Dan Jennings

Story Archive

Officers died working to protect community: Wednesday, March 25, 2009; Last Saturday, March 21, was a day of tragedy for the families of five Oakland, Calif., police officers shot in the line of duty.
Don't skate the law if you have the mettle to pedal: Wednesday, March 18, 2009; Spring is upon us. Judging the ever-increasing volume of bicycle and skateboard traffic, I believe a refresher of the laws pertaining to skateboards and bicycles is in order.
Taser effective as a law-enforcement tool: Thursday, March 12, 2009; For the past four years, officers of the Boulder City Police Department have carried the Taser, a hand-held electronic control device that provides a less than lethal option in volatile situations.
Citizens have some authority to arrest: Wednesday, March 4, 2009; Last week, the owner of a restaurant performed a citizen's arrest after a disturbance inside his business. In any jurisdiction, this action is uncommon and perhaps raises two questions: Why was this necessary and under what authority may one perform a citizen's arrest?
Emancipation of minors a tricky business: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009; Lately, I have fielded many questions from juveniles and adults concerning emancipation of minors. My guess is that a young person acquired a bit of knowledge and believes that emancipation is a quick and easy ticket to "freedom."
Volunteers ready for disaster: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009; The police and fire departments perform well during everyday emergencies, but what happens during a natural disaster or other calamity when first responders are overwhelmed with calls for assistance?
Law still holds true: Thou shalt not trespass: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009; A reader recently wrote me and asked, "Will the Boulder City police respond to a trespassing call if there is no sign posted? Is this the case for both business and residential?"
Citizens can help protect community: Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009; On Jan. 29, an alert citizen called the police after a man tried to forcibly open a vending machine outside a local business at 5:15 a.m.
Underage drinking remains a serious problem: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009; Underage drinking is a serious problem — and getting worse
Crash showed people at their best ... and worst: Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009; Unless you have been living in a cave or taking a vacation on the moon, you have heard about the heroics of the crew members of US Airways Flight 1549.
Seniors a popular target for scams: Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009; Lately, senior citizens appear to be a high-priority target for telemarketing scams.
Give contact numbers to alarm company: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009; While some television commercials amuse me, such as the errant anthropologist stalking a talking gecko, other ads have the opposite effect.
Cell phone etiquette when calling police: Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008; As you can tell from today's blotter, police activity is often initiated when a motorist uses a cell phone to call the police. The cell phone can be a blessing, most of the time, and a time-saver when a simple protocol is followed.
With snow came plenty of calls for service: Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008; Did Santa Cop mention in last week's blotter that it might snow in Boulder City — a la Bedford Falls in "It's a Wonderful Life"? Keep in mind that I submitted my column on Monday, a full two days before eight or more inches of the white stuff graced our presence and we enjoyed a surge in overnight visitors (and traffic) to our city.
Empty present boxes can attract thieves: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008; Christmas is less than a week away. Despite the economic downturn, Christmas remains special, and Boulder City is certainly a special place this time of year.
Diligence required around the holidays: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008; I did not set out this week to be the Grinch that stole Christmas. However, before you spend good money on that electric or gas-powered scooter for your child, please take note of the Nevada Revised Statutes.
One might think with age comes respect: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008; 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.