One might think with age comes respect

By Dan Jennings

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008 | midnight

Christmas came early for me this year when Deputy Chief John Chase asked if I would be interested in writing the police blotter again. Of course, I said "yes" — then quickly realized that my first deadline would come on the heels of the Thanksgiving weekend.

Not to worry. A few days of rest would surely inspire me with relevant material and prepare me once again to inform and entertain. Besides, I might have a chance this time to double my audience — from four readers to eight.

It is good to be back as your blotter writer. Since my last blotter, many changes have taken place at your police department. Several new officers, most with prior experience at other agencies, have been hired.

Currently, we have two new dispatchers in training and a third prospective dispatcher undergoing a background investigation. In the coming months, I hope that time and space will permit me to introduce these talented employees to you.

I was promoted to sergeant in April 2007. Some officers have argued that a computer glitch must have miscalculated age for job seniority. My response is that the younger officers should respect their elders. You would think that I could get some help from the chain of command, but Chief Finn never hesitates to remind me that I am older than he is. (We were both born the same year.)

Christmas is almost upon us, and safety precautions are more important than ever because of the tentative economic situation. Despite Officer Sibbett's warning in last week's blotter about allowing strangers to enter your home as a prospective buyer, a similar incident occurred on Nov. 26.

An optimistic homeowner, anxious to sell his home, answered a knock at his door and allowed a stranger to come inside. The stranger, who did not call beforehand to inquire about the property, casually inspected the interior and left without providing any personal information.

The homeowner subsequently discovered several items of jewelry, exceeding $3,000 in value, missing from his home. The homeowner described the suspect as a 5-foot-8 man with a stocky build, no facial hair and wearing a leather jacket. The homeowner did not notice if the suspect arrived in a vehicle.

On Nov. 20, officers from the Graves II squad (Ford, Olson, Wilkin, and Case), assisted Metro officers in arresting a local man on several felony warrants, to include one for robbery. The suspect was operating a stolen vehicle that was recovered and promptly returned to a grateful owner.

On Nov. 21, officers from the Days II squad (Sandin, Krumm, Johnson, and Woolsey), responded to a domestic disturbance. A 48-year-old woman was arrested for battering her husband.

On Nov. 22, officers from the Graves II squad arrested a 52-year-old local man for several traffic offenses after he was caught driving with a suspended driver's license. His two dogs were taken to the Animal Shelter for safekeeping.

On Nov. 23, Officer Ham (Days I squad) stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation. Officer Healing arrived to assist him after a records check revealed that the passenger, a 43-year-old man, has several arrest warrants.

On Nov. 24, at 1:45 a.m., officers of the Graves I squad (Tomao, Isham, Ashby, and Salazar), investigated a disturbance at a residential intersection. Officer Isham subsequently cited a 41-year-old local man and a 23-year-old local woman for public drunkenness.

Another example of excellent police work by the Graves I squad and K-9 Officer Daly occurred on Nov. 25. At 12:30 a.m., Officer Isham stopped a vehicle for speeding in the 1600 block of Nevada Highway. She suspected something was amiss during her investigation and other Graves I officers arrived. K-9 Officer Daly was also summoned.

In addition to alerting on drugs contained within the sport utility vehicle, K-9 Qwest shows an alert on a handgun. Two adult males from Las Vegas were subsequently arrested on a variety of felonies to include possession of counterfeit $100 bills, ex-felon in possession of a firearm and narcotics offenses.

In closing, please remember that your police department's primary focus is community policing. We have many talented employees, but we cannot do our jobs without your help. If you see something suspicious, please do not hesitate to call the police.

If you have a question or concern, remember that we are your public servants. If you call me and I cannot answer your question immediately, I will find the answer and call you back.

Weekly Statistics

Incident Reports — 51

Traffic Stops — 195

Citations Issued — 135

Adult Arrests — 23

Juvenile Arrests — 1

Animal Control Calls — 58

Boulder City Police Sgt. Dan Jennings can be reached at [email protected].