The Rolla Police Department welcomed in the new year with a bang! This past week was a busy mixture of high profile arrests, criminal prosecutions, severe weather and budget concerns. Before reporting on the new events of 2010, as promised, I will provide a few stats derived from our patrol division activities during our New Year’s Eve operation. For the 24 hour reporting period, the patrol division consisted of 3 shifts of 4 officers per shift on days and evenings, and 5 officers on midnight shift for a total of 13 officers patrolling. The results of those shift activities include 187 calls for service, 32 traffic stops and 2 accidents, netting 18 arrests including 3 arrests for driving while intoxicated. The stats show that out of the 32 driver’s stopped for various traffic violations during the period, 3 were impaired. These numbers show a tremendous effort from you the community, in drinking responsibly and not getting behind the wheel impaired. Thank you!
Last week officers from the Rolla Police Department received complaints from family members of an Illinois man, who threatened to come to the Rolla area to kill his estranged wife and other family members. According to family members the suspect also purportedly threatened to shoot law enforcement officers and even bomb the police department. We learned that the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department had received similar intelligence so we combined efforts with them, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Division of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms along with several Illinois law enforcement agencies. The investigation revolved around 47 year old Lowell D. Aughenbaugh of McCook, Illinois who was formerly from Rolla and alleged to have several weapons and ammunition at his disposal.
On Sunday morning, the Rolla Police Department received a call that Aughenbaugh had just stolen a vehicle from a family member in Rolla and fled the scene. After a concentrated search by several area officers, Senior Patrol Officer Ben Tinsley returned to the scene to contact witnesses and spotted Aughenbaugh and another male in the suspect vehicle. After a short pursuit and a brief standoff Aughenbaugh was arrested and charged with Making a Terrorist Threat with Reckless Disregard and Causing the Evacuation/Closing of a Building. Bond was set at $100,000.00. A multi-agency investigation led to the search of several properties in Aughenbaugh’s control and the seizure of nearly 100 weapons, over 300,000 rounds of ammunition and a number of items closely associated with the manufacture of explosive devices. This investigation is still on-going and of course the charges for which Mr. Aughenbaugh has been arrested, are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Great job to all officers and agencies involved!
We also learned this week that 2 Phelps County men were sentenced on multiple federal charges stemming from an investigation that began in 2008. Douglas Braidlow age 50, of Doolittle, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to tamper with a witness by attempted murder. Jimmy Seest age 49 of Rolla was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Great job to all law enforcement agencies involved in getting 2 more predators off the streets!
Senior Patrol Officer Tony Lauth, our Explorer Post coordinator, has asked me to announce that the Rolla Police Department Explorer Post 170 is now accepting new applicants to the program. The Explorer Post is a branch of Boy Scout Troop 170, but is open to both boys and girls age 15 -20, who are interested in basic law enforcement, education, character building and leadership. Police Explorers serve as a community relations effort between the police department and the youth in the community. Police Explorers assist the police department in many ways such as event security, crowd control, traffic control and other community service events. They also participate in neighborhood patrol, traffic enforcement and many other functions to better prepare them for future roles as productive and active citizens and community members. The program offers youth with the desire, to see first-hand many of the day to day operations of the police department. Many of our current police officers began their career as a Police Explorer. If you are interested in learning more about this program contact Senior Patrol Officer Tony Lauth at 308-1213.
In closing we would like to wish Telecommunicator Lori Thurman, great success in her new position with the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department. Lori has been an asset to the Central Communications Division where she served, and especially to the Rolla Police Department. We will miss her cheerful personality, quick wit, dedicated professionalism, and wish her the best in her new family. Good luck Lori, drop by anytime!
And finally, we now have over 580 fans/friends on our Facebook site and the number grows almost daily. Be sure to check out the site at: http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/pages/Rolla-MO/Rolla-Police-Department/213180800465?ref=nf for all the latest happenings, events, stories, photos and personalities that are taking place right here at your police department! And please be sure to visit our friends on Rolla Fire and Rescue’s new Facebook site. This site too is filled with interesting photos, events and safety info. Good job guys!
Have a great week!
Last week officers from the Rolla Police Department received complaints from family members of an Illinois man, who threatened to come to the Rolla area to kill his estranged wife and other family members. According to family members the suspect also purportedly threatened to shoot law enforcement officers and even bomb the police department. We learned that the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department had received similar intelligence so we combined efforts with them, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Division of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms along with several Illinois law enforcement agencies. The investigation revolved around 47 year old Lowell D. Aughenbaugh of McCook, Illinois who was formerly from Rolla and alleged to have several weapons and ammunition at his disposal.
On Sunday morning, the Rolla Police Department received a call that Aughenbaugh had just stolen a vehicle from a family member in Rolla and fled the scene. After a concentrated search by several area officers, Senior Patrol Officer Ben Tinsley returned to the scene to contact witnesses and spotted Aughenbaugh and another male in the suspect vehicle. After a short pursuit and a brief standoff Aughenbaugh was arrested and charged with Making a Terrorist Threat with Reckless Disregard and Causing the Evacuation/Closing of a Building. Bond was set at $100,000.00. A multi-agency investigation led to the search of several properties in Aughenbaugh’s control and the seizure of nearly 100 weapons, over 300,000 rounds of ammunition and a number of items closely associated with the manufacture of explosive devices. This investigation is still on-going and of course the charges for which Mr. Aughenbaugh has been arrested, are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Great job to all officers and agencies involved!
We also learned this week that 2 Phelps County men were sentenced on multiple federal charges stemming from an investigation that began in 2008. Douglas Braidlow age 50, of Doolittle, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to tamper with a witness by attempted murder. Jimmy Seest age 49 of Rolla was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Great job to all law enforcement agencies involved in getting 2 more predators off the streets!
Senior Patrol Officer Tony Lauth, our Explorer Post coordinator, has asked me to announce that the Rolla Police Department Explorer Post 170 is now accepting new applicants to the program. The Explorer Post is a branch of Boy Scout Troop 170, but is open to both boys and girls age 15 -20, who are interested in basic law enforcement, education, character building and leadership. Police Explorers serve as a community relations effort between the police department and the youth in the community. Police Explorers assist the police department in many ways such as event security, crowd control, traffic control and other community service events. They also participate in neighborhood patrol, traffic enforcement and many other functions to better prepare them for future roles as productive and active citizens and community members. The program offers youth with the desire, to see first-hand many of the day to day operations of the police department. Many of our current police officers began their career as a Police Explorer. If you are interested in learning more about this program contact Senior Patrol Officer Tony Lauth at 308-1213.
In closing we would like to wish Telecommunicator Lori Thurman, great success in her new position with the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department. Lori has been an asset to the Central Communications Division where she served, and especially to the Rolla Police Department. We will miss her cheerful personality, quick wit, dedicated professionalism, and wish her the best in her new family. Good luck Lori, drop by anytime!
And finally, we now have over 580 fans/friends on our Facebook site and the number grows almost daily. Be sure to check out the site at: http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/pages/Rolla-MO/Rolla-Police-Department/213180800465?ref=nf for all the latest happenings, events, stories, photos and personalities that are taking place right here at your police department! And please be sure to visit our friends on Rolla Fire and Rescue’s new Facebook site. This site too is filled with interesting photos, events and safety info. Good job guys!
Have a great week!
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