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Quarterly Report - Third Quarter - 2005

TO: Kenneth D. Krombeen, City Manager
FROM: Vernon L. Snyder, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Quarterly Report – Third Quarter
DATE: November 8, 2005

Listed below is a review of some police activities for the second quarter of 2005; the months of July, August, September.

Complaints Investigated

Performance Report

CRIMINAL ACTIVITY:

As is normally the case, some of the categories of criminal offenses are up and some are down.  Criminal sexual assaults are significantly down for both the quarter and the year to date.  Burglaries were down for the quarter but up slightly for the year to date.  Larcenies were up very significantly for the quarter compared to last year, but only up slightly year to date and actually down compared to 2003.  Retail fraud reports are down for the quarter and down for the year to date.  All of the assault categories showed decreases for both the quarter and the year to date. 

While the numbers of robberies are up for both the quarter and the year to date, the follow up investigations have resulted in arrests in almost all of them.  Robberies that occurred on July 26 at the BP Gas Station and July 31, 2005 at the Speedway Gas Station were very similar to a robbery that occurred at a Wyoming restaurant.  Officers who responded to the three robberies noted the similarities and were able to get a vehicle description.  Wyoming officers staked out the residence of the registered owner and arrested the suspect when he returned home.  The vehicle contained clothing, the gun, and other evidence linking the suspect to the three crimes.   

An armed robbery that occurred at the Admiral Station on September 9, 2005 was also similar to a robbery that occurred in Wyoming.  A suspect was developed through a fingerprint lifted at the scene of one of the robberies.  The suspect was arrested and has admitted involvement in both of the robberies.     

An armed robbery that occurred on September 6, 2005 at the Grandmark Motel also was similar to a robbery that occurred in the City of Wyoming.  In this case, detectives working together were able to identify a suspect who was involved with both offenses.

An arrest has also been made in the bank robbery that occurred at the Michigan Community Bank at 4471 Wilson Avenue SW on August 20, 2005.  In this incident, a lone suspect entered the bank, displayed a handgun, and left a package that he claimed was a bomb.  The department was assisted by many agencies in the investigation of this robbery.  Ottawa County Sheriff Department deputies assisted with traffic control as it was necessary to close down Wilson Avenue.  The Michigan State Police Bomb Squad used their bomb robot and bomb suit to determine that the suspicious item was not a bomb.  The crime scene was processed by a crime scene investigator from the Grand Rapids Police Department.  The criminal investigation was a joint effort between the Grandville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The identity of the suspect was learned after a digital photograph of the suspect was released to the media.  A warrant was obtained and the suspect was arrested by an Illinois State Trooper who investigated a suspicious vehicle at a rest stop.  

These incidents again demonstrate the need for working cooperatively with other area police departments.  Criminals are highly mobile and do not consider jurisdictional borders when committing their criminal acts.  The Department’s relationship with other area departments has resulted in the arrest of many serious criminal offenders.  All of the area departments have been challenged by staffing cuts and the need to work cooperatively on common problems has never been greater.

The Department has also worked with other area departments on the common problem of “airsoft” firearms.  Local departments have had incidents with people out in the public carrying or discharging these weapons that look very realistic. Observers have been concerned that the weapons are real and have called the police.  The concern amongst law enforcement is that an officer may become involved in a deadly force incident and later find that the weapon was a toy.  A joint news conference was held in which all of the local police departments participated in an effort to inform the public of the danger that these weapons represent.  The Grandville City Council approved an ordinance that provides some regulation on the use of these toys when they are used in a public place.   

TRAFFIC:  

Traffic summons issued and verbal warnings were down  approximately 14% for the quarter and 6% for the year to date.  Parking violations were up significantly for the quarter and for the year to date.  Alcohol related offenses were down somewhat for both the quarter and for the year to date, but up significantly compared to 2003.  Of the greatest significance is the fact that traffic accidents were down 11% for the quarter and 19% for the year to date.  

All of the traffic related data only reflects the actual reporting conducted by officers of the Grandville Police Department.  Unfortunately, there was one fatal accident that occurred in the City of Grandville during the quarter.  A driver lost control of his vehicle on the wet pavement on I-196 on July 4, 2005 and struck one of the Grandville Police patrol vehicles that was stopped with its emergency lighting equipment on behind a motorist who had pulled off the road because several dogs were running loose on the freeway.  An occupant of the vehicle died as a result of the crash.  The accident was investigated by officers from the Walker Police Department.  

COMMUNITY POLICING:  

Officer Dave Greco has been assigned as the Police-School Liaison Officer to fill the vacant position caused by Officer Ron Colvin’s retirement.  Dave has been very busy learning the new position.  Fortunately, Dave has been a frequent visitor in the schools during the past several years.  Dave had already been trained in the Teaching, Educating, and Mentoring (TEAM) curriculum provided by the Michigan State Police.  This program provides a whole series of courses to be presented to school classes all the way from elementary to high school.  

A drug awareness and prevention program was presented for Grandville High School and Orion High School students on September 28, 2005.  The program was offered at a school assembly for approximately 2,200 students during the day and again in the evening as a community event for anyone from the community who wanted to attend.  The program, called “Hooked”, featured a series of speakers who approached drug abuse from different perspectives, including a recovering addict, the Michigan State Police Lieutenant who supervises the Metropolitan Enforcement Team, and a family member of one of the people who died of a heroin overdose during the past year.  The program was put together by Wedgewood Christian Services, the Grandville Public Schools, and the Grandville Police Department.   

A Calvin Christian High School class was looking for a community service project.  The class was invited to come to the Grandville Police Department where they washed the entire police vehicle fleet.  

Community Policing Officers again helped the 59^th District Court Probation staff in supervising a clean up project along I-196 as it passes through the City.  This was a significant undertaking and required a commitment for completing the project three times per year.  The cooperative projects between our Community Policing officers and the 59^th District Court staff have truly been successful.  These projects have resulted in using community service as an alternative to probation or incarceration for offenders, and still accomplishing meaningful clean up projects that benefit the residents of the City of Grandville.  These projects are significantly less expensive than incarceration and save the residents of Grandville from using tax dollars to complete the work.  

The July 4, 2005 celebration was very successful again this year.  This is a community wide event that requires the efforts of many people and organizations.  Attendance was exceptionally high again, and everyone seemed to enjoy this family oriented holiday event.  Once again, there were no serious incidents related to the celebration in spite of the large number of people who enjoyed celebrating this national holiday in Grandville.  

National Night Out was held on August 2, 2005.  Once again, numerous blocks held parties during which neighbors had the opportunity to meet each other.  Both the Grandville Police and Fire Departments stopped at the parties in an effort to establish closer ties with the residents.  

The Race for the Cure was held once again this year on September 24.  Once again, the race drew over 4,000 participants and raised a significant sum of money for breast cancer research and services.  Although there are always some inconveniences associated with an event such as this, every effort is made to accommodate the needs of area businesses and residents.  

The Grandville Police Department has joined other area police departments in supporting the Abused Women’s Active Response Emergency (AWARE) Program.  This national program is sponsored by ADT Security Services. 

The program provides an additional form of protection for victims of domestic assault.  Victims who possess a personal protection order are screened by domestic violence specialists of either Safe Haven or the YWCA.  If the potential for violence directed against the victim is high enough, ADT will provide a free panic alarm to be installed at the residence of the victim.  Cooperating police agencies agree to be present for the alarm installation and to respond to the alarm if it is activated.  This program represents an excellent example of the private, non-profit, and governmental sectors working together to combat a significant problem in society.  

TRAINING:  

During the quarter, all Grandville police officers completed crowd control training that was funded by a Homeland Security Grant.  Grandville Police command and supervisory officers also completed the required National Incident Management  and the National Response Plan training offered by the Department of Homeland Security.  All officers have also completed grant funded training in prior quarters in Terrorism Awareness for Emergency Responders (TAER), Incident Command (IC), and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE).  The Department has completed all of this training ahead of virtually all other local police departments.  

                                                                                    Respectfully Submitted,

                                                                                    Vernon L. Snyder

                                                                                    Chief of Police

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