the first to enter a crime scene if it’s unclear whether a suspect still is inside.

“Not that I want to replace him, but I know at any time Blade could take a bullet for me or any other officer,” Whitney said. “And he will.”

The Police Department will continue to request the use of dogs owned by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, which has a robust K-9 unit of Belgian malinois, bloodhounds and a black Labrador retriever, said Police Chief David McAllister.

“Blade really will be a unique opportunity for the town,” he said, noting that the department essentially got his services for free.

“This dog’s not only going to be a crime-fighter, but I also think this dog will help break down barriers in the community. He’ll go to schools and day-cares along with an officer to help explain what police officers do.”

Even though he’s trained to be fierce, he’s quite playful. Behind the police station Monday evening, officers tugged his chew toy and scratched his back.

“I put all the time and work into him,” said Whitney, who has trained law enforcement dogs for 17 years. “We have such a close bond. … We’re both used to each other’s quirks. He’s just as headstrong as I am.”

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Canine and human officers win gold medals

The Centerville Police Department has brought back the gold at the 2008 Ohio Police and Fire Games, according to Officer Matt Dunn.

Dunn said Centerville Police Officer Michael Yoder and the department’s canine, Boris, participated in the 2008 Ohio Police and Fire Games June 8-13 in Columbus. The event took place at various venues and included police officers and canines from throughout the state.

Yoder and Boris received a gold medal for their participation in the locker search competition and silver medals in categories including building search, vehicle search, apprehension and control competitions.

The team’s success marks Boris’ full recovery from his leg fracture and ligament damage suffered during training in August 2007.

Independently, Yoder received gold medals in the 60 meter dash, 100 meter dash, javelin throw, discus, long jump, and high jump.

Last week, Yoder and Boris successfully achieved re-certification by the Ohio Police Officers’ Training Commission. In addition, they also received national certification through the North American Police Work Dog Association. These certifications were achieved by successful testing in tracking, K-9 control, K-9 searches and drug detection.

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Keep Criminals Away With Pepper Powder

PepperBalls are potent but non-lethal. They contain powdered chemicals that are designed to help subdue an attacker. It’s commonly used in law enforcement, but now it’s available to the public.

PepperBall Technologies in Mira Mesa is a company well-known for their non-lethal solutions for law enforcement, but they’re doing something completely different this year. They’re offering three new products, two of them for consumers.

One of those products is called Hot Shot. The hot pepper powder is so strong that the officer, who is the test subject for the Hot Shot, can’t open his eyes – let alone breathe.

It’s your modern day pepper spray only better.

“The powder is ejected out of the barrel, hits you instantly,” explained Eric Wenaas with PepperBall Technologies, Inc.

Sergeant Chris Boyd from the Carlsbad Police Department was on hand doing some homework. The new SA-4, a handheld pepperball launcher, is getting his attention.

“The fact it allows for four rapid successions,” said Sergeant Boyd. “You have it like this you can not fire it.”

The Flash Launcher is also available to the public. It looks very much like a flashlight, but shoots pepperballs. The only catch is it’s not legal in California yet.

The Hot Shot is expected to be their hottest sellers. In fact, the company is hoping to replace the traditional pepper spray. The Hot Shot will cost you somewhere around $79.

The Hot Shot PepperBall will be made available to the public in mid-October.

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Taylor firefighters defeat police in annual charity softball game

For the second straight year, it took late heroics by the members of the Taylor Fire Department to defeat their counterparts from the Taylor Police Department in the second annual softball game to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The game, played on World Series Field at Heritage Park, saw the firefighters defeat the police officers, 11-9.

The police team took a 5-0 lead in the first inning, thanks mainly to a grand slam by Sgt. Jim Martin – the first of three home runs by Martin during the game.

The firefighters battled back and the game was tied at 9-9 after seven innings. In the eighth, the team in red scored two unearned run to go ahead to stay.

Fire Medic Scott Barry had two homers for the firefighters. Lt. Russ McNamee had one home run and knocked in the eventual winning runs.

“It was definitely a great game,” said Taylor police Cpl. Jeff Shewchuk, who organized the game with Fire Medic Joe Ajlouny. “It was very competitive. I have to hand it to the Fire Department. They have a great team. They made very few errors in the game and were able to capitalize and get the win.”

Ajlouny agreed that the competition was fierce.

“The competitiveness between the two departments stands out again,” he said. “The police played great, like they do in every other sport. We were able to capitalize. We played like a real team – like we do when we’re working.”

Police Cpl. Aaron Shrewsbury won the home run derby held before the game. Fire Medic Ron Evina was the runner-up.

Ajlouny added that the “real winners of the game were the kids in the Make-A-Wish Foundation.” Between ticket sales and donations from the police and fire unions, Shewchuk estimated the contribution to Make-A-Wish would be $2,500.

Taylor firefighters and police officers meet throughout the year in softball, soccer and hockey games, all of which raise money for a charity.

The next contest will be the annual hockey game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. November 7 at the Taylor Sportsplex, 13333 Telegraph Road. The police officers are undefeated in the long hockey rivalry.

The game will benefit the Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry, which provides food to more than 500 families and individuals throughout the year. The Police Department’s Holly McGeogh Memorial Scholarship Fund will receive part of the proceeds.

Tickets to the game are $5. Former Detroit Red Wing John Ogrodnick will sign autographs at the game, courtesy of the Load One trucking company in Taylor.

To view the photo gallery from the game, click here: http://www.cityoftaylor.com/image/tid/181

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Springfield Police hosting informational seminar on becoming police officer

No word on whether or not Chief Wiggum will make an appearance;)

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The Springfield (Missouri) Police Department is hosting an informational seminar at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the South District Station at 2620 W. Battlefield Road for those who are interested in becoming police officers, the department said today in a news release.

A seminar for lateral hires from other agencies will be an hour later at 8 p.m., the news release said.

Applicants will learn about the entire testing process, including the physical agility test, written examination, oral interview, background investigation and post-offer exam. It is not mandatory for an applicant attend, but information given during the seminar may prove helpful to them during the testing process.

Applications for the August 2009 Police Academy and August 2009 Lateral Program are due to the city’s Office of Human Resources by Nov. 7. The physical agility test and written examination for both processes will be Nov. 23.

For questions, contact Officer Katherine Dunnegan at 864-1796 or by e-mail at kdunnegan@springfieldmo.gov.

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