April, 2015 - Winchester

April, 2015
As I sit down today working on this quarterly report, I realized tomorrow is my 35th year in law enforcement. Where has the time gone. I have seen a lot of changes over the years. Think about this,
when I started in 1980; No personal computers, No Cell Phones, No Social Media, No 24hr News
Channels , ABC News Nightline came on the air covering IRAN Hostage Crisis, Speed Limit was 55
mph on Interstate, Jimmy Carter was President, Jim Brazelton was Sheriff, Winchester patrol in two
man units, Larry (Trip) Davis was an investigator with FC Sheriff’s Department, Martha Carol and
several of my officers was not even born yet.
Boy I am feeling a little old, but some things never change. Public Safety of our citizens was paramount then and is still today. The largest difference I have witnessed is the morality of our country.
The dangers facing our citizens today is far greater, a human life is not cherished like it use to be. As a
child growing up, my parents taught me to respect a police officer and go to them for help if I ever got
lost or hurt. Today, parents are teaching their children to fear the police and telling them don’t go to
an officer for help. Thirty five years ago, we embarked on a war on drugs and violent crime, today we
are talking about legalization of drugs, guns in bars, and guns in our parks.
Technology is great, we now have computers at our fingertips, even on our cell phones. We can
google anything on a moments notice, get our news feeds instantaneously, check our bank statements,
pay our bills online, and for those nosy citizens they can go on Facebook and keep up with everything
our neighbors are doing. Guess what, criminals do also.
We used to lock our doors to keep our families safe, now we open up the world wide web and allow
those predators in our homes and in our children's bedroom to be sexually exploited. In this news letter you will see a segment on Child Abuse Prevention Month. During the month of April we will enhance our efforts targeting these online predators targeting our children and working with all surrounding agencies, state, and federal partners.
The month of April also kicks off festival season for Winchester with High on the Hog, Carnivals,
Dogwood Festival, and Fishing tournaments. We will plan accordingly, and strive to keep everyone
safe.
Over the last quarter, we finalized investigations on a
string of armed robberies at the end of 2014 with the indictments and arrests of parolee Courtney Sommerville
and Latoya Taylor. We had two residential shootings,
North High Street and Ruby Streets. Warrants have been
obtained in the North High Street incident for Marc Castle who is still a fugitive. We are working with surrounding agencies and the US Marshal Service in the apprehension of this suspect. Winchester CrimeStoppers is offering
a Reward for Information leading to the arrest of suspects, 962-INFO (4636).
We also had a home invasion robbery in Merritt
Trailer Park by two unidentified white males. We
have been able to obtain composite drawings with
the help of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.
Winchester CrimeStoppers is offering a Reward
for Information leading to the arrest of suspects,
962-INFO (4636).
Also over the last quarter, we had several snow and
ice events causing severe traffic flow problems.
The new AWD Ford Explorer we added to the fleet last year was very useful and we are planning on
adding more of these vehicles to the fleet for the upcoming years.
Inside the newsletter you will see about “Operation Broken Heart” which began April 1st in cooperation with Child Abuse Prevention Month.
We will also be holding our Third Annual Franklin County Medical Forum at the Winchester Church
of Christ on Thursday, June 4th, at 6:00 p.m., with guest speaker Director Tommy Farmer and a special guest from Drug Enforcement Administration in Washington, D.C.
On May 7th, I encourage everyone to attend the National Day of Prayer event scheduled for 12 noon
at the Franklin County Annex Football Field. Planners for the event are wanting to recognize all area
law enforcement to show their support and appreciation for the men and women serving our community.
God Bless, Chief Dennis Young
April, 2015
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April 2015– National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month … but you can act to support families and protect children all year round!
The future prosperity of any community depends on its ability to foster the health and well-being of the next generation.
When a community invests wisely in children and families, the next generation will pay that back through a lifetime of
productivity and responsible citizenship. Yet, when not all children have equal opportunity for healthy growth and development — due to experiences of child abuse and neglect — we put our future at risk.
While April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, you can make a big difference year-round through small acts that help
protect children, strengthen families, promote traits that help protect families — and, ultimately, prevent the abuse and
neglect of children.
Here is a list of simple tips that can have a positive effect on the well-being and healthy development of children, families and communities. Print out the tip sheet PDF) to hang on your fridge, post in your office or carry with you, and
download one of the images to the right as your computer desktop background for a reminder of things you can do in
April, and throughout the year, to prevent child abuse and neglect!
For your family:
•As a parent, block out 15 minutes a day to play one-on-one with your child — doing anything he or she wants. We
know from studies that the more parents engage in positive activities with their children, the less they use negative physical and psychological discipline.
•Tell the children or youth in your life how much you care for them and appreciate them. All children deserve to have
someone who is “crazy about them” and loves them unconditionally.
•Work with the kids in your life to explore their heritage and learn their family’s story. Every family has a rich story to
tell and our connections to our past help us carry forward our values and traditions.
•Connect with grandparents to preserve cultural heritage. Grandparents are an incredible source of cultural heritage —
from traditions to language to food! Encourage them to tell stories to their grandchildren and even visit their schools to
share where they come from.
For friends and neighbors:
•Compliment a father — someone you know or even someone in public — on something positive you see him do with
his children. Dads contribute uniquely to children’s development.
•Offer your time to baby-sit for the child of a friend, neighbor or family member. All parents need help sometimes —
even if it is just to rest or “recharge” for an hour or two.
•Mentor a young dad you know in growing his relationship with his kids. Some young dads may need help with transportation or in identifying helpful resources for their children.
•Support parents looking for a job by offering your professional knowledge and experience in resume writing or preparing for a job interview. Financial stability links directly with family stability and can have a big effect on the emotional
well-being of caregivers and their children.
•Encourage single mothers you know, whenever possible, to support the involvement of children’s fathers in their lives.
When non-custodial dads work to be involved in the lives of their children, they need the positive support of the child’s
other parent or caretaker to encourage the development of that relationship.
April, 2015
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•Build community trust and togetherness by inviting friends to participate in a meaningful cultural event in your life. Helping people learn
about your culture may help them understand
that despite some differences, we have a lot in
common — especially the need for support now
and then.
•Be a resource and “sounding board” for a dad
who is separated from his children. Dads provide qualities and benefits for their children no
one else can.
•Arrange a potluck event in your neighborhood
to get to know other parents and their kids.
Friends and neighbors can give outstanding support to families in times of need or stress.
For the community:
•Sponsor, volunteer at or participate in a cultural
event in your community. Families come from
different cultural backgrounds that all bring value in creating caring and compassionate communities.
•Do volunteer work for a youth- or familyserving organization in your community. Some families just need a little help from time to time, and community organizations are designed to do just that.
•Take action on legislative issues that affect children and families. Call your elected representatives, join demonstrations and be sure always to vote to show that you support services to help families raise healthy children.
•Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Caring and connected neighborhoods can be powerful in reducing neighborhood
violence and supporting struggling parents.
•Create a “Safe Children Zone” in your neighborhood. Host a community meeting with your neighbors to talk about
what each of you can do to help create a sense of safety for the children in your neighborhood.
•Volunteer at or donate resources to a local preschool or daycare center. Early education builds the foundation for a lifetime of healthy brain development.
•Ask yours or another faith-based organization in your community about
donations — even small ones — that
can be made to support families in
need. Some families need help providing for their children’s basic needs.
•Contact your local child welfare and
family-serving agencies and ask about
volunteer opportunities. Each of us has
a role to play in creating safe and
healthy communities for children.
•If you have reason to believe a child
may be at risk of harm in their home,
call your local child abuse hotline. Anyone who is worried about the wellbeing of a child can call to report their
concerns.
April, 2015
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The Franklin County Mayor’s Office and the Franklin
County Prevention Coalition would like to request
your department’s presence as we celebrate National
Day of Prayer and Franklin County Law Enforcement
Appreciation Event on May 7, 2015 at the Franklin
County Annex Football Field at 12:00 pm. We are
asking that each chief be present to be recognized for
their leadership in their respective department as well
as their officers be present to be recognized. A designated seating area will be assigned in the stands for
each department. Each department is also asked to
provide a police vehicle representing their departments
to be positioned on the track around the field. Your
city mayor and council has been contacted to join us
as we join together for this day of prayer and law enforcement appreciation.
Please RSVP by April 17, 2015 of your intent to join
us by email at tabatha.curtis@fcstn.net or by phone,
967-7825.
Be the MVP of Safe and Responsible Driving on Super Bowl Sunday
Driving Drunk Is a No-Win Situation
As one of America’s most anticipated and celebrated
sporting events, the Super Bowl brings together families, friends and fans each year to enjoy the excitement of
the big game. In many instances, fans will gather to watch the game at sports bars, restaurants or Super Bowlthemed parties. The Franklin County Prevention Coalition joined forces with law enforcement and our local
pizza delivery restaurants to spread an important safety message to the public about designating a sober driver
on Super Bowl Sunday – Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.
“Before choosing to drink, choose a sober designated driver. Avoid the unsportsmanlike conduct of driving
drunk by handing off your keys so that you, your passengers and everyone on our roads can safely arrive
home,” said Tabatha Curtis, Director of the Franklin County Prevention Coalition. “Drunk driving is always
preventable, and driving drunk could result in seriously injuring or killing yourself or someone else. Through
our partnership with our law enforcement, motorists in Franklin Co. can now expect to have a visible presence of additional enforcement and arrests of those who make the dangerous decision to drink and drive during Superbowl Sunday."
The coalition would like to extend a special thanks to the Winchester Police Dept. for their work on the campaign materials and including us on their Facebook page as an upcoming event.
April, 2015
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Drug Disposal Program
Seven years ago the FCPC rallied our community to establish a permanent drug disposal program through our
police departments. The drug collection and disposal program provides a safe disposal location for citizens to
properly dispose of unused prescription medications. The program provides an environmentally safe alternative to disposing of medications in the landfill or sewer systems that may later negatively affect the environment. The program encourages citizens to remove their unneeded medications from their homes. This reduces
access to addictive medications for accidental or intentional misuse by children in the home. Franklin County
is the only county in the state of Tennessee to have drug disposal boxes located in all our police departments.
Thanks to the Winchester Police Dept. for their participation in collecting over 600 pounds of drugs in the
past six months. These are unwanted/unused prescription drugs that have been taken safely off our streets. We
are finally seeing the needle of change move in the right direction.
Drug Testing Kits
In order to increase youth perception of parental disapproval of drug use and create community unity between
parents, youth and law enforcement, the Coalition has partnered with our local police depts. to distribute free
saliva drug test kits to parents of middle and high school age youth. During the last quarter the coalition has
been able to distribute through the Winchester Police Dept. approximately 50 FREE alcohol and drug test kits.
Youth Special Events
Thanks to the Winchester Police Department and the officers for volunteering their time to provide security
for our youth during special events at the Rain Teen Center. Last Friday night during a coalition sponsored
dance at the center, I got to witness firsthand the compassion these guys have for the youth in our community.
It was obvious the relationships they have built with the youth who were in attendance. Again, thank you!
April, 2015
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Creating the Change
While conducting our Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) program on Tuesday night of this week, I suspected
we had some juveniles in possession of tobacco products. Once again, I called upon the Winchester Police
Dept. to assist us as I requested youth to hand over any tobacco. Fortunately, only one juvenile was in possession of any tobacco product and it was an electronic cigarette. Officer Howard and two other officers joined
me as we talked to each group of participating youth. Little did we know that this encounter would spark the
creation of a new strategy for the coalition. In order to change the youth perception of law enforcement and
the role they play in our community, officers will participate with youth in the MRT program once a month.
Youth and officers will have the opportunity to speak candidly about issues in the community and how they
can be the voices "Creating the Change" among their peers. I previously forgot to mention that over 98% of
the youth in the program have been sanctioned from juvenile court for alcohol, drug, truancy, unruly behavior,
theft and assault charges. Needless to say, we are embarking on a new adventure. Change has to start somewhere and what better opportunity to engage these youth in creating the change who have a history of breaking the law. Again, thanks to the Winchester Police Dept. and your leadership for believing in PREVENTION. I look forward to sharing our results in the upcoming months.
The most important endeavor is the
striving for morality in our actions.
Our inner balance and even our very
existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty
and dignity for live.
-Albert Einstein
April, 2015
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Operation Broken Heart 2
The National Internet Crimes Against Children
(ICAC) TaskForce Commanders Public Awareness/Community Education Working Group announced today that “Operation Broken Heart 2”
will begin April 1,2015.
This two month long investigative effort of the 61
coordinated taskforces across the U.S., representing over 3,300 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, is to arrest as many offenders
as possible who:
(1) possess, manufacture, and distribute child pornography;
(2) engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes;
(3) engage in the commercial sexual exploitation of children (commonly referred to as child prostitution),
(4) engage in child sex tourism (traveling abroad for the purpose of sexually abusing foreign children) and
(5) Community education
All Statistics collected by the 61 coordinated task forces throughout the month of April and May will be collected and shared with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) for use in an upcoming national press release designating June 2014 “National Internet Safety Month.”
Because child sexual exploitation strikes at the very foundation of our society, the ICAC Task Force Commanders Public Awareness/Community
Education Working Group encourages all ICAC Task Forces throughout
the U.S. to aggressively participate in “Operation Broken Heart.”
Our first Arrest for Operation Broken Heart:
Chad Allen Martin, 24, 208 Stonewall Road, Columbia, was arrested
and charged with five counts of violation of community supervision for
life, 20 counts of sex offender violation registry, two counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor. He
remained jailed Saturday in lieu of a $300,000 bond.
April, 2015
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Aggravated Robbery– Merri ’s Mobile Village
On February 9, 2015 at approximately 10:17am, two while males armed with handguns
entered into a trailer in Merritt’s Mobile Village. The subjects stole the victim’s purse and
medication and then left in a red/maroon four door car. A sketch artist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations came in and spent time with the victim. Below are the sketches of the
individuals described by the victim.
Subject #1 is described as a white
male in his later teens to early
twenties. He is clean cut and approximately 5’6 with a stocky
build.
Subject #2 is described as a white
male in his later teens to early
twenties. He is clean cut and approximately 5’11 to 6 feet tall with
a skinny build.
If anyone has any information about this crime, please call the Winchester Police
Department or Crimestoppers.
April, 2015
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Officer Training Schedule
ARIDE
April 13-14
Shawn Bridges
Collegedale PD
ICAC
April 20-22
Ronnie Durm, Robert Morris, Ritchie Lewis, Chief Young
Nashville
Interview & Interrogation
April 27-29
Brian Wilder, James Wilder
TLETA
Advanced Traffic Crash Investigation
May 4-15
Ryan Fuller, Archie Custer
Gatlinburg PD
Domestic Violence Instructor
May 11-15
Lamar Howard, Jeff Miller
TLETA
April, 2015
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