Today's blog is late in arriving because I started my day out at the Academy, where 32 recruits were tasked with being pepper maced! Once maced, they have to work through a number of physical barriers as well as critical decision making thresholds. It is only AFTER this gauntlet has been run and the recruit-officer has successfully applied handcuffs as well as radioed in the final location of the arrest, that the decon stage will occur (i.e,, flushing their eyes with water, fans in the face, etc.). Trust me, this group looked like a motley bunch when finished and pepper mace is the "gift that keeps giving" for around 45 minutes after application.
I always anchor the decon station. I hate seeing members of my "family" miserable and this provides some solace to me in fulfillment of their training. Trust me when I say that this exercise is not some ritualistic "hazing" that takes place on an annual basis. We do this to teach a number of points. First, that being maced (yes, anyone over 18 and who does not have a felony conviction can purchase this over-the-counter in many places), does not mean that you can't work through the pain and resolve the situation. (Conversely, it demonstrates that mace is not going to necessarily diminish a suspect---they, too, can fight through the effects and some are impervious to pepper mace).
Similarly, having experienced being maced first hand, the officer knows what it feels like and will understandably want to render aid as soon as is practical when the situation has stabilized. And should the officer wind up in court and have to testify about whether they truly appreciate the implications of what it feels like to be maced, they will have this experience covered in their response as well! Once this day is over, the recruits have a day to sufficiently recover before being off for Thanksgiving (hope no one was going to have their family photos taken tonight as it will not be pretty)!
On another note, we were obviously disappointed to be shut out in our quest for more officers under the COPS grant. We knew when making application that this was a long shot at best. But we are always trying to do what we can to mitigate the operating costs that are involved in adding more cops to our ranks so this was a means of spreading those costs over the course of a few years. With or without grant funding, our need to bolster the number of police officers to Patrol Services has not diminished and it is our hope that our elected officials will still use the set aside money that was put up for matching the COPS qualifying grant and commit to getting more cops. Our city is a "best of ~~~~" for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is our commitment to public safety. Let's keep this trending arrow pointed in a positive direction and get more cops!
From 5:30 a.m. on 11/20/2017 through 5:30 a.m. on 11/21/2017, MPD received 375 calls for service. This number does not include parking complaints or 911 misdials.
1) SOUTH: Stolen Auto – 6:45 a.m. Officers responded to the 3100 block of Todd Dr where the caller reported that their vehicle was stolen. The vehicle was left running and unlocked in the driveway. A friend of the caller reported observing the vehicle and suspect (AAM) on Allied Drive. The suspect fled the area. The vehicle was located and returned to the caller/owner. Investigation continuing.
2) NORTH: Weapons Offense/Shots Fired – 7:33 a.m. Officers responded to Monterey Drive where the caller reported bullet damage in her home. The caller's son reported hearing an argument earlier in the morning followed by what he believed was a gunshot. No reports to the police were made at that time. An MPD Investigator recovered a bullet from the floor. Another residence/resident was contacted regarding their knowledge of the incident. The resident reported a guest (AAM) discharged his weapon but denied any disturbance/argument. No known injuries. Investigation continuing.
3) SOUTH: Road Rage – 8:54 a.m. Officers responded to the area of W. Beltline Hwy/S. Park St for a reported road rage incident. The driver of the suspect vehicle was contacted and had several weapons in his vehicle. Varying accounts of what occurred was provided by the caller and the suspect/driver. Investigation continuing.
4) NORTH: Missing Juvenile/Runaway – 12:11 p.m. Officers responded to Pflaum Rd for a report of a missing suicidal juvenile (16 year old HF). Area checked. Juvenile located later in the day.
5) EAST: Disorderly Conduct – 1:26 p.m. Officers responded to the 4200 block of East Towne Blvd for a disturbance between two subjects (20 year old AAM victim and 16 year old AAF suspect). The suspect attempted to push past officers to get to the victim. The suspect resisted arrest and spit at officers several times. The suspect was arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and discharging bodily fluids at a public safety worker. The suspect was transported to the Juvenile Reception Center.
6) CENTRAL: Missing Adult – 4:42 p.m. Officers responded to a report of a missing subject (28 year old WM) who was recently released from jail with no telephone or access to a vehicle. There were concerns for the welfare of the subject due to his mental state. Area checked. Attempt to locate aired. Subject entered as missing in the appropriate databases.
7) EAST: Crash Property Damage – 10:24 p.m. Officers were investigating a crash on North Stoughton Rd/Hwy 30 when a second crash occurred. The second crash involved a vehicle hitting an MPD squad that was on scene for the original crash. The squad had full emergency light package operational at the scene and the officer was not in his squad at the time it was struck. No injuries occurred. Investigation continuing.
8) WEST: OMVWI/Intoxicated Driver – 2:26 a.m. Officers responded to a report that a vehicle was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of the Beltline and running vehicles off the road. The vehicle exited the beltline and was found in a parking lot on Verona Road. The driver (27 year old WM) was contacted and subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.