Police Chief Chat

Another busy week in that we handled 664 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 20 accidents, 45 9-1-1 hang up calls, 28 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 32 traffic complaints, 25 assists of other agencies, 99 traffic stops, 15 arrests, 9 fingerprints, 16 suspicious nature calls, 3 benevolent funds, 1 runaway juvenile, 4 escorts, and 14 alarm calls.

Proudly, the Rolla Police Department had the opportunity to take part in the Relay for a Cause – Rt. 66 campaign where a 27 year veteran Evansville Police Officer Randy Rolley and his friend and business partner Bryan Zellar plan o walk from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California utilizing as much of the original historic Rt. 66 as is available. Rolley’s campaign which began May 1st is dedicated to bringing awareness and funding to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The NLEOMF operates various programs designed to raise awareness of law enforcement service and sacrifice, promote officer safety, and reduce injuries and fatalities. Rolley and Zellar came up with the idea 3 years ago in an effort to do something notable in their lives before they turned 50. The plan came together this month which is also the time we recognize National Police Week, May 9 thur May 15 each year.

Rolley began his campaign by plotting his route along historic Rt. 66, then calculating where he would end up each day if he and Zellar walked 20 miles, then relied on area law enforcement agencies to transport them 60 miles for a total of 80 miles a day. Rolley then contacted 26 law enforcement agencies along the route and asked for their assistance by securing a place for them to stay for the night they travel thru the host city, and then to provide transportation to the next rendezvous point. Rolley says that not one of the initial 26 agencies contacted turned him down. The Rolla Police Department was one of the 26 agencies contacted and we felt honored to participate. With the assistance of the Rolla Chamber of Commerce and the Hampton Inn, were able to secure a room for the traveler’s for their night’s stay, then transport them to their next contact near Lebanon.

Rolley and Zellar were very personable individuals who were quick to thank anyone who helped them along the way and were also ready to share their sentiment for the nearly 19,000 law enforcement officers nationwide, who gave their all in preserving safety in their communities. There is a Relay for a Cause – Rt. 66 website you can visit at: http://relayroute66.wordpress.com/ to follow the progress of the walk and to contribute to the cause. As I said earlier, these are two fine individuals who are dedicating their time and effort to a very worthy cause. Randy and Bryan, the Rolla Police Department salutes you and wishes you a safe and successful journey.

Also this week, the Rolla Optimist Club held their annual Respect for Law Banquet where each year, area law enforcement agencies are invited to a meal in their honor in appreciation for doing what we do to keep the community safe. Traditionally, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri S&T Police Department, Rolla Police Department, Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Phelps County Circuit Court and other elected officials are invited. The highlight of the evening is the announcement of the winner of the coveted Bramlett-Light Award, named after two progressive Rolla Police Chiefs. This year there were 2 recipients of this award and both were members of area law enforcement. Deputy Carmello Crivello was named for his tireless efforts in removing illegal drugs from our highways and also for his expertise in locating and securing large sums of drug money from drug dealers. The second nominee was our own Detective Sergeant Ken Nakanishi for his diligence and leadership in the successful prosecution of serious crimes investigated by Ken and our Division of Criminal Investigations. Great job to Carmello and Ken!

In closing, I would like to remind you of the upcoming bicycle auction to be held Saturday, June 5, 2010, beginning at 8:30 am at the Rolla Police Department. We will be auctioning several recovered/abandoned bicycles that we have accumulated throughout the year. Many of the bicycles are in excellent shape and typically sell for a fraction of the cost of new bikes. If you are looking for a good buy on a bicycle, be sure to keep our auction in mind.

I would also like to remind you of our 3rd Annual “Fire Truck Pull” hosted by the Rolla Police Department and Rolla Fire and Rescue that will be held during the Rt. 66 Summerfest celebration on Saturday June 5, 2010 beginning at 4:00 pm. The Fire Truck Pull is a competition fundraiser where teams of up to 10 members, either male or female, compete to pull a fully loaded fire truck a known distance in the best time. All proceeds from the pull will benefit the Veteran’s Memorial Park located on Southview Drive in Rolla. If you would like to put a team together, contact: S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213. The cost per team is $100.00.

Chief Mark Kearse