Police Personnel: Mayor Nehez and I met this afternoon and discussed various police personnel scenarios as we enter into the last quarter of 2016 and move into the first part of 2017. We discussed police staffing needs for the present and the immediate future, as well as my concerns once the pending retirements begin in mid-2017.
- We are looking through applications and have met with two prospective candidates and have a third on our radar. Det. Grams completed one background. That candidate is being brought back in for a second interview. The other prospective candidate has yet to turn in his completed hiring packet, while a third person who we have an interest in has made application, but we have yet to review his submission.
New Cruiser:
The new cruiser, a 2017 Ford Utility Interceptor, was delivered to the Police Department on August 23, 2016. It replaces 832, a 2010 Ford Crown Vic with more than 120,000 miles on it. The plan is to recycle the old 832 as the “Road Job” cruiser and eliminate the old 836, a 2008 Ford Crown Vic, which has been used as the Road Job cruiser for the past several years and is also well in excess of 100,000 miles. We are hoping to have it striped and equipped by the end of September or first week of October.
Calls For Service:
We had 835 Calls for Service in August, including making 184 traffic stops, 27 vehicle lock-outs, 63 rescue squad assists, 18 traffic details, 27 suspicious persons and/or vehicles, 8 domestic violence or dispute calls, and just shy of 100 community policing and bank escort details. Again, we experienced an increase in traffic and expect even more now that Ledge Road is closed for reconstruction. Additionally, we are seeing a noted increase in follow-up investigations. We typically conduct anywhere from 20 – 25 follow-up investigation each month. Over the past few months we have seen a near 100% increase. In August, our detective bureau handled 50 follow-up investigations, including the bank robbery investigation, which they worked in conjunction with East Cleveland PD and the FBI.
- I would also like to recognize Officer Michael Bonfield for his “Rolling Meth Lab” arrest on a traffic stop. Officer Bonfield showed good awareness and was very attentive to the suspect’s actions and demeanor during the stop which lead to the meth discovery and subsequent arrest.
- Additionally, Officer Michael Malak should be recognized for his work on the night shift. Over the past several months he has made a multitude of OVI arrests, including a stretch of four in five nights. He leads the department in this category. Also, I would like to commend Officer Erica Gregg for her first OVI arrest and several follow-ups she has conducted on other cases she was responsible for handling. For a new officer, she has handled herself extremely well and we are fortunate to have her as a member of our department.
Halloween Fright Night:
Halloween Fright will be a on Monday, October 31, 2016 from 6 – 8pm at the Village Hall’s police garage.
- Chief Wentz petitioned the Summit County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) for Disaster Blankets to be used in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency situation. They were picked up at the New Franklin Fire Department last Friday (September 9th). We received enough blankets to have two in every marked cruiser and unmarked vehicle. Chief Wentz submitted a follow-up request for additional blankets to be placed inside our designated emergency lockers at each school in the Nordonia Hills School District as part of our Securing Our Students Emergency Preparedness Plan.
