Liquor store owners pitch in to keep Cops in Shops

Facing the possibility cuts in state aid, area liquor store owners have raised $10,000 to fund a program designed to help combat underaged drinking by placing undercover cops inside and outside liquor stores in a joint effort.

Police from Attleboro, North Attleboro, Norton and Mansfield and liquor store owners Chris Gasbarro and David Cummings announced the program called “Cops in Shops” Friday at the North Attleboro police station.

“People aren’t going to know when or where or in what liquor establishment we will be in,” Attleboro Police Chief Richard Pierce Sr. said at a news conference.

There are 40 to 50 liquor stores in the four communities, and all have indicated a willingness to take part in the program, Pierce said.

Undercover police will either pose as customers or employees to nab underage youths attempting to buy booze or adults willing to buy for them. Undercover officers will also be working surveillance outside stores. “We’re all aware of the recent tragedies that have occurred in our area,” Pierce said, adding that police are preparing to combat underage drinking parties by college students returning home for the holidays to prevent more tragedies.

With undercover police inside or outside the stores, violators will be able to apprehended at the scene, said Gasbarro, owner of Fine Wine and Spirits in Seekonk and Capadanos in North Attleboro.

“This prevents what we call store hopping,” Gasbarro added, saying it was common for underage people to go from store to store when they are turned away or can’t get an adult to buy booze for them.

“Nobody wants to serve to a minor,” said Cummings of Yankee Spirits in Attleboro.

Pierce said the program is not new and has been effective in the past with state aid. But because continued state funding for the program and other liquor enforcement efforts is uncertain because of the state budget crisis, police and liquor retailers have collaborated to raise funds through donations.

“We’ve decided to think a little outside the box,” Pierce said, praising the efforts of liquor store owners to raise money and join forces with police in fighting underage drinking.

Norton Police Chief Brian Clark said underage drinking is a problem for all communities and one that requires a unified effort because it doesn’t stop at city or town lines.

The operation has the support of the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and The Century Council, a national non-profit organization dedicated to reducing drunken driving and underage drinking problems.

Anyone under 21 who attempts to purchase alcohol faces a maximum $300 fine and the suspension of their driver’s licenses for 180 days. Adults who purchase or furnish booze for underage youths face up to a $2,000 fine, a 1-year jail term or both.

“The message we want to publicize is that we’re not going to tolerate underage drinking,” Pierce said. Last year, police throughout the area stepped up alcohol enforcement after 17-year-old King Phillip High School senior Taylor Meyer of Plainville died after an underage drinking party in woods in Norfolk following a homecoming football game.

By David Linton

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Sheriff gets first K-9 Officer

A four-legged crime fighter soon will be patrolling Dodge County.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office recently acquired Nika, a 10-month-old Belgian Malinois, to be the department’s first K-9 officer.

“It’s something we’ve been looking at basically since I took office,” Sheriff Steve Hespen said. “We’re just excited to see that it’s finally under way.”

Funds for Nika were acquired through a grant obtained by the sheriff’s office and Fremont Police Department.

Hespen said his office used its portion of the funds to purchase Nika from a breeder in New Mexico and pay for start-up fees such as providing housing for the dog and basic equipment.

Deputy Alicia Schafer, who is assigned to Nika, has taken the dog to Omaha for training five days a week for the past three weeks.

“She’s gone really far really quickly considering she’s only

10 months old,” Schafer said.

Schafer, who also works with Nika at home on the weekends, said the hopes are Nika will be fully trained by the end of the year.

Schafer said Nika will finish up her narcotics training next week and also has been working on obedience and patrol work.

“We’re just trying to introduce her to everything and let her get used to me,” Schafer said.

Once trained, Nika will be able to assist the department in several ways, including tracking suspects and missing people.

Another main use for the K-9 officer will be to help search for drugs.

“Everyone is aware of the drug activity that occurs on the interstate,” Hespen said. “With three major highways running through Dodge County, the information is there and we believe major state highways are also

being used to transport narcotics,” Hespen said. “This will be an essential part of honing in on that traffic.”

Nika also would be available to assist other agencies, including Fremont Police and the Nebraska State Patrol, Hespen said.

Schafer, who has been with the sheriff’s office for three years, said she initially was reluctant to volunteer to work with a K-9 officer.

“I kind of thought about it a little longer and I was like, ‘It would be a really great asset to the county and it would be great to have that backup with you 24/7,’” Schafer said. “The quality of what dogs can do, their work and everything, they can help you out.”

Schafer said she also is working to build a relationship with Nika.

“She’s definitely still a puppy and wants to play a lot and get out and run, which is fine … but once we get into the car and she knows we’re going to training she settles down quite a bit because she knows we’re going to work,” Schafer said.

By Brett Ellis

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Broward County Sheriff gets a full dress Challenger R/T

We like police cars. Seriously. Just not when they’re filling our rearview mirrors, blue-and-reds ablaze. Then, our fanboy status diminishes markedly. In the meantime, however, we get pretty jazzed when a department does something a little different and cool. This week’s example comes from the Broward County Sheriff’s office, which appears to have added a fully-marked Dodge Challenger R/T to its fleet. Decked out in the BSO’s familiar green-and-white livery, the muscular Mopar looks like it means business, ready to take down speeders and bust up meth labs with aplomb. We totally want to see it in person the next time we’re down in South Florida — just under our own, friendly terms.

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Top cops say thanks to East Precinct community

Interim Police Chief John Diaz and Capt. Jim Dermody, commander of the East Precinct, have issued a letter of thanks to the people who live and work in the precinct, thanking them for their support and help after the death of Officer Tim Brenton.

Brenton was shot to death Halloween night as he sat in his patrol car in the Leschi neighborhood.

Police later arrested and charged a 41-year-old Tukwila man in his homicide.

Here’s what they wrote

On Halloween night and in the days that have followed, you have shown your support of the Seattle Police Department, in particular the men and women of the East Precinct, in countless ways.

You visited the vigil site on 29th Avenue, called and sent letters of sympathy and encouragement to the precinct, delivered food, coffee and flowers, offered space for gatherings, followed the media coverage of the investigation, phoned in numerous tips, watched or attended the Space Needle flag raising, procession and memorial service and breathed a collective sigh of relief after the arrest in Tukwila.

As Chief Diaz mentioned several times following Halloween weekend, our Officers continued to provide quality public safety services during very difficult times. They were bolstered by all of your actions, thoughts and kind words.

Something that is mentioned at nearly every community meeting, block-watch gathering and Precinct Advisory Council is the fact that we need your eyes and ears to help keep our community safe. What isn’t mentioned as often is that we also need your support during difficult times. The murder of Officer Tim Brenton was one of those times. You came forward with that support for which “thank you” seems inadequate.

We look forward to continuing our partnership in making the neighborhoods and business districts of the East Precinct safe.

Thank you,

John Diaz
Interim Chief of Police

Captain Jim Dermody
East Precinct Commander

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K-9 Unit Expands at the Ector County Sheriff’s Department

The Ector County Sheriff’s Department bought two new dogs from California each costing about $9,600. K-9 officers say the investment is much needed in their department.

For two years, the Ector County Sheriff’s Department only had one dog named Charlie working the K-9 Unit, but just a few days ago Sgt. Robbie Strahan welcomed two new dogs to join the team.

“We’re lucky to have these dogs we were able to get them because of the Bad Boy Bust funds, it’s a great multiplier for our department cause they use less man hours and can find things faster,” Sgt. Strahan said.

Three year old Rocky and Kazoe were born in Holland, so the only command they understand is in Dutch. Sgt. Strahan says that can be a challenge.

“It’s harder for us to learn their language but for tradition sake and from keeping bad guys from telling our dogs what to do, we use Dutch commands,” Sgt. Strahan said.

“They’ve never been in our country, so everything is new to them though too,” K-9 Officer, Matt Muehlbrad said.

Even though they have only been in West Texas for four days, Strahan says Rocky and Kazoe are picking things up fast.
“They’ve already got training obedience under their belt and my dog is already narcotics trained,” Sgt. Strahan said.

Both Strahan and Meuhlbrad say they’re looking forward to the bonding time they’ll have with their new partners.

Charlie, the eight year old dog, they had working in the K-9 unit for the past two years will begin moving toward retirement.

By Diane Tuazon

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Rabies Clinic Benefits Retired K-9 Officer

The Bridgeport Police Department is raising money to help one of their own.

Czar spent five years with the department as a K-9 officer before he had to retire.

He has a spinal condition that causes him to loose feeling in his back legs.

The Fairmont Veterinary Hospital held a benefit rabies shot clinic Wednesday, and more than 100 people brought their pets for discounted vaccines.

The proceeds from the clinic will help pay Czar’s medical bills.

By Jeff Schrock

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K-9 officers: Police in Orem add a 4th dog to squad

Man’s best friend has taken $250,000 of narcotics off the streets of Orem in the past seven years.

Orem police officer Art Lopez shows a suitcase of illegal drugs that Rudy, an Orem police K-9, found in the trunk of a car during a K-9 demonstration Wednesday. (Stuart Johnson, Deseret News)

And the city’s K-9 squad now has new reinforcements, with the recent addition of a fourth Belgian Malinois, 3-year-old Vedor. Officers showed off their dogs’ drug-finding and suspect-catching skills Wednesday.

Rudy, at 7 years old the longest-serving dog, used his keen sense of smell — 800 times greater than a human’s — to lead him to the trunk of a car holding a suitcase full of drugs. He then scratched the license plate to indicate where the stash was.

The dogs go through eight weeks of basic training on obedience and tracking, then another eight weeks of “drug school” where they learn to sniff out marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

They then live with their handlers and are used daily by narcotics detectives.

“We spend more time with them than any member of our family,” said Cpl. Art Lopez, who oversees the squad. “If anything happened to them, we’d be devastated.”

The $9,600 tab for Vedor was covered by a federal grant. Like the rest of the dogs, he was imported from Holland and selected from a vendor in California.

Lopez said Orem police prefer Belgian Malinois over German or Dutch shepherds because they tend to be more social. They are typically retired when they are between 8 and 10 years old.

According to Lopez, his dogs have found drugs in every hiding place imaginable: behind secret doors, in engine compartments, even in a baby’s diaper. Drug dealers try to hide the scent with anything from mustard to axle grease — all to no avail.

And when a suspect is on the run, the threat of a dog’s bite at 650 pounds of pressure per square inch is often more intimidating than any weapon police carry.

“They’d rather fight with officers than with a police dog,” Lopez said, as Rudy easily bowled over a reporter wearing a protective suit and dragged her along the ground.

“A lot of drug dealers are in prison right now because of these dogs.”

By Paul Koepp

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Special plaque honors Cape Coral K-9 officer

A special plaque will soon hang in the new Cape Coral police headquarters honoring K-9 officer Zuke and his nine years of chasing and catching criminals in the city.

Zuke, a 10-year-old, long-haired German shepherd, recently retired as the K-9 Unit’s senior dog because of arthritis in his hips.

The plaque was presented by Mayor John Sullivan to Zuke and his handler, officer Jason Matyas, during a special awards ceremony Wednesday at city hall.

While the sentiment was nice, the special dog biscuits that were made for him by the city’s POPS Cafe were more to Zuke’s liking.

Eileen Cerney, a Cape Coral resident and police Citizens Academy graduate, arranged the ceremony for the legendary crime- fighter who assisted in 67 arrests. He only had to bite a dozen suspects who resisted.

Cerney finally got a chance to meet Zuke while she was arranging the ceremony.
“He’s the sweetest thing. He looks up at you with those big eyes,” she said.

After reading about Zuke’s exploits at the time of his retirement in August, Cerney said she decided he deserved special recognition.

“I was so amazed, I felt he had to be honored,” said Cerney, who has lived in Cape Coral since 1965.

Zuke’s handler and owner, officer Jason Matyas, said he was touched by Cerney’s gesture.

“It’s extremely nice. She’s a police supporter and dog lover. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do,” Matyas said.

Police Chief Rob Petrovich agreed.

“I thought it was extremely thoughtful. Her heart and soul are in this community,” he said.

Petrovich said a committee has been formed to decide where Zuke’s award and others received by police officers will be displayed in the new headquarters.

Since joining the department in October 2000, Zuke, trained to sniff out marijuana, cocaine and other narcotics, made 461 drug searches that resulted in 273 arrests.
Matyas said he was most proud of Zuke in tracking down a man suspected of raping a young girl in Cape Coral in August 2005. The suspect, Michael Blackmon, was convicted and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Cerney and some friends hired Crown Trophies of Cape Coral to fashion a plaque with Zuke’s photograph and a story telling about his crime-fighting career. The golden figure of a police dog adorns the bottom corner.

While the plaque is now at police headquarters, a dog tag that Cerney also had made for him now hangs around his neck.

Zuke is spending his retirement years with Matyas and his family.

“Zuke has so much fun playing with Jason’s three children. He’s at peace and is enjoying his retirement,” Cerney said.

By Denes Husty III

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St. Croix County K9 officers earn national recognition

The United States Police Canine Association held a national trial for teams of K9 handlers and their dogs Sept. 27 through Oct. 2 in West Des Moines, Iowa. Teams gathered from as far away as Louisiana and New York. Among the competitors were two teams from the St. Croix County Sheriff’s department. In order to qualify to compete at the national level the teams must first compete and succeed with high scores at the regional level.

Deputies and K9 handlers Josh Stenseth and Jason Sykora did just that, missing first place at the regional event by just 2.9 points out of a possible 2800 points. It earned them a trip to the national competition and a chance to earn national certification. It is the first time teams from St. Croix County have competed nationally.

Dogs and their handlers compete in the following categories: obedience, agility, search and apprehension.

Both Stenseth and Sykora were pleased with the results. Sykora and Doc earned a fourth place overall out of 94 competitors, having earned a second place in agility and a fourth place in search work. Stenseth with Ace earned a fifth place in agility work.

“Basically what it comes down to, is that judges at the national level are much more stringent and it is a lot harder to certify at the national competition,” said Stenseth.

The work is more intense at that level and both Stenseth and Sykora came back refreshed and confident in their work and certified at the National level. Fellow K9 handler Justin Johnson went along to serve as their decoy during the apprehension part of the competition.

“It is exciting and stressful,” said Stenseth. “It is fun and you meet new people but the stress comes because you want to do well. It was huge for us to do well and we did.”

At the National level each event is judged by five different judges with the highest and lowest scores being discarded.

“We can work for all these different agencies,” said Stenseth. Recently St. Croix County’s Canine unit completed six months of mutual aid for Pierce County.

“Our dogs have had a ton of success,” said Stenseth. “The biggest thing we do is searching for narcotics and tracking. One of the things we would like the public to know is these dogs are categorized as a locating tool.”

“It’s that nose,” joined in Sykora.

Stenseth and his K9 partner Ace have been with the county since 2007. Sykora and his partner Doc started in 2008 and the newest member Justin Johnson with Cash joined in 2009.

In the beginning each dog and handler must complete a 12 week course in patrol work, followed by a four week course in narcotics. Johnson and Cash were just starting their narcotics class at the time of this interview.

By federal guides the teams must do a minimum of 16 hours of training a month. Stenseth estimated their teams train at least 10 hours a week.

“Twenty minutes here and there add up quickly,” said Stenseth.

The K9 officers and their handlers are available for public demonstration and they regularly visit all of the schools.

In March, St. Croix County will be hosting the 2010 USPCA Narcotics Trial and a day-long update on case law.

For a public demonstration of the K9 unit, call the St. Croix County Sheriff’s department at (715) 381-4320. For more information on the United States Police Canine Association, go to www.uspcak9.com

By Margaret Ontl

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Free drug testing kits offered by Suffolk County Sheriff

A New York sheriff is using money seized from drug dealers to buy drug-testing kits that he will distribute free to parents.

Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco says he is providing the free drug test kits to help parents and guardians monitor their children.

The kits cost about $1 and test for six different drugs, from marijuana to opiates to cocaine. He says 16,000 will eventually be distributed.

DeMarco says the test kits give parents a tool to engage in conversations with their children about drug use.

The kits are available at the Suffolk County jail, and plans are in the works to also distribute them at schools and at the offices of local elected officials.

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