Friday, February 12, 2010

Police Chief Chat

We hope you had a great week and avoided any mishaps with all this snow. I know our Patrol Division and Central Communications have had their hands full with weather related mishaps. Last week the Rolla Police Department handled 799 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 36 accidents, 76 hang up 911 calls, 14 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 39 traffic complaints, 29 assists of other agencies, 6 transient aid requests, 94 traffic stops, 40 security checks, 36 arrests, 11 stealing reports, 5 funeral escorts, 16 check the well being or try to contact calls. The increase in traffic accidents is due to the increase in inclement weather. Please remember, if you must drive in inclement weather use extreme caution!

This week’s volunteer spotlight is on VIPS volunteer Keith LeCroix. Keith was born in Decatur, Alabama, but has lived in Missouri since 1999. Keith is an instructor/writer for the Dept. of the Army Civilian Police Academy, based at Fort Leonard Wood. Keith joined our Volunteers in Police Services program because, as Keith says “Rolla is a great place to live. I have traveled all across the U S and comparatively speaking, Rolla has tremendous community spirit. I feel that giving back to the community helps others that live here. I enjoy staying close to my chosen profession of law enforcement. I have been trained in all aspects of emergency services and still enjoy helping others in time of need.” Keith performs vacation security checks, school patrols and assists the patrol division on occasion. His hobbies include hunting and fishing and just about anything outdoors. Thanks Keith, for all you do!

This week’s winner of the “Employee of the Week” campaign on our Facebook site is Senior Patrol Officer Jason Copeland. Jason grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri, but was a frequent visitor to Rolla as most of his family is here. Jason attended college in Arizona where he met his wife Estera. In 2005 the Copeland’s moved to Columbia, Missouri so Jason could attend the Law Enforcement Training Institute to become a certified police officer. Jason and his family moved to Rolla in 2006 to take a position with the Rolla Police Department in May of that year, and has served proudly ever since. Jason is a firearms instructor, a member of the SWAT team and a police motor officer. Congratulations Jason in securing “Employee of the Week!” Be sure to visit our Facebook site and vote for your favorite Rolla Police Employee. Tell us who your favorite officer, telecommunicator, or employee is your favorite and why. Each week the winning Employee is spotlighted here in this column and also on our Facebook site, so be sure to check in often!

As you may have heard, Lowell Aughenbuagh, age 47, of Odell, IL., who was recently charged in Phelps County for terroristic threats, was taken into custody in McCook, IL., after a 12 hour standoff with local police and the ATF. You might remember reading about Aughenbaugh after searches were conducted by the Rolla Police Department and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department where a weapons cache was discovered in Rolla and Phelps County. At the time, Aughenbaugh had allegedly made threats to family members that he planned to come to Rolla, kill his estranged wife, his son and blow up the Rolla Police Department. In this recent incident an arrest warrant was issued and an attempt to serve that warrant at Aughenbaugh’s business, led to the stand-off. Fortunately no one was injured in the arrest.

In closing, I would like to welcome all of our 1,263 Facebook fans to our Rolla Police Department site. It is our intent to provide you with interesting topics, a look into our day to day operations, upcoming events, personnel spotlights, pertinent up to the minute crime and weather information and occasional trivia and other challenges. Please feel free to offer ideas and opinions on the site and let us know what you like and how we can make the site better.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

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