This week, the Rolla Police Department handled 989 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 28 accidents, 64 9-1-1 hang up calls, 36 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 29 traffic complaints, 24 assists of other agencies, 239 traffic stops, 41 arrests, 12 suspicious nature calls, 17 stealing calls, 20 check the well being calls, 16 alarm calls, and 11 escorts. In addition to these calls, officers completed arrest paperwork, wrote reports, conducted investigations, attended training, appeared in court, patrolled businesses and neighborhoods, participated in public relations programs and attended shift briefings. Now that is a busy week!
This past week of May 9 – 15, 2010 has been proclaimed National Police Week when the nation remembers and pays tribute to the men and women of law enforcement who have given the supreme sacrifice in the performance of their duties. Each year, between 140 and 160 law enforcement officers are killed in the line of duty. During National Police Week, law enforcement officials, police survivors and members of the community attend candlelight vigils, police officer memorial dedications and many other services to pay their respect to those who gave all! Here in Rolla, our officers will display a black band across their duty badges in remembrance of their fallen comrades. Well will also display (C.O.P.S.) blue ribbons on our patrol cars during the week as a tribute to the cause. The ribbons are provided to each law enforcement agency by the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) organization. The C.O.P.S. organization, in it’s 26th year, is a non-profit organization that provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.
On Wednesday of this week the Rolla Police Department held a barbecue/luncheon in honor of our Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) volunteers and their spouses. The event was held at the police department where burgers, brats and steaks were carefully prepared by our grill master Cpt. Jason Smith. All of our staff officers provided the side dishes, desserts, and drinks to complete the tasty meal. We wanted to recognize the volunteers for all their hard work and dedication and for the service they provide to our department and to our community. The VIPS volunteers complete a variety of tasks such as school, park and neighborhood patrol, criminal investigation, funeral escort, crime data mapping, crime victim advocacy, patrol support and public relations programs, all of which would have been handled by a uniformed police officer. Their partnership and community spirit entitle our officers to do more of what they are trained to do, which is fighting crime and keeping our community safe. We are very proud of our VIPS program and our volunteers and are looking forward entertaining the endless possibilities this program can provide. Thank you VIPS for all you do! If you would like more information on the VIPS program or if you think you may be interested in becoming a VIPS volunteer, contact: Dennis Noel or Vince Giacologne at 308-1213. We are looking for honest, community minded individuals who have some extra time and a desire to serve both the Rolla Police Department and our community!
The Rolla Police Department and the Animal Control Division would like to take this opportunity to thank the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in St. James, for their recent donation of over 1400 lbs. of dog food to be used in our animal shelter. Animal Control would also like to thank and acknowledge a recent donation in memory of the late Don Sands and the late Margo Brown. This donation allowed Animal Control to purchase a much needed storage shed to be used as a storage facility for the stockpile of pet foods. The previous shed was aged and in disrepair and could not be used in the intended capacity. Thank you to both Wal-Mart Distribution and the Wal-Mart Supercenter who over the years have proven to be a great valued partner to the Rolla Police Department and to our community. Thank you Wal-Mart!
Speaking of Animal Control, ACO Roy Taylor conducted a Bite Prevention Program for over 150 elementary students attending the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade in the St. James Schools. The program is designed to teach young people what to do if confronted by an aggressive or dangerous animal. The philosophy of “stand like a tree” or “lay like a log” is discussed to avoid elevating the animals fear or aggression. The program also offers tips on how to avoid behavior that could cause what is normally a friendly animal to become dangerous. In addition the program offers hints on pet care and safety and how to make sure your pet is community friendly. This program was provided to the elementary students in Rolla earlier this year. Great job Roy!
In keeping up with our continued effort to ensure that the entire City of Rolla is covered under the Neighborhood Watch “security blanket”. We are preparing to launch our newest campaign to invoke awareness, recognition and participation in citizens of our community to become involved in taking back your community or preserving the good life as you know it. As you already know, especially if you follow this column or our Rolla Police Department Facebook site, crime is prevalent in Rolla. Each day our officers respond to calls of property destruction, vehicle tampering, residential and business burglaries and theft. Many times these crimes occur right under the nose of potential witnesses who, because of a lack of training or unintentional complacency, allow these criminals to continue to prey on our community. As you may realize by our weekly stats, our officers cannot be on every corner or in every neighborhood at any given time. Most of the time or officers travel from call to call without a lot of time to dedicate to each case.
This is where you come in! We need to re-establish our existing Neighborhood Watch program and instill new programs in areas that have not yet been established. In an effort to bolster this program and to promote awareness, we have divided the City of Rolla into 3 Neighborhood Watch Zones, simply labeled “A”, “B” and “C”. Our awareness campaign will begin by hosting Neighborhood Watch meetings in each of these zones that will be open to the public and in a central location to that particular zone. These meetings will provide information on how to start a NW program or to enhance a program already established. In addition we will use this opportunity to introduce the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept where a core group of citizens are trained to respond to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency service personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by training in this program to save lives and protect property.
We will also have a representative from the American Red Cross, who will provide information on how that organization operates and what type of programs they offer. They will also offer recruitment information to those who may desire to become a Red Cross volunteer. As you can see, we are showcasing volunteer programs within our community where the citizens of the community unite, receive valuable basic training and become an asset to community betterment and preservation. Our first Neighborhood Watch Zone meeting for area “C” will be held Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eugene E. Northern Community Hall at 400 E. 4th Street in Rolla. Everyone, regardless of where you live is encouraged to attend. If you have any questions about any of these programs, contact S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213. The remaining zone meetings will be held in the following weeks and the dates and locations will be announced.
Have a great week!
Chief Mark Kearse
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