Police Chief Chat

Another busy week, in that the Police Department handled 744 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 17 accidents, 7 alarms, 67 9-1-1 hang up calls, 28 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 34 traffic complaints, 15 assists of other agencies, 4 narcotic violation reports, 98 traffic stops, 9 check well beings, 20 arrests, 45 security checks and 15 suspicious nature calls.

This week’s winner of the “Employee of the Week” nomination by our FaceBook fans is none other than records clerk, Christy Ford! Christy was born in Lindsay, California and moved to Missouri in 1989. She graduated from Rolla High School in 1994 and has been married to her husband Jason for 13 years Together they have a lovely daughter named Faith. The Ford family enjoys raising and showing cattle and horses and rodeos in the summer. Christy has been with the Rolla Police Department for almost a year and enjoys the employee comradery and considers this a great place to work. Congratulations Christy on your nomination for “Employee of the Week”!



Our featured Central Communications spotlight will focus on 9-1-1 Telecommunicator Alicia Hill. Alicia was born and raised in Independence, Missouri where she met her husband of 10 years, Alan. Together they have 3 children and ended up in Rolla after Alan accepted a position with Rolla Fire and Rescue 3 years ago. Alicia applied and was hired as a telecommunicator. Alicia says, “I applied at the police department, not knowing what to expect, but I am very happy that I was offered and accepted the position as a 9-1-1 Telecommunicator. I have made many new friends and enjoy working with everyone. I have learned so much about this job and that not every day is the same. In addition, I have learned a lot about myself”! Alicia and her family enjoy watching TV, playing X-Box and Wii and fishing or just hanging out! Thanks for all you do Alicia and Alan too!








This next segment of the column is not a regularly featured spotlight, nor has the person we are about to describe been nominated for “Employee of the Week”, but just someone we thought you might like to hear about, Sgt. Wayne Rapier! Throughout the year Sgt. Wayne Rapier works very hard to keep our young people safe. He is the only School Resource Officer for the Rolla Public Schools. There are approximately 4, 000 students and 580 school staff members that Sgt. Rapier serves. What does a school resource officer do? We can’t fit it all in this post! To start with though, any police report of an incident that occurs on school property is investigated by Sgt. Rapier. This could be a “fender bender” in a parking lot, a missing cell phone belonging to a student, an altercation between juveniles or vandalism. He does not just patrol schools and investigate crimes though. He works with staff and administrators to develop and implement safety procedures. He also oversees security at school dances and high school sporting events.

Not all of his investigations are for crimes on campus. Sgt. Rapier works very hard to protect our young people off of campus as well. He handles narcotics investigations, reports of child abuse, internet crimes, missing juveniles, sexual assaults, custody disputes, domestic violence and mental health investigations. Sgt. Rapier is also a trained hostage negotiator. It takes a very special person to be able to be an effective School Resource Officer. It requires a perfect mix of compassion, toughness, patience, wisdom, inquisitiveness ,training, more training, determination, awareness, law enforcement experience, parenting experience, sense of humor and of course a Bulldog spirit! We truly appreciate all you do Sgt. Rapier! Thanks for all you do to keep our young people safe!
In line with "Operation F.R.I.E.N.D. (forming relationships in every neighborhood), and our effort to re-kindle interest in our Neighborhood Watch program, we have sectioned the city into 3 equal watch zones. In the very near future we will coordinate group meetings in each zone to discuss crime prevention, the establishment of Community Emergency Response Teams(CERT) and Neighborhood Watch. Currently most areas of the city are covered under an organized Neighborhood Watch group. Signs have been posted and officers have visited with the groups and explained the Neighborhood Watch program. If your neighborhood is not currently active in this program and you would like to learn more, contact S/Sgt. Rick Williams at the Rolla Police Department at 308-1213. We will announce dates and locations of the group meetings in the near future.

This Spring the Rolla Police Department and Rolla Fire and Rescue will be hosting Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. If available, emergency services personnel are the best trained and best equipped to handle emergencies and you should use them. However, following a catastrophic disaster, you and the community may be on your own for a period of time because of the size of the area affected, lost communications or unpassable roads. This is where CERT comes in! CERT training is designed to prepare you to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency services personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by using the training provided in this program to save lives and protect property. Training covers areas such as: Disaster Preparedness, Fire Safety, Disaster Medical Operations, Light Search and Rescue, the Cert Organization, Disaster Psychology and Terrorism. CERT classes are taught by trained emergency personnel and consists of 20 hours of training which includes classroom segments and actual hands on practice.

If you would like to receive the training or would like to learn more about the CERT program, contact: S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213 or Training Officer Ron Smith at Rolla Fire and Rescue at 364-3989.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Please fill out 2010 U.S. Census form and mail it in

After nearly 12 months of discussing and promoting the importance of the 2010 U.S. Census to our community, we are now nearing Census Day on Thursday April 1. All U.S. residents must be counted – people of all races and ethnic groups, both citizens and non-citizens. Questionnaire responses should represent your household as it exists on April 1.

Every year, the federal government can allocate more than $300 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data and Census data determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Our community’s success is based on the power of everyone working together on a common goal. When we do our part we help make this community that much stronger. I think we can all agree that resources like clean water, good schools, and safe roads are vital to our community. But how can we make sure that we have all of that? It’s very simple – By filling out and mailing back our 2010 Census Form.

Whats at stake for our community is the loss of $1,300 per year for every person not counted for the next 10 years. This means we could lose out on vital resources for our friends, neighbors and our family. This time around the census form is shorter, just 10 short questions, and your private information is kept just that – private for 72 years. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s census questionnaire responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.

Our community has a lot riding on this and it’s up to each of us to do our part, so please fill out your census form, if you haven’t already, and mail it. We are counting on you, so please be counted. And should you have any questions about the U.S. Census please visit www.2010census.gov.

Looking ahead to next weekend, please remember that next Saturday, April 3 is the City-wide Spring Clean-up that is coordinated by the City’s Environmental Services Department. You may want to start setting aside items this weekend so you are ready for the City-wide pick-up next Saturday, April 3. If you wish to participate in this event, please place all of your items to the curb by 6 a.m.

Examples of items that will be accepted include furniture, microwaves, televisions, old clothes, and household trash. Items that will not be accepted include appliances, water heaters, yard waste, tires, or construction debris such as sheet rock, shingles, concrete or rock. Loose items should be placed in boxes or bags and small pieces of lumber should be bundled.

We ask that you do not place your roll-out container to the curb, because during this special spring clean-up it will not be emptied. If you have any questions, please call the Environmental Services Department at (573) 364-6693.

Mayor Bill Jenks, III

Proposition 911 important issue on April 6

Among the many important issues citizens will be asked to decide on at this year’s Rolla General Election on Tuesday, April 6 will be the proposed Phelps County Emergency Dispatch Sales Tax known as Proposition 911.

The important aspect to consider when casting your vote on April 6 is that the Phelps County Sales Tax of ¼ of one percent (1/4%) is proposed to REPLACE the existing 15% land-line surcharge applied to local telephone service.

The need for the review and discussion of the 911 Emergency Dispatch Center dates back a couple of years when concern was raised by the County Commission that the 911 Fund was underfunded because of the rapid decrease in the 15% land-line surcharge applied to local telephones. E-911 services and the 15% surcharge tax on all basic telephone services were approved by county and city voters in 1992 with 75% support. Unlike 1993 when the City of Rolla first began providing professional 911 and county-wide dispatch services to all emergency providers in Phelps County by contract, many more folks, (including visitors and highway travelers), are using cell phones today, which do not require a surcharge. This shift in usage has resulted in a decrease in the number of land lines resulting in decreased revenues for emergency dispatch services.

In addition to the dwindling revenues from the existing 15% land-line surcharge, the call volume through the City’s Dispatch Center has grown to 75,000 calls for service, which is an increase of 83% since 1995. And the additional call volumes have increased the need for trained professional dispatchers and better technology to deal with cellular phones. Of the 75,000 calls for service that the 911 Dispatch Center handles annually, 50,000 of those calls are for City of Rolla Police and Fire services.

To show its support for Proposition 911, the Rolla City Council approved at the March 1 City Council meeting a resolution endorsing the Phelps County Emergency Dispatch Sales Tax issue which will appear on the April 6, 2010 election ballot. Please keep in mind while casting your vote on April 6 some of the major points that underscore the immediate need for an alternative funding mechanism for the E-911 Dispatch Center. Please also consider that the E-911 Dispatch Center currently provides services to 15 different agencies, including the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Phelps County Ambulance, Rolla Police Department, Rolla Fire and Rescue, Rolla Rural Fire Department, St. James Police and Fire Departments and St. James Ambulance; Doolittle Police Department and Doolittle Rural Fire Department; Newburg Police and Fire Departments; Edgar Springs Police and Fire Departments; and Duke Fire Department.

Under the current arrangement (15% land line surcharge) the County covers all E-911 costs for all 15 emergency response agencies and pays general dispatch services for all emergency response agencies except for the City of Rolla and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Dept. While the Sheriff’s Dept. has contributed a flat amount of $36, 268 since 1994 the City of Rolla has contributed anywhere from $200,000 to $320,000 per year during that same time period. The proposed sales tax would be paid by all residents and visitors and would generate sufficient revenues to cover all costs of dispatch services for the entire County.

Mayor Bill Jenks, III

Police Chief Chat

With all the activity centered around the Missouri S&T’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, we were somewhat busy this week. Here are our call totals: 931 calls for service (an increase of 287 calls over last week’s totals). Of these calls there were: 24 accidents, 14 alarms, 44 9-1-1 hang up calls, 27 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 50 traffic complaints, 26 assists of other agencies, 7 intoxicated person calls, 218 traffic stops, 12 check well beings, 27 arrests, 23 suspicious nature calls. Ask you can see, our traffic stops, intoxicated person calls and arrest totals were up from the norm. The additional actions may be a reflection of the St. Pat’s celebration or activities associated with that event.

The Patrol, Traffic and Communications Divisions are hit the hardest during almost any kind of special event such as St. Pat’s, Summerfest, severe weather and just about any other major incident. They are the folks that are receiving, responding and investigating the calls and complaints associated with such events. These folks are what I like to refer to as the backbone or meat and potatoes of our police organization in that of all the divisions, important as they are, the telecommunicators and first responders are usually the first group in and the last group out. I want to take just a moment and thank each and every one of you for your professionalism, courage, dedication to duty, compassion and drive to endure rotating shifts, inclement weather, meals on the go, missed family time and events and the ability to continue to provide this great service day after day and still maintain a warm smile and warm heart. All of you are truly the Rolla Police Department! Thank you for all you do!

I would also like to thank our Volunteers in Police Services, our Police Reserve Unit, the Police Explorer Post and Behind the Badge (BTB) for their endless devotion to public safety and for bolstering our ranks in an effort to ensure the Rolla Police Department’s mission to keeping our community safe is completed! These volunteers, prepared meals, patrolled neighborhoods, manned intersections during the parade and performed many other tasks to make our St. Patrick’s Day operation a success. Thank you again to all our volunteers of whom without, we would be unable to accomplish our goals and perform our mission!

Along those lines, this week’s Volunteers in Police Services spotlight is on none other than Janessa Brown Martin! Janessa is a VIPS volunteer and also a Rolla Police Explorer adviser and liaison between the two entities. Janessa was born and raised in the Rolla area. She was educated at home then accepted a position as a telecommunicator in Central Dispatch, where she served 2 years. Janessa served in the Rolla Police Explorer Program for four years attaining the rank of Captain. Janessa is married and the proud mother of a one year old daughter. She enjoys singing and acting in her spare time and will be playing “Kitty” in the upcoming production of Pride and Prejudice playing this month at the Ozark Actor’s Theatre. Janessa joined the VIPS program in January 2010, and enjoys school and neighborhood patrols!


This week, we took delivery on 3 new Chevrolet Impala patrol cars to replace aging fleet cars that were being phased out of service. The 2010 Impala’s were ordered on state bid through Don Brown Chevrolet in St. Louis. Don Brown ordered the cars in white then painted them to match our black & white paint scheme. The cars were then delivered to Ed Roehr Safety Products where they were outfitted with emergency lights and siren, prisoner cages, rifle racks, video cameras and scanners. Upon delivery to Rolla, Rayfield Communications out of Springfield, Mo. installed the 2 – way police radios. This weekend the cars will be striped and numbered by Steve Harshbarger to match the rest of the fleet. The new cars will be assigned to Sgt. John Frey, Spo. Brad Gibbs and Spo. Tommy Davis.

In closing, S/Sgt. Rick Williams announced that we have exceeded our goal in the sale of Law Enforcement Torch Run t-shirts to benefit Special Olympics. We set out to sell $1,000.00 in shirts to continue our membership in the prestigious Torch Club, which is comprised of Law Enforcement agencies who meet or exceed $1000.00 in fund raising within a given year. The Rolla Police Department has been a Torch Club member since 1993. This year the t-shirt sales are already over $1500.00, and there are more orders coming in. This is great news in that all monies raised supports our local Special Olympic athletes. If you have not yet received your shirt, or need to place another order, contact S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213. Thank you for helping us help the athletes!

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

9th Annual Rolla Earth Day Celebration set for April 22

The 9th Annual Rolla Earth Day Celebration will be held Thursday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Missouri University of Science & Technology Havener Center.

Businesses, government offices, and non-profit organizations are encouraged to participate. Rolla Earth Day exhibits are strictly limited to organizations sharing information about topics related to earth and biological sciences, environmental policy, sustainability, recycling, and environmental best practices.

Last year, approximately 1,500 children and adults attended the event. Hands-on children’s activities are strongly encouraged. Giveaways are encouraged, but only if they relate to the theme (such as trees, seeds, flowers planted in biodegradable flower pots, or products made from natural/recyclable materials). This year’s theme is Be Green, Keep our Planet Clean.

For more information or to reserve your spot, please contact Julie Wilson at 341-4262 or wilsonjulie@mst.edu at your earliest opportunity. Rolla Earth Day Celebration is a free event that includes children’s activities, educational exhibits, live music, door prizes and more.

Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday approved by City Council (April 19-25)

Going green is something that the Rolla City Council is backing up with action as they demonstrated by unanimously approving an ordinance allowing the 2010 “Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday” to apply to the local sales taxes of the City of Rolla between April 19 through April 25.

In essences, the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday encourages the purchase of certain qualifying energy efficient appliances by exempting them for sales tax, and thereby reducing the consumer’s cost for such appliances. By offering incentives that reward consumers for being energy efficient, it is hoped that consumer awareness will help reduce energy consumption across the state, and have the added benefit of promoting retail sales activity in the Rolla area.

Qualifying appliances, which must be Energy Star certified, include clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, trash compactors, dishwashers, conventional ovens, ranges, stoves, air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators and freezers. An Energy Star certified appliance is any appliance approved by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The ordinance, however will not apply to any retailer when less than two percent of the retailer’s merchandise offered for sale qualifies for the sales tax holiday. In such instances, the retailer will offer a sales tax refund in lieu of the sales tax holiday.

Improving energy efficiency throughout our community, including City facilities, is something the City of Rolla is very committed to. To be successful, a green community needs to consider a variety of ways its citizens and businesses can reduce its carbon footprint, and promote an environmentally friendly way of living. Engineers from Siemens Technologies, Inc. are currently conducting an energy audit, consisting of the mechanical and electrical systems at Rolla City Hall, the Rolla Police Department, the Rolla Fire Stations #1 and #2, The Centre, SpalshZone, and the City’s three wastewater distribution systems. The assessments will range from lighting and water improvements to aeration system upgrades, and new energy efficiency systems, equipment and technology.

Police Chief Chat

With Spring just around the corner, we can finally shed our winter woes and prepare for better days ahead. March is Severe Spring Weather Preparedness Month in Missouri because the weather transitions from snow to rain, tornadoes and flooding. On Thursday of this week, the City of Rolla Office of Emergency Management and Central Communications took part in the State Wide Tornado Drill hosted by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Central Communications received the notification to begin the drill at 1:30 p.m. and activated our Early Warning System, which consists of Outdoor Warning Sirens, Cable Television Warning System and now Facebook and Twitter. The Statewide Tornado Drill is held each Spring, usually in early March to allow communities to test their early warning systems. We also test our EWS on the first Wednesday of each month throughout the year.

With the severe weather season upon us, emergency preparedness is vital to the survival of the community. Remember, when there is a severe weather “watch” this means to watch the sky, and be prepared to take immediate cover is the conditions worsen. If there is a severe weather “warning” take immediate cover! The City of Rolla Office of Emergency Management has adopted the plan to activate our early warning systems anytime the City of Rolla is named in the pathcast of a tornado warning or a severe thunderstorm warning with winds in excess of 70 mile per hour. We will not activate the system on “watch” forecasts. When our sirens are activated they will continue to sound as long as the threat is present, with the exception of brief pause intervals of approximately 5 – 10 seconds to cool the siren driver. In other words if you hear the sirens, take immediate cover and remain under cover until the sirens finally stop sounding.

This week’s Volunteers in Police Services spotlight will feature VIPS volunteer Larry Seest! Larry was born in Waynesville, Missouri, but moved to the State of California at a young age. After high school graduation Larry entered the US Navy where he was stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Ranger as an air traffic controller. After 4 years Larry left the Navy and entered Santa Ana Junior College where he received an associate degree in Fire Science. In 1978 Larry moved to Missouri and joined Rolla Fire and Rescue where he remained for 30 years attaining the rank of Assistant Chief / Fire Marshall. Larry retired from the fire service in 2009 and works construction part time. Larry is married to his wife Sandy and they have a son and daughter. Larry was attracted to the VIPS program, because it provides an opportunity to give service to the community, which he has been doing his entire adult life. Thanks Larry for all you do!

This week’s Rolla Police Department Facebook “Employee of the Week” is Senior Patrol Officer Tony Lauth! Tony was born and raised in Washington, Missouri. In 2000 Tony entered the Law Enforcement Training Institute in Columbia, Missouri for his law enforcement certification. Upon graduation, Tony accepted a position as patrolman with the New Haven Police Department. Tony then moved to Rolla to accept a position with the University of Missouri – Rolla Police Department, (now Missouri S&T). In 2004 Tony applied and was hired at the Rolla Police Department where he now serves in the Traffic Division as a Senior Patrol Officer. Tony is also one of the 2 advisors for the Rolla Police Department Explorer Post #170 where he coordinates training, duty assignments, cadet applicants and many other functions for the Post. Tony is married to his wife Malinda and they have one daughter and are expecting their second child in the very near future. Tony enjoys fishing, golfing and spending time with his family. Congratulations Tony on your selection as Employee of the Week!

The Missouri S&T St. Patrick’s Day celebration is in full swing and there will be students and alumni all over town taking part in various related activities. On Wednesday, Lt. Doug James, S/Sgt. Rick Williams and VIPS Coordinator Vince Giacolone escorted St. Pat and his court into Rolla and over to the Downtown Band shell for opening ceremonies. Rolla Mayor Bill Jenks and the Rolla Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors were on hand to welcome St. Pat’s arrival. Festivities continued all week and will feature the annual downtown parade this morning, followed by a free concert at the Rolla Downtown Bandshell. Please use caution in and around town and be sure to watch for increased pedestrian traffic as the St. Pat’s celebration continues.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

St. Pat’s Parade kicks off spring fever in Rolla

If you haven’t noticed all the green in Rolla this week you may have forgotten that today is the 102nd Annual St. Pat’s parade, which begins at 11 a.m. on Pine Street in downtown Rolla. Considered one of the largest and most well attended St. Pat’s celebrations in the state of Missouri, it is perhaps the most festive parade of the year in Rolla.

For me the St. Pat’s celebration festivities began on Wednesday, March 10 when I met with Dr. Robert Schwartz, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Barry White, President of the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce, at the downtown bandshell to officially greet St. Pat and his court as they made their grand entrance much like St. Pat and his Court made their official entrance in 1908 near the railroad tracks on 8th Street in downtown Rolla.

Regardless of the weather forecast for today, I’m sure we will see thousands of residents, Missouri S&T students and alumni, who return each year to Rolla to attend the St. Pat’s Parade and the many festivities planned for the weekend. If you haven’t already dug out your St. Pat’s green sweatshirt, or green beads, hat, or scarf, just make sure you have some item of clothing or accessory that resembles the color green, or you may feel a little left out as you witness an entire community decked out in the traditional St. Pat’s “Green.” If you are still searching for ideas, there’s no need to worry, as many Missouri S&T students will be selling St. Pat’s apparel at many of the local service stations and grocery stores in town today, and throughout the weekend.

Celebrations such as St. Pat’s are one aspect of our community that bring the residents of Rolla, visitors and Missouri S&T together unlike no other event throughout the year. And realizing the importance and significance of Missouri S&T to our town, and how it has elevated the image and reputation of our community on a global scale, it really makes me appreciate every year during St. Pat’s what a vital role Missouri S&T plays in the lifeblood of our community.

Missouri S&T has long been known for its cutting-edge innovation and technology, and is consistently ranked in U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation’s top graduate engineering schools. The rankings also list six Missouri S&T programs as among the best in the country, as stated on the Missouri S&T Website (www.mst.edu).

Among the many exciting projects occurring at Missouri S&T is the construction of the first building in Missouri S&T’s Innovation Park that will be located on 10th Street. The City’s Public Works and Community Development Departments have collaborated with Missouri S&T on the design and master plan of Innovation Park, and we consider this development to be a great asset to our community. In fact, the City is partnering with Missouri S&T and other businesses and entities as we move forward on what will eventually be one of the gateway entrances to Innovation Park at Bryant Drive and Kingshighway where a new traffic light and intersection will be relocated from Fairgrounds Road in August of this year. A development agreement is currently being finalized among McDonald’s Restaurant, Fairgrounds Chevrolet, Missouri S&T and the Missouri Department of Transportation that will provide for the right-of-way variances needed for this new extension of Bryant Drive off Kingshighway. The new Bryant Drive Extension will meander through the south end of Innovation Park and connect to Fairgrounds Road, alleviating traffic congestion that currently exists on Kingshighway at the Fairgrounds Road intersection.

Missouri S&T is growing in leaps in bounds in both stature and student enrollment, and with the City’s new DREAM (Downtown Revitalization Economic Assistance Missouri) Initiative status, the recent creation of a new Arts and Entertainment District, Benton Square, and an infusion of more than $8 million is private investment in the downtown business district, Rolla is gaining recognition among developers, investors, and businesses, as a City on the move!

Public Hearing to Discuss Smoke Free Workplace Ordinance - March 15

ROLLA – The public is invited to provide comment on an ordinance prohibiting smoking in workplaces and public places within the City of Rolla at the next Rolla City Council meeting on Monday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (901 N. Elm Street).
“The debate on the smoke-free workplace ordinance will continue at the public hearing on March 15,” said John Butz, Rolla City Administrator. “The Rolla City Council is trying to obtain public feedback, and we encourage you to provide comments during this portion of the meeting.”
The Rolla City Council made the following amendments to the proposed ordinance that will be discussed during the public hearing on March 15 at Rolla City Hall:

• Granting an exception for an enclosed (and detached) smoking facility
• Granting an exception for private clubs provided there are no employees (this required a modification to the definition of “employees”)
• Struck the reference to distances from windows and doors
• Clarified the definition of “Place of Employment” as it affects contractors/employees in residences
• Struck the “liberal” application of the ordinance
  

The issue of smoking in bars and bowling alleys also was set aside for future consideration.
For more information, please call City Administration at 426-6948. To review the DRAFT ordinance prohibiting smoking in workplaces and public places within the City of Rolla, please visit www.rollacity.org/admin/agenda.shtm#agenda.

Public invited to attend Candidates Forum March 8

With the Rolla Municipal Election just around the corner, I’d like to extend an invitation to everyone in the community to attend the Rolla Candidates Forum on Monday, March 8 at the Rolla Public Schools Administration Building – Board Room located at 500A Forum Drive.

The Rolla Community Teachers Association (RCTA) Candidates Forum will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the Rolla Municipal Candidates Forum at 6 p.m. The Rolla Community Teachers Association (RCTA) and Rolla Channel 6 will host a Candidates Forum for candidates running in the Rolla Public School Board Election on April 6. For more information regarding this event, please contact Christopher Wright, President of the Rolla Community Teachers Association, at 458-0190, ext. 19133.

The Rolla Municipal Candidates forum, which will include candidates running for the Rolla Municipal General Election on April 6, will be moderated by Lee Buhr, Sports/Newscaster for Results Radio. The Rolla Municipal Candidates Forum will include introductions by each candidate, followed by questions from the audience, and then an opportunity for closing remarks. Only questions given from those attending the forum will be included in the discussions. The City believes that hosting the Candidates Forum is a reflection of open government that provides an opportunity for an exchange of ideas with the citizens and members of the Rolla community.

I would also like to remind everyone to vote during the Rolla Municipal Election on Tuesday, April 6. Polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. For more information regarding polling locations and ward maps, please visit www.rollacity.org/wards/voter. You may also contact Carol Daniels in the City Clerk’s office at Rolla City Hall, 901 North Elm Street, at (573) 426-6942 or online at cdaniels@rollacity.org.

Looking ahead to the month of April, the Environmental Services Department will be hosting the annual City-wide Spring Clean-up on Saturday, April 3. If you wish to participate in this event, be sure to put your items out to the curb by 6 a.m.

Examples of items that will be accepted include: furniture, microwaves, televisions, old clothes, and household trash. Items that will not be accepted include: appliances, water heaters, yard waste, tires, or construction debris such as sheet rock, shingles, concrete or rock. Loose items should be placed in boxes or bags and small pieces of lumber should be bundled.

We ask that you do not place your roll-out container to the curb, because during this special spring clean-up it will not be emptied. If you have any questions, please call the Environmental Services Department at (573) 364-6693.

Speaking of the environment, the Environmental Services Department will once again be participating in the annual Rolla Earth Day Celebration on Thursday, April 22. The 9th Annual Rolla Earth Day Celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Missouri S&T Havener Center. This year’s theme is “Be Green, Keep our Planet Clean.”

Rolla Earth Day Celebration is a free event that includes children’s activities, educational exhibits, live music, door prizes and more. For more information or to reserve your spot, please contact Julie Wilson at 341-4262 or wilsonjulie@mst.edu at your earliest opportunity.

Police Chief Chat

We had another busy week here at the Rolla Police Department, in that we handled 632 calls for service. Of these calls, there were: 8 accidents, 8 alarms, 45 9-1-1 hang up calls, 17 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 32 traffic complaints, 3 burglaries, 19 assists of other agencies, 4 mental health calls, 142 traffic stops, 12 check well beings, 24 arrests. As you may have noticed, we had (45) 9-1-1 hang up calls! (45)! And that is within one week. Each and every one of these calls requires at least one officer to respond to the location the call originated and investigate to their satisfaction that there was no emergency. In a lot of cases, the calls were made by children, playing with a telephone, or cell phone. Some of the calls are from adults that dialed the number inadvertently, and still others are from callers who may have initially decided they had an emergency, then decided they did not and hung up. Either way, officers are mandated to respond to each of these calls to verify that help is not needed.

As you can imagine, when figured in with all the other calls received, these hang-up calls cost our department a lot of man-hours, we could be using in other areas. I know our Central Dispatch telecommunicators travel to all the public schools each year and teach our children how and when to use 9-1-1. This is a valuable service and we are certain this training has eliminated a lot of our 9-1-1 hang up calls. In an effort to reduce this number, parents please remember that a functioning cell phone still offers the option of calling 9-1-1 even though there is no service to the phone. In a lot of cases discarded cell phones are given to children as a play toy, and then the child ends up dialing 9-1-1. Even if they have received the training in school please re-emphasize the importance of knowing when to call the emergency number. If you have a cell phone you are not using and want to offer it to your child, be sure to remove the battery! A little concentrated effort by all of us will help us reduce these calls for service and allow more time for us to better serve you!

This week’s Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) volunteer spotlight is Don Reed! Don was born in Kirkwood, Missouri but has lived in Rolla on and off since 1950. Don graduated Rolla High School in 1954 and entered the US Army National Guard where he retired as a 1st Sergeant. Don has been married to his wife Bonnie for 52 years and they have 3 daughters. Don’s hobbies include any type of shooting for pleasure, hunting and fishing! Don says “I have always supported law enforcement and as a VIPS volunteer I have the opportunity to do security patrols, some office work and any other service I can provide to the department.” “This gives our officers more time to devote to doing their job of protecting public welfare.” Thanks Don, for all you do!

This week’s Rolla Police Department Facebook site “Employee of the Week” is none other than Detective Robert Jones. Robert was born in Canton, Ohio and raised in Dover, Ohio. Robert served 21 years in the US Army as a military policeman and assigned in Brunssum, the Netherlands and Wuerzburg, Germany. He was also deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch. Robert is married, has 3 sons and resides in St. James. His hobbies include model railroading, playing chess with his youngest son and antiquing with his wife. Robert joined the Rolla Police Department in 2004 and is currently a detective assigned to our Criminal Investigations Unit. Congratulations on Employee of the Week!

I noticed our Facebook site has really taken off and that the Rolla Police Department fan base is now 1,772 strong! Thank you for subscribing to our site and sharing your thoughts and insight on how the police department can better serve you. We appreciate all your favorable comments and postings and enjoy hearing your stories. As our fan base increases, so does the opportunity to reach more citizens and keep everyone better informed on the day to day events within the community. Please invite your family and friends to join our site and allow them the same interaction we enjoy with you.

In closing, I have learned that 1 of 2 concrete guardian lion statues that was symbolically guarding the entrance to the Rolla Lion’s Club Den has been stolen. This is truly a terrible injustice to bring upon such a fine service organization that has performed countless good deeds for our our community. This incident has been reported and is currently under investigation. If you or anyone you know has any information on the location of this statue, or information leading to the perpetrator(s), please contact the Rolla Police Department at 308-1213!

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Investment in Rolla area seen across the board

While the City of Rolla is still not seeing the soaring 5% gains in sales tax revenues we once did five and six years ago, many significant developments and investments made in our City over the past year or so are showing just how attractive and robust are community continues to be.

In our City’s downtown business district alone we are seeing resurgence in growth and redevelopment of major structures that have brought a new life and energy in our historic downtown area. More than $5 million in private investment has been made in the City’s downtown business district over the past two years that has not only improved the attractiveness of our City center, but, also brought badly needed foot traffic and life to an area that is home to the historic Edwin Long Hotel (now Phelps County Bank), historic U.S. Route 66 (Pine Street), the Rolla Public Library and several businesses and establishments that are benefiting from this new growth.

Just a couple of blocks east of the downtown business, the new Benton Square Development, that includes at least five properties, and numerous businesses, has resulted in at least $3 million in private investment. Spearheaded by successful business owners Dan Klinski and Steven Scholz, the Benton Square development is the anchor for Rolla’s new Arts and Entertainment District that was recently approved by the Rolla City Council. To say that the Benton Square development will help to put Rolla on the map as a destination City similar to that of a Hannibal, Hermann or Washington, is no stretch of the imagination. Rolla is already known for its tremendous cultural assets such as Leach Theatre and the Castleman Hall Performing Arts Center, Ozark Actors Theatre, Cedar Street Center, Orval Reeves Gallery and Arts Rolla! The Benton Square development will only help to solidify the City’s reputation for arts and culture, and a great place to spend a day, an evening or the weekend. In addition, it is projected that the development will create as many as 100 new jobs. The ripple effect of this type of investment and growth benefits many sectors of the Rolla economy, but most notably economic development.

Investment in the Rolla community is not just limited to Rolla’s business district and Benton Square, although considering the state of the national economy and Missouri’s economy, the investment in these two areas alone would be noteworthy. Missouri University of Science and Technology is also experiencing a benchmark year with record-high student enrollment, the future construction of a new $2.7 million Student Design Center (to be located at the corner of 10th and Bishop Avenue); and construction of the first new building in the new Innovation Park on the Missouri S&T campus on 10th Street. These projects are on the heels of the new state-of-the-art, $29 million Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering building known as Toomey Hall on the Missouri S&T campus. Innovation and technology have been associated with Missouri S&T and the Rolla area for over 100 years, and the realization of the beginning of the new Innovation Park will further establish Rolla’s world-wide reputation as a City steeped in innovation and technology.

The third area of significant investment in the Rolla area includes the expansion and construction of several restaurants, including Napoli’s Italian Restaurant, (Hwy. 72 South); the expansion of Gordoz Restaurant on Bishop Highway; the newly opened Papa Murphy’s in Bishop Commons (Hwy. 63 South); and the soon to open El Sombrero’s, located in Summit Plaza on Hwy. 63 North (next to Lowe’s).

In terms of retail investment and development, the Rolla Daily News recently reported that Shoe Sensation, a regional chain of family-owned shoe stores, will be opening sometime this spring in the Forum Shopping Center where the Sam Goody’s was formerly located. The RDN states reports that other businesses will also be occupying storefronts in the Forum Shopping Center as well. In addition to creating more jobs and shopping opportunities, greater retail expansion and development makes the Rolla area much more attractive to new businesses and industries considering locating in the Rolla area.

A fourth area that is showing signs of life, and one area that is a clear indicator to economic activity in the City, is construction. Compared to fiscal year 2009, which was a very low year of construction activity, early indications for fiscal year 2010 show a significant increase in construction activity with first quarter activity of $6.4 million and permit fees of $35,867. While there is relatively less activity in single-family homes there is considerable activity in multi-family construction and commercial construction. Growth attracts growth, and development attracts development, and abundance creates more abundance. So let’s celebrate our successes, play to our strengths, and keep the momentum going through the first year of this new decade!

Police Chief Chat

True Heroes. Many times the media talks about sports athletes and movie stars as being heroes. I believe they are good at their jobs, but this does not make them a hero. Littleton, Colorado: A gunmen entered the middle school parking lot and began randomly shooting at students. He had just wounded two students, when math teacher David Benke, who was assigned to parking lot detail, sprung into action! Benke, fearing another “Columbine” type situation, disarmed the 32-year-old gunman, then with the help of another teacher, tackled him and pinned him to the ground, ending what could have been a much more violent encounter. These are true Heroes!

Sadly this type of situation seems to be on the rise not only in Colorado, but in all parts of our country. It never ceases to amaze me how some people can arm themselves with a weapon and just begin shooting at innocent victims, especially children! The frequency of these criminal acts have prompted law enforcement agencies to not only adapt their training, but also their way of thinking when responding to this type of call. The Rolla Police Department began our own active shooter training program several years ago, and most recently began offering the training to surrounding jurisdictions as a way of getting all of us on the same page. We pray that we never have this type of situation but we also feel the need to be prepared if we do. Thank you David Benke and your co-worker for ending this terrible nightmare!

On a lighter note, this week’s Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) spotlight is focused on Anthony Giacolone. If the last name Giacolone sounds familiar, it should as Anthony is none other than VIPS Coordinator Vince Giacolone’s son. Anthony is a chip off the old block in that he assists our patrol division with school and business patrols, vacation security checks, neighborhood patrols and call assistance. Anthony was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and has been living in Doolittle since 2000. Anthony is a reserve police officer with that city and has been doing that service for 3 years. He is married and has a son and the entire family enjoys bow and rifle hunting, Cardinal games and spending time with each other. Anthony says that he was attracted to VIPS through his law enforcement background. He says he wanted to extend his service to the Rolla community and feels that the VIPS program is a wonderful experience and he feels honored to participate. Thanks Anthony for all you do!

This week’s Rolla Police Department Facebook site “Employee of the Week” winner is Animal Control Officer John Redshaw! John was born and raised in southern California, then moved to Salem, Oregon where he graduated from high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army. John served as a heavy equipment operator and combat engineer until 1984, at which time John separated from the Army and moved to Rolla to take a position with the Missouri National Guard. John retired from the Guard in 2002 and accepted an Animal Control Officer position with the Rolla Police Department in 2003. John is married and has one son who resides in Europe. John enjoys fishing, woodworking, camping and family time! Congratulations John on winning “Employee of the Week!”

On Wednesday night, Rolla Police Explorer Post #170 held their bi-monthly meeting here at the Rolla Police Department. Law Enforcement Exploring is a division of the Boy Scouts of America and is a volunteer program for young men and women between the ages of 15 and 21 yrs who are interested in learning more about law enforcement. The cadets meet twice a month and receive training on different aspects of a law enforcement officer’s role in the community. The cadets also participate in real life situations and community events that help build character, a sense of responsibility and community involvement. This week the Patrol Division provided the cadets with hands on training on traffic stop safety, traffic direction and control, and emergency response. If you are interested in learning more about our Explorer programs contact explorer post advisors Spo. Tony Lauth or Spo. Chrissy Smith at 308-1213!

The Department of Public Safety requires that all officers complete a minimum of 48-hours of continuing education every 3 years, to maintain their peace officer certification. All but 24 hours of this training may be in-house, but the remainder must be from an outside entity. These hours total 1,392 training hours per year to cover all of the officers in our department. If we were to set a goal to have all new officers certified in all our basic requirements, the officer would spend 28% of duty time in training. To comply with the minimum industry standards, the police department should be allocating 51 hours per year per person to maintain the required basic certification. This equals over one full week per year, dedicated to training alone. While this does not sound like a lot of training time, you will also need to consider call volume, shift work, schedule shortages and vacations, the training schedule is difficult to accomplish.

The total training time to meet the minimum industry standards for re-certifications, SWAT and continuing with in-service training of 1500 hours per year totals 4, 065 hours. Based on 2007 figures, training and travel costs and assuming 5 new officers are trained, the cost per year for the training is at a minimum of $150,000.00. In other words, we are investing a significant sum of money in employees, but with high turnover rates, we are not seeing a reasonable return on that investment. We currently have officers who are certified instructors in the following classes pepper spray, police tactics, handcuffing techniques, baton, Taser, ground fighting, police radar, use of force, active shooter response, defensive driving, breathalyzer, field sobriety testing, flash bang deployment, patrol rifle instruction and shotgun certification. These classes are provided in-house to reduce travel and lodging expenses and overtime costs.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday approved by City Council

Going green is something that the Rolla City Council is backing up with action as they demonstrated at Monday’s Rolla City Council meeting. The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance allowing the 2010 “Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday” to apply to the local sales taxes of the City of Rolla between April 19 through April 25.

In essences, the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday encourages the purchase of certain qualifying energy efficient appliances by exempting them for sales tax, and thereby reducing the consumer’s cost for such appliances. By offering incentives that reward consumers for being energy efficient, it is hoped that consumer awareness will help reduce energy consumption across the state, and have the added benefit of promoting retail sales activity in the Rolla area.

Qualifying appliances, which must be Energy Star certified, include clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, trash compactors, dishwashers, conventional ovens, ranges, stoves, air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators and freezers. An Energy Star certified appliance is any appliance approved by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The ordinance, however will not apply to any retailer when less than two percent of the retailer’s merchandise offered for sale qualifies for the sales tax holiday. In such instances, the retailer will offer a sales tax refund in lieu of the sales tax holiday.

After five months of sales tax remittances (October 2009 through February 2010), the City of Rolla has a positive sales tax growth of .31%, which is in the black, but off budget by.7% year-to-date, as the City Council set a goal of 1% growth in sales tax revenue for the current fiscal year budget.

Improving energy efficiency throughout our community, including City facilities, is something the City of Rolla is very committed to. To be successful, a green community needs to consider a variety of ways its citizens and businesses can reduce its carbon footprint, and promote an environmentally friendly way of living. Engineers from Siemens Technologies, Inc. are currently conducting an energy audit, consisting of the mechanical and electrical systems at Rolla City Hall, the Rolla Police Department, the Rolla Fire Stations #1 and #2, The Centre, SpalshZone, and the City’s three wastewater distribution systems. The assessments will range from lighting and water improvements to aeration system upgrades, and new energy efficiency systems, equipment and technology.

While all of the above mentioned energy saving initiatives are related to indoor activities, the City is also co-sponsoring outdoor energy saving programs such as the upcoming “Healthy Yards for Clear Streams” FREE workshop series. The City of Rolla’s Public Works Department and Phelps County Extension will host the workshops during the first three Mondays in March (March 1, 8 & 15) at 6:30 p.m. at The Centre (1200 N. Holloway Street). For more information or to register, please call Phelps County Extension at 573-458-6260.

In closing, I’d like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the members of the Public Works Department who have done a yeomen’s job clearing our streets of snow over the past four weeks. Rolla has received its fair share of snow this winter, and the members of the Public Works Department are to be commended for their diligence, hard work and efficiency. We appreciate all you do!

Police Chief Chat

This week has been one to remember! We were faced with some unusual situations, some potentially dangerous situations and then some rewarding situations as well. On top of everything else, we handled 629 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 19 accidents, 10 frauds, 50 hang up 911 calls, 2 suspicion of narcotics, 12 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 35 traffic complaints, 23 assists of other agencies, 4 funeral escorts, 3 trespassing calls, 127 traffic stops, 28 security checks, 24 arrests.

On Wednesday of this week at approximately 9:45 a.m., Central Dispatch received a call from the family member of a 56 year old male, reporting that the male was bi-polar and schizophrenic and may be having problems with his medication. The family member stated that the male was very depressed and had barricaded himself in his apartment. Family members feared that the male would harm himself if not treated. Spo. Luke Kearse and Pto. Casey Chapman responded to the address in the 1200 block of N. Pine St. and contacted family members at that location. The officers made several verbal attempts to convince the male to open the door and come out to talk with them, but met with negative results. Fearing that the male may have weapons or may harm himself or others, the SWAT team and staff members were called to the scene, as well as Cpl. Derrick Dillon who is certified in negotiation. Cpl. Dillon established a line of conversation with the barricaded male, and for several hours, tried to convince the male to open the door. The male refused.

Access was gained to an adjoining apartment through the cooperation of neighbors, and a plan was devised that included the use of a pole camera, the introduction of non-lethal tear gas and the SWAT entry team. The plan was initiated and within a very short time, the male was safely removed from the apartment and transported to a treatment facility. This situation was particularly difficult in that we had a barricaded male with mental issues that prevented rational behavior and thinking. We were unsure whether or not the male had weapons in his possession or if he would use them on himself or our officers. The combined cooperation between Rolla Fire and Rescue, Phelps County EMS personnel, the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department and Rolla Police and SWAT ensured that the male was safely removed and that all officers, fire and EMS personnel present, went home safely as well! Great job to all!

On Wednesday morning, officers received reports from 4 business owners, that sometime overnight, person(s) unknown, forced entry to their businesses and stole several items including cash. Investigating officers requested assistance from the Division of Criminal Investigations who completed the investigation. I am proud to announce that by the end of the week detectives have arrested 2 individuals for the business burglaries and have recovered some of the missing property. Great job to Patrol and DCI!

This week’s Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) spotlight is focused on Steve Volz. Steve was born and raised in Indianapolis, and came to Rolla in 1988 to accept a position with the Bureau of Land Management, as a geologist. Steve is married and he and his wife Deborah have 2 grown children. Steve enjoys playing his recorders, volunteering with the boy scouts and flint knap! Steve says that he believes volunteering is the lifeblood of a strong community and that VIPS provides that opportunity for him to serve. Steve helps us with home security checks, school, business and neighborhood patrol. Steve says that he and his wife believe moving to Rolla was a great decision! Thanks Steve, for all you do!



Our Facebook “Employee of the Week” winner is Staff Sgt. Rick Williams. Rick was born and raised in St. Louis and moved to Rolla in 1970. After 1 year he moved to St. James where he graduated high school. Rick then enlisted in the US Army and served 3 years at Ft. Leonard Wood as a motor transport operator. In 1978 Rick accepted a position with the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department where he served 22 years. In 2000, Rick left the Sheriff’s Department and joined the Rolla Police Department where he now serves as Division Commander of Emergency Services. Rick and his wife have 2 boys, Alex and Lucas. Alex has just recently become a Rolla Police Explorer. Congratulations Rick on Employee of the Week.

In closing, I would like to remind you to visit our Facebook site for up to date happenings, announcements and important information! Our fan base is now up over 1, 450 fans so thank you for subscribing and checking us out! I would also like to add that we are still in need of good volunteers from the community for our VIPS program. If you are interested in joining the program or would like to learn more about it, contact Dennis Noel or Vince Giacolone at 308-1213.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

City joins initiative to to promote sustainable environment

Rolla is blessed with some of the most beautiful scenery, forests, parkland, streams and landscapes in the entire country. Fresh air, clean water, and healthy creeks and streams are all aspects of a sustainable community where the environment is treasured as much as all the other cultural, educational and recreational assets that make Rolla one of the top places to live in the entire country.

In an effort to ensure that Rolla’s environment remains healthy and sustainable, the City of Rolla’s Public Works Department has joined the Missouri Water Utilities Partnership Initiative (MoWUP), along with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Missouri University of Science and Technology, Siemens and 10 other Missouri communities.

Through this partnership the City of Rolla is committed to promoting a safe, clean and sustainable environment in the most fiscally responsible manner while continuing to provide quality, cost-effective infrastructure for the citizens of Rolla. Through this initiative, the City’s Public Works Department, is developing a plan to achieve a 25% overall reduction in electricity consumption in all currently city owned and operated facilities; and reduce inflow and infiltration in the City’s wastewater collection system by 50% within the next five years. The City intends to accomplish this goal by partnering with Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., which is currently conducting a detailed, technical energy audit of City-owned facilities. From the audit, Siemens will prepare a list of potential energy conservation measures the City can use to save energy.

Included in the energy audit will be a detailed evaluation of the City’s three wastewater distribution systems, Rolla City Hall, Fire Stations #1 and #2, Rolla Police Station, The Centre and Splashzone. The assessments will range from lighting and water improvements to aeration system upgrades, and new energy efficiency systems, equipment and technology.

The Public Works Department, with City Council approval, would also like to engage a consultant to update the City of Rolla’s Wastewater Capacity, Management, Operation and Maintenance Plan with an emphasis on systematic evaluation and elimination on inflow and infiltration within the wastewater collection system. During this process a formal audit plan would be designed to monitor the progress and effectiveness of energy usage reduction methodologies. The in-house audit findings would then be used to enhance the City’s Energy Management Plan, which is intended to identify energy saving opportunities, and provide sustainability training for both City employees and the Rolla community at large.

The City’s commitment to a sustainable environment has also lead to the support and promotion of the “Healthy Yards for Clear Streams” FREE workshops. The City of Rolla’s Public Works Department and Phelps County Extension will once again team up together to host the workshops during the first three Mondays in March (March 1, 8 & 15) at 6:30 p.m. at The Centre (1200 N. Holloway Street). The “Healthy Yards for Clear Streams” program was developed by the University of Missouri Plant Sciences Division and University Extension to educate the community about non-point source water pollution and effective ways to prevent pollutants from entering waterways. All workshops will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., except the final one, which will last until 9 p.m. For more information or to register, please call Phelps County Extension at 573-458-6260.

In closing, please remember that this Monday, Feb. 15 is Presidents’ Day and Rolla City Hall will be closed. The Rolla City Council meeting, normally held the first and third Monday of the month, will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Also please remember that the Environmental Services Department will be picking up Monday’s trash on Tuesday and Tuesday’s trash on Wednesday.

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

Public participation needed for important upcoming meetings

Community involvement and participation have always been one of hallmarks of a healthy and prosperous City, and here in Rolla there will be ample opportunity to show your community spirit by attending some of the community meetings that are scheduled for the upcoming week.

A series of important, educational meetings begin this Monday, Feb. 8 with a special Rolla City Council Workshop that begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Rolla City Hall Council Chambers (901 N. Elm Street) to review and provide an update on the multi-phase Rolla West project. The focus of the discussion will be primarily on the proposed Bryant Drive extension at Kingshighway, which will ultimately serve as one of the gateway entrances to the new Missouri S&T Innovation Tech. Park. A development agreement among the City of Rolla, Missouri S&T, McDonalds, Fairground Chevrolet and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to make this project a reality is being circulated for final signatures and approvals.

On Tuesday, Feb. 9 you are encouraged to attend the Missouri Historic Route 66 Project Public Meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Phelps County Courthouse, Community Room (located at 200 N. Main Street). Mark Stauter, Treasurer of the Phelps County Historical Society, reminds us that Historic Route U.S.-66 played an important role in the development of Phelps County, and that Route 66 has achieved Scenic Byway status in Missouri, as indicated by the "blue" historic byway signs now posted along the route. Mark says the next step is for Phelps County to achieve national scenic byway status, including designation as an All-American Road. This designation will qualify the roadbed, and the properties along it, for Federal funding for preservation, restoration, and tourism development.

The Phelps County Historical Society will serve as the host institution for the public meeting on Feb. 9 concerning the development of a Corridor Management Plan (CMP) for Route 66 that is being developed by the Great River Associates of Springfield. Similar public meetings will be held in 10 counties along the path of Route 66 in Missouri. Mark says the completed Corridor Management Plan will set forth guidelines (not restrictions) for the preservation, protection, and enhancement of the Missouri Historic Route 66 corridor and that it will be a milestone in the historic preservation effort in Phelps County. For more information regarding this meeting, please call 573-458-6000.

On Thursday, Feb. 11 there will be a very important meeting regarding the Missouri Transportation Alliance, and future funding for transportation improvements. The Community Meeting for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) District 9 will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers at Rolla City Hall. Good attendance and discussion is extremely important, as there is no area of Missouri for which this discussion is more important at this point in time.

And if you love homemade pancakes and the company of good friends and neighbors, you don’t want to miss the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m in the Rolla High School cafeteria. The food, entertainment, and service are top notch, and I think just about everyone in the community attends this popular event.

Looking ahead to the following week, Rolla City Hall will be closed for Presidents’ Day on Monday, Feb. 15. The City Council meeting usually held the third Monday of the month will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Rolla City Hall. Please remember, due to President’s Day, Monday’s trash will be picked up on Tuesday.

In March we’ll kick off the month with another City Council meeting on Monday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. That same evening will be the first of three FREE Healthy Yards for Clear Streams workshops held Monday, March 1, 8, and 15 at 6:30 p.m. at The Centre, located at 1200 N. Holloway Street. On Wednesday, March 3, the City of Rolla will join the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce and other businesses and organizations at Rolla Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City. On Monday, March 8 the City, together with Rolla Channel 6, will host the Rolla Candidates Forum. The Rolla Community Teachers Association (RCTA) Candidates Forum will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the Rolla Municipal Candidates Forum at 6 p.m.

To punctuate the festivities in March, don’t forget the annual St. Pat’s Day parade on Saturday, March 13 at 11 a.m. on Pine Street in downtown Rolla. Just look for the street that is painted green in the downtown area, and you’ll have a front row street.

Police Chief Chat

This week, my staff and I met with local funeral directors to discuss our procedures when assigning patrol officers as funeral escorts. This is a service that we feel is not only a service to the community in the way of traffic safety but also a comforting and respectful message to the grieving families that the Rolla Police Department cares. Our biggest concern was the fact that there are times when there are only 3 patrol units on duty and with our typical call volume, it is difficult to provide this service as much as we would like. One solution of course would be to hire additional officers, but with the current budget constraints, that is not likely. Another solution considered was to assign the escort requests to our Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) personnel. The VIPS patrol cars are clearly marked and are equipped with emergency lights and siren and if our volunteer force is kept to or exceeds our current level, we should have the available manpower to provide this service. The primary concern of the funeral directors is the inattentiveness or indifference of some motorists in regards to laws governing the safety and respect shown to funeral processions. State law states that motorists shall not drive through or in between moving vehicles who are displaying headlights and flashers and traveling in a funeral procession. State law also prohibits passing of a funeral procession that is in motion. Violators may be subject to arrest! Let's remember state law and show respect for funeral processions.

Speaking of VIPS volunteers, our spotlight this week will focus on Don Rowland. Don was born in Salem, Nebraska but has resided in Rolla for the past 32 years. Don’s retired in 1996 from the Civil Service where he spent his last 3 years as a Physical Security Specialist (Crime Prevention Specialist). Don has been married to his wife Nikky for 52 years and they have 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren! Don became interested in the VIPS program because, as he says “I was always taught to appreciate and support law enforcement. After receiving a heart transplant in 2003 I have been looking for a way to “pay back” some of what I have received. I thought volunteering to help the police department would be a way of partially doing that. Also, I was impressed with our Police Chief and what he is trying to do for Rolla!” Don works closely with our Criminal Investigation Unit where he establishes data, then analyzes the information and disperses that information to the proper police personnel. Thanks Don for all you do!

Our next featured spotlight will be on Senior Patrol Officer Chrissy Smith, who was voted “Officer of the Week’ on our Facebook site. Chrissy was born and raised in Salem, Missouri and began her law enforcement career as a jailer with the Dent County Sheriff’s Department in 1997. In 1998 Chrissy accepted a position in our Dispatch Center as a telecommunicator. Chrissy served in that capacity until 2005 when she applied and was appointed as a patrol officer. Since being assigned to the Patrol Division, Chrissy has served as a field training officer and is also one of our Explorer Post Advisors. Her current duty assignment is in our Traffic Division where she works traffic complaints, traffic enforcement and accident investigation. When Chrissy is off duty she enjoys spending time with her family. Congratulations on your win Chrissy!

This past week we had a meeting with the staff of Volunteers In Police Service (VIPs), to discuss any issues, our goals and objectives and what we need to do to get us to the next level of service to the community and to the team at the Rolla Police Department. The meeting went well with several great ideas that we are going to follow up on. As I mentioned last week, we will be conducted a recruitment drive beginning in the next couple weeks, seeking volunteers to join our VIPS program. We have a very good group of volunteers on board but still need others to supplement the intended programs we would like to provide. Currently we are seeking volunteers that have an interest in criminal investigation. Our plan is to create a diverse group of citizens within our VIPS program to work hand in hand with our Criminal Investigations Unit by conducting follow-up investigations, interviews, neighborhood canvass operations and investigative photography. If you have time on your hands, are interested in serving your police department and your community and are interested in this type of assignment, contact Dennis Noel or Vince Giacolone at 308-1213.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Healthy Yards For Clear Streams Workshops begin March 1

With the typical unpredictable winter weather we experience this time of year in Rolla it may seem a bit early to start thinking about ways to make our yards, and subsequently the community’s streams and creeks healthier. But then again, for those who would rather see spring arrive in Rolla sooner than later, I’m going to mention early-on an important FREE workshop series that is sure to get you thinking about spring weather, green grass, and flowers blooming again.

The City of Rolla’s Public Works Department and Phelps County Extension will once again team up together to host a series of FREE, public workshops called “Healthy Yards for Clear Streams,” during the first three Mondays in March (March 1, 8 & 15) at 6:30 p.m. at The Centre (located at 1200 N. Holloway Street in Rolla).

The “Healthy Yards for Clear Streams program was developed by the University of Missouri Plant Sciences Division and University Extension to educate the community about non-point source water pollution and effective ways to prevent pollutants from entering waterways.

In the Ozarks we are blessed with reliable annual rainfall, deep aquifers, and clear streams and rivers. But we can't become complacent. Our water resources are also threatened by multiple sources of pollution. We can take action in our own homes and yards to contain runoff and keep pollutants from reaching streams.

Join us this March, on the first three Mondays, to learn how to have "Healthy Yards for Clear Streams” and attend the following FREE workshops at The Centre:

Session 1, March 1: •The "Why" Connection: Where Is Your Watershed? •Maintaining Healthy Lawns While Protecting Streams, Best Turf Varieties for Missouri, and What to Do About Pests
Session 2, March 8: •Building Healthy Soils that Hold and Retain Moisture
•Put the Right Plant in the Right Place and Use Chemicals Safely
Session 3, March 15: •Native Plant Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels: Using the Free Water From Your Roof •Compost, Bokashi, and Worm Farms: How to Improve Soil and
Keep Organic Waste Out of the Landfill

All workshops will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., except the final one, which will last until 9 p.m. For more information or to register, please call Phelps County Extension at 573-458-6260.

In closing, I’d like to mention that the City of Rolla Fire & Rescue has recently partnered with The Dance Studio in Rolla, and Coldwell Banker The Baker Group to announce “Step Up” – a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls, Inc. the Shoe Charity: Project Haiti.

In an effort to further help the victims of the Haitian earthquake, Rolla residents are invited to “Step Up” and recycle their ‘gently worn’ shoes for those people in need. The shoe drive will be held through Thursday, Feb. 11. Soles4Souls accepts all types of shoes: dance, athletic, running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work boots, cleats, flip flops.

Shoes may be dropped off at The Dance Studio, 1100 Hwy. 72 East, Monday thru Thursday, (5-7 p.m.); Coldwell Banker The Baker Group, 1025 Kingshighway, Monday thru Friday, (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and the Rolla Fire & Rescue, 1490 E. 10th Street, Monday thru Friday, (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.). The local contact for this drive is Miss Megan at (573) 364-0696 or you may contact Rolla Fire & Rescue at (573) 364-3989.