Police academy opens to city residents
Weatherford Police officers have an interesting job ranging in duties from traffic control and crime scenes to arrests and public relations.
For years, many residents have volunteered to make their jobs a bit easier while lending support on various scenes and cooking holiday meals for those on patrol.
The department in partnership with the Weatherford Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (WCPAAA) will host the 2009 Weatherford Citizen Police Academy beginning March 3, for those interested in volunteering and catching a glimpse of what it’s like on the streets and saving taxpayer’s money.
Classes will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the department at 801 Santa Fe Drive.
“This is a great opportunity to learn more about your local law enforcement agency as well as your community,” said Alecia Durham, Weatherford Police Special Services planner. “You will learn about patrol procedures, traffic stops, DWI, K-9, crime scene, Texas Penal Code, gang culture, criminal investigations, communications, special operations, crime prevention, vice and narcotics, and medical examiner information.”
Upon graduation, citizens will have an opportunity to join the association.
Members of the alumni assist officers with community activities such as parades, the Peach Festival, Christmas on the Square, the Fall Festival, city clean up days, searching for missing persons, fingerprinting children at local schools, patrolling and McGruff the Crime Dog appearances.
The group also has a patrol vehicle, donated by the department, which allows members to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears as they assist officers in patrolling the city.
Weatherford Police Sgt. Dennis Whitford serves as the department’s liaison with the association and said the group has been more than helpful to the department on numerous occasions.
“As an officer, it is good to know that the Alumni Association is available to help us out with just about anything we need, from providing assistance to us at parades and festivals to bringing us food when we are tied up on a crime scene,” Whitford said. “They are always there for us and we appreciate all that they do. I am excited about the upcoming Citizen Police Academy. It gives us the opportunity to teach our citizens a little bit about what we do at the police department.”
The WCPAAA will host an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Weatherford Police Department. During the event, potential candidates can learn more about the academy and ask questions about volunteering.
Weatherford Police Deputy Chief Wayne Slimp said the volunteers play a vital role at the department.
“We greatly appreciate the countless hours that they spend in training, attending monthly meetings and assisting us on a regular basis,” Slimp said. “They allow us to continue to provide a high level of service to our community at no additional costs to the department or the citizens. We look forward to hosting the 2009 academy and invite everyone to join us at the upcoming open house on Feb. 17.”
WCPAAA President Chris Hummel has served in the association for 12 years and said he believes in supporting the department so much, he accepted the position as president just a year after signing up to volunteer. He added members of the academy alleviate some of the duties of the officers which allows them to focus on more serious duties.
“The academy provides a background on the police department and what our officers do in the city,” Hummel said. “They get to see what officers do in administration and what some of the officers do while working behind the scenes. They normally wouldn’t get to see that on the streets. I enjoy being a part of the WCPAAA. It gives me an avenue in which to give back to the community and help our local police department.”
Hummel said a casino night fundraiser will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Weatherford Senior Center. The event is hosted by members of the association and directly benefits the department.
“It’s out largest fundraiser,” Hummel said. “We have so much fun and proceeds go toward officers and the department.”
For more information regarding the WCPAAA, contact Hummel at (817) 594-3713 or (817) 594-2320. You may also contact Whitford or Durham at the department at (817) 598-4310. For an academy application, visit the WCPAAA Web site at www.weatherfordcitizenpolice.org.
Village seeks funds for K-9 officer
The village’s police chief is making a case in hopes of taking a bite out of crime.
Chief Dwynn Isringhausen of the East Alton Police Department said he recently expressed a desire to village officials about wanting to implement a K-9 officer program.
“The village has never had a canine officer before, and I believe this would benefit the community greatly,” Isringhausen said.
He said that the Village Board seemed OK with the idea of being able to acquire a German shepherd as a partner for one of the department’s officers.
“There are a variety of different methodologies used to train police dogs,” he said.
Isringhausen said although K-9 officers are most associated with drug interdictions, police dogs also provide additional safety for officers to search buildings, track missing persons or those on the lam. He said the East Alton canine would be used mostly to track drugs; however, the animal would be used in other areas, as well.
“Whenever we want to bring in a canine to the grade school, we have to call an outside agency,” he said.
He said that because the village must rely on another agency, the animal sometimes is not available because it or its handler already has worked a long assignment.
“We are looking for the public’s support to help get the program started,” Isringhausen said.
The start-up costs to acquire the dog and associated equipment would be about $10,000. Isringhausen said money to defray some of those costs already has been received through commitments and donations from East Alton businesses and residents.
Isringhausen said that the dog’s handler – Officer Erik Baileygaines – would be required to take a training course, with the department paying for those expenses.
“The department is very proactive in trying to get drugs off the streets, and we believe a canine officer would be another tool in helping police do that,” he said.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution to the program should contact the department at (618) 259-6212.
Manteca’s K-9 superheroes
With the new season of American Idol underway, viewers will once again rush to their televisions each week to see who can sing and who can’t. Who’s going to Hollywood and who’s packing it up and going home. While I am somewhat interested in seeing how the program progresses each week, I am much more interested in seeing what Manteca’s K-9 crime fighters are up to.
Stories of Manteca police dogs aiding in arrests have been showing up in the paper so much so lately that I just had to find out a little more information about where these K-9 superheroes came from. I must say, what I found out was pretty “doggone” exciting.
The Manteca Police Department Canine Unit has 6 patrol dogs who are trained in Obedience, Agility, Search, Protection and Tracking. With the help of their committed handlers, these canine cops can find a lost person, search a building or open area for a hidden suspect and hold them at bay. Protect their handler and citizens, locate a lost item and control a crowd. To say the least, these doggie officers are incredible. Even their names (Spike, Rocky, Dollar, Blade, Kees, Iwan and Hawkeye) let you know that they mean serious business.
I’ve often seen the robust police shepherds hanging out of the back seat window of police cars as their handlers patrol the city and while I’ve always thought they were beautiful, I had no idea just how vital they can be to keeping a community safe.
Two of the K-9 officers in particular, “Blade” and “Spike” caught my attention recently as they’ve been making headlines for busting the bad guys. In the last few weeks the papers have said:
• “Manteca Police canine “Blade” put the bite on two of three residential burglars.”
• “Spike” left his mark on the suspect, bighting him on the right shoulder and in the right arm pit.”
• “The man resisted … and police dog “Blade” took him down.”
Way to go Blade and Spike!
Call me crazy, but it doesn’t get any more exciting than that. Knowing that “Blade,” “Spike,” their handlers and the rest of the K-9 unit are busy fighting crime every day in our city to keep it safe is way better than what Simon, Paula, Randy and the new judge Kara might have to say. And while American Idol is a pretty cool show to watch, I can’t wait to see what happens next right with our furry superheroes.
So bad guys beware! Manteca’s canine crew may soon be taking a crime-bite out of you.
New K-9 in Elk County
Elk County has a new tool – and friend – to help fight drugs in Elk County, find fleeing suspects and search for missing people.
St. Marys Police Department Patrolman Mike Shaffer became the department’s new K-9 officer in December.
Copper, who was purchased through a grant from the Elk County District
Attorney’s office, has been trained to find narcotics, search for
missing people and protect Shaffer, other officers and anyone else who
would need protecting.
Kudro, the department’s former K-9, retired last year due to his age. He first came to the department in 2001.
A dog’s senses are 240 times better than a person’s for detecting
narcotics or humans, but after eight to 10 years, those senses aren’t
as sharp, Shaffer said.
Two-year-old Copper lives with Shaffer.
Although Kudro was often taken into schools where the children could
pet and hug him, that will not be the case with Copper since he has the
additional training of protecting Shaffer.
Shaffer said the
department felt it was necessary to get a dog with extra training
because while working with the dog, Shaffer is not quite as aware of
his surroundings as he would be if he wasn’t working with the dog.
Shaffer has been with the St. Marys police since June 2007 and before that worked for the Ridgway Police Department.
The chief of police had approached a couple of officers before asking
Shaffer if he would like to be the K-9 officer. Shaffer expressed an
interest and began researching what that would involve.
Most importantly, the officer must like to work with dogs and not be afraid of them, Shaffer said.
Shaffer must work with Copper regularly to keep his training skills
sharp. Shaffer works with Copper one to three hours a day on narcotics
detection.
Copper recently practiced tracking a person fleeing and
did very well, Shaffer said. The “suspect” was loud and verbal and
Shaffer let Copper lose. He did better than expected despite it being
cold and snowy outside, Shaffer siad.
Generally K-9 dogs are about 2 when they go to work. They must first go through a year and a half of training, Shaffer said.
In addition to Copper being trained, Shaffer also needed to be trained.
He spent two weeks in New York with the handler who taught Copper.
Shaffer had to learn the basic comands and how to get Copper to react.
It was also important for a bond to form between Shaffer and Copper
before he brought him back. Copper stayed with Shaffer while Shaffer
was in New York.
“That’s a huge part of it. Especially for
protection so that the dog will protect the officer if needed even
without a command,” Shaffer said.
Luckily, former dog trainer Jim
Higgins has offered to work with Shaffer and Copper. He’s also willing
to be a decoy when needed, Shaffer said.
Now that Copper is home,
he is already following Shaffer through the station. Copper has already
“adopted” the station as his place, he said.
“It was easier than I expected to get where we are now. I attribute it to the dog’s attitude; he’s very calm,” Shaffer said.
Last week was Copper’s first experience working the night shift. He
seemed to adjust well, Shaffer said. Copper works the same shift as
Shaffer.
Copper has been used by the U.S. Forest Service and
found evidence of what the service had suspected was going on, Shaffer
said.
Sometimes all it takes is the presence of a dog to make
suspects more cooperative. Copper is considered a police department
tool, but also a full officer, Shaffer said. Copper is permitted to be
anywhere an officer can go including into a person’s home during a
domestic situation.
He also had the chance to search a car for
narcotics. Nothing was found, but the attitude of the people in the car
definitely changed when they saw the dog was being used, Shaffer said.
When Copper is looking for drugs he thinks he’s looking for a toy
because once he finds the drugs, Shaffer will give him a toy and they
will spend a few moments playing.
He has been used by the federal
prison near Bradford and will be used at the Elk County Jail. All of
the high schools in the county have contacted Shaffer, too, to have the
dog go through the schools.
The dog was bought for $8,000 by the
Elk County District Attorney’s Office with forfeiture money. That money
is usually given to law enforcement agencies, but this year the
agencies all agreed Copper would be a good investment for the county.
He is available for use by all the agencies.
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