Police Chief Chat

This past week the Rolla Police Department handled 733 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 32 arrests, 15 alarms, 19 accidents, 42 traffic complaints,129 traffic stops, 15 disturbance calls (including domestics), 15 suspicious nature calls, 25 assists of other agencies, 47 911 hang up calls, 47 animal control calls, 19 stealing calls, 9 escorts and 5 trespassing calls. This call total is down 2 calls from last week, yet another busy week!

Later this morning the Missouri S&T St. Pat’s Board and the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 102nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. and will follow the usual route which begins at the intersection of 6th and Rolla Street. The parade will travel east to Pine Street, north on Pine to 12th Street, west on 12th a short distance then south on Rolla Street. The Rolla Police Department will be providing security and traffic control along the route to ensure the safety of the spectators and participants. If you are a parade participant please remember to maintain a safe interval between you and the participants you are following. If you are tossing candy or other treats to the spectators, please remember to be sure the thrown objects do not land in or near the parade path. Our goal is to provide a safe environment for all in attendance.

In addition to the parade, the St. Pat’s festivities include other events such as live music concerts at the Downtown Band Shell, Gonzo Games, Fraternity and Sorority parties and many other attractions. These events attract Missouri S&T students, staff, alumni and members of this and surrounding communities to the downtown area and other parts of the community in celebration of the St. Patrick’s Day observance. This dramatic increase in activity also leads to an increase in traffic congestion, which leads to a high probability of incidences of drunk driving. The sobering fact is that impaired driving contributes to 30 percent of all Missouri traffic fatalities. In 2009, 281 people were killed and 1,141 seriously injured in crashes involving an impaired driver. That is why the Rolla Police Department will be out in force this weekend and then again next week, where we will join other Missouri law enforcement agencies to crack down on drunk driving during the Statewide DWI Campaign held March 16-20, 2011.

The Rolla Police Department will participate in statewide sobriety checkpoints and DWI saturation patrols enforcing Missouri’s DWI laws and keeping impaired drivers off the road. Consequences of drunk driving include jail time, loss of driver licenses or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Insurance rates go up, and other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, loss of time at work and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation. Driving drunk is simply not worth all the consequences. Our message is simple and unwavering: You drink and drive. You lose! This operation was made available through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Highway Safety Division.

Also underway from March 15-31, 2011 is the Youth Safety Belt Enforcement Campaign. The Rolla Police Department along with other Missouri law enforcement agencies will take part in the aggressive “Operation Safe Teen” seat belt mobilization to crack down on Missouri’s seat belt law violators and to reduce highway fatalities. Nearly one in 4 Missourian’s still fail to regularly wear their safety belts when driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Teens are even less likely to wear their seat belt with only 66% buckling up. Eight out of 10 teens killed in traffic crashes were unbuckled! Sadly, everyday someone dies in a crash in Missouri because they weren’t buckled up. We will be out there to remind you that seat belts can – and do – save lives! Regular safety belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. Buckle up and Arrive Alive! This operation was made available through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation: Highway Safety Division and the Missouri Safety Center.

On Tuesday of this week, the Rolla Police Department received 12 new Patrol Rifles which were a budgeted item approved in October 2010. The new weapons are the DPMS Panther Carbine A3 AR-15 style rifle in .223 caliber. The addition of these new rifles will now allow us to be able to issue a department patrol rifle to every police officer. Prior to the receipt of this order, we had more officers than available rifles. Officers are required to undergo training and to successfully qualify with all weapons at least twice a year by policy.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse