Police Chief Chat

Drug Watch: The South Central Drug Task Force, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department and the Rolla Police Department served a search warrant in the 700 block of East 10th Street whereas marijuana and drug paraphernalia were located and seized. A suspect was incarcerated at the Phelps County Jail pending charges.

            This past week, the Rolla Police Department handled 599 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 11 arrests, 14 alarm calls, 20  traffic accidents, 19 traffic complaints, 19 check the well being requests, 65 traffic stops, 26 disturbance calls (including domestics), 14 suspicious nature complaints, 9 assist other agency requests, 5 field interviews, 9 escorts, 3 leave without pay reports, 1 death, 2 trespassing complaints, 4 benevolent fund requests and 42 security checks. This call total is up 21 calls from last week and yes, another busy week!

            If you have not been inside the Rolla Police Department lately, you will probably be mildly surprised the next time you visit. We have made several changes to the interior of the building both cosmetically and in layout. The Rolla Police Department moved into our current location in 1993 and have made significant changes to the building since then. Basically the building is a work in progress due to expansion, security issues and departmental needs. The latest series of changes involved switching my administrative assistant’s office with a staff conference room. This provided much needed space for staff briefings, citizen personnel boards and other meetings.

            We also created another office for S/Sgt. Jim Macormic and utilized his former office as a copy and supply room. This move freed up space in our conference room where we added a small kitchenette and cabinet space in the space the copier occupied. Changes also included adding 2 secure doorways leading back to our officer report writing area that I described in last week’s Chief Chat column. And of course all these added improvements were financed through drug seizure monies with no cost to you the community.

            Our new patrol cars are still in the process of being prepped for operation and will begin trickling into the fleet in the next few weeks. Lt. Doug James patrol car was one of the first completed and has been placed in service. This car and 2 others will not require the striping package as do the Patrol Division vehicles, so they were the first to be completed. The Patrol Division cars will be black with the white “wrap” along the sides in the black and white fashion but will be different than the traditional black and white markings on our current fleet. The new wrapping will allow us to use an all black patrol car rather than obtaining a black and white paint job from the factory at an added cost. We are truly excited with the new additions to our fleet, for not only the officers but also for the community in being able to better serve you with sound reliable equipment. Look for the new chargers coming to a neighborhood near you!

            This next entry is from the desk of Sgt. Ken Moberly who writes: The Rolla Police Department conducted Alcohol and Breath Instrument training last week here at the Rolla Police Department. Eight (8) Rolla Officers and one (1) Doolittle Officer attended this 24 hour training. This training enables Police Officers to receive a Type III permit (Operator) from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to operate a Breath Testing Instrument. The training covers DWI Detection and Processing, Type III Responsibilities, The Chemistry of Alcohol, DWI Statutes and Case Law, and The Principles of Operating the BAC Datamaster. This course is one of the more difficult law enforcement courses and requires the officer to pass a 150 question final exam with a score of 80% or higher.  Thanks Ken!

I will add that Sgt. Ken Moberly has attended the instructor course for this training and received a Type II permit, which allows him to train officers for the Type III permit. The Type II operators also complete monthly tests to ensure the calibration of the Rolla Police Department’s BAC Datamaster.  

In national news: A Round Rock, TN., man who police say had hundreds of photos of child pornography and stole the identities of more than 50 people in Amarillo and Missouri has been charged with multiple felonies, according to several warrants. John Hugh Wiggins, 49, was charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography with intent to promote and three counts of fraudulent use and possession of identifying information. Separately, police also received information from the Amarillo Police Department, the Mississippi attorney general's office, the Charlevoix County sheriff's office in Michigan and the Rolla Police Department in Missouri that Wiggins was stealing people's identities and selling vehicles that did not belong to him through Craigslist, the warrant said. This case was investigated by our own Reserve Detective Paul Rueff. Paul came to us initially as a VIPS volunteer and was then appointed to our Reserve Division to assist the Criminal Investigations Unit. Good work Paul!

In closing I would like to congratulate Senior Patrol Officer. Luke Kearse of the Street Crimes Unit, who also happens to be my son, on his 9 year anniversary of becoming a member of the Rolla Police Department. Luke came to us after serving several missions in Iraq while with the US Marine Corps. Congrat’s Luke!

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse