Town of Truckee [PDF]

Truckee

Police Department

2015 Annual Report

10183 Truckee Airport Road Truckee, CA 96161 (530) 550-2323 www.townoftruckee.com [email protected]

Truckee Police Department | Annual Report 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS Town of Truckee

3

Message from the Chief

4

Organizational Chart

5

Leadership Team

6

Community Outreach

7

Crime Statistics

8

Traffic

9

Canine Unit

10

School Resource Officer

11

Investigations - Detective Unit

12

Dive Team & Bike and Boat Patrol

13

Animal Services

14

Parking District

15

Volunteers in Policing Services

16

Employee and Volunteer of the Year

17

Community Survey

18

Personnel Changes

19

2016 Priorities

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Embraced by Our Community. Esteemed by Our Profession. Truckee Police Department | Annual Report 2015

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TOWN OF TRUCKEE The Truckee Police Department was officially formed on September 1, 2001 in the lineage of the Town’s establishment in 1863 and incorporation in 1993. The 2010 census recorded a full-time population of 16,180 On the weekends and holiday periods the population can reach 30,000 to 40,000. Truckee continues to be a worldwide destination with eight world-class ski and snowboard resorts within minutes. Historic downtown offers shopping, dinning, art galleries, and hotels. The area offers everything from golf, boating, hiking, to downhill mountain biking. 2015 Town Council

Alicia Barr Mayor Town Manager

Joan deRyk Jones Vice Mayor

Carolyn Wallace Dee Council Member

Patrick Flora Council Member

Morgan Goodwin Council Member

The Truckee Way Creating the best future for our community requires the highest level of public service – every day. We will accomplish that in partnership with the Town’s citizens and our fellow governmental agencies.

Tony Lashbrook

We will treat everyone, and their point of view, with respect, courtesy, and fairness. We will approach issues with creativity and innovation. We will conduct ourselves, and the Town’s business, according to high ethical standards. We will encourage the free exchange of ideas and information by open and honest communication. We believe that non-adversarial dispute resolution result in effective community and employee involvement in the Town and its future. Mission statements are, of course, much easier to write than to apply on a daily basis. Implementing and embedding them as organizational values is the overriding challenge. Doing so often proves impossible for some governmental organizations. Why has Truckee (at least so far) succeeded where many have failed? Some, but certainly not all, of the reasons are: Sense of Place – The Town and the community it serves are united in the desire to protect and preserve the historic downtown as the heart and soul of a special place. They are equally united in the desire to preserve and protect the environment and quality of life which makes Truckee an attractive place to live and visit. These shared values shape, and frequently control the establishment of Town policies and their related actions.


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A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF On behalf of the members of the Truckee Police Department I am pleased to present our 2015 Annual Report. Truckee’s already exceptionally low crime rate saw even further decreases as our team and the community emphasized our efforts in prevention, for example, burglaries have seen a 44% decrease since 2012. Our prevention campaign especially proved true with our effort to reduce alcohol related crimes. Through our public education efforts and the positive response from our community, we saw nearly a 50% reduction in both DUI arrests and collisions. Regrettably, we did suffer one DUI traffic fatality in 2015, but I’m confident many other lives were saved with fewer drunk drivers on our roadways. 2015 was a challenging, but exciting year for the policing profession with the national policing debate consuming much of the year. Most of this conversation centered on police relationships with the communities they serve. In life and in policing all that we do starts and ends with relationships. For this reason, TPD focuses our policing strategies with this firm concept in mind. The national policing debate highlighted many other concerns about policing. Areas such as use of force, vehicle pursuits, fair & impartial policing, encountering the mentally ill, police legitimacy, body cameras, and Constitutional policing. I am pleased to report the Truckee Police Department already exceeded, or had in place the vast majority of the national best practices identified by the U.S. Department of Justice and the President’s 21st Century Report on Policing. As an example, TPD has employed officer worn body cameras since 2013. The very few policies not already consistent with the USDOJ recommendations or the President’s report were modified during the year making TPD a model agency going forward. It’s important to note as well, that the organizational culture and practice of TPD matches our policies and procedures. In other words, we do what we say and say what we do. Our partnership with the community and the many stakeholders we interact with has never been healthier. The members of the Truckee Police Department are committed to ensuring Truckee continues to be a highly desirable and safe community in which to live, work, and play. We truly appreciate the strong support we receive from our residents and guests, our elected officials, and Town staff. We embrace the concept of community oriented government that emphasizes The Truckee Way. Our core responsibilities to prevent and reduce crime, improve traffic safety, enhance emergency preparedness, and nurture community partnerships guide us in all that we do. I am proud to serve as your police chief and call Truckee home. I hope you find this annual report informative. I encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You may visit our website at www.townoftruckee.com for more information about our services or to volunteer. Please also consider signing up for our community alert system at www.nixle.com. Sincerely, Adam McGill Chief of Police


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ORGANIZATIONAL CHART


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LEADERSHIP TEAM

Operations Division

Support Division

Captain Rob Leftwich

Manager Dan Olsen

Leadership Team: Chief Adam McGill Captain Rob Leftwich Support Services Manager Dan Olsen Executive Assistant Deverie Acuff


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COMMUNITY OUTREACH               

Truckee Day Big Truck Day Drug Take Back 4th of July Halloween Pancake Breakfast National Night Out No Shave November Free Paper Shred Event Truckee Thursdays Neighborhood Block Parties Little League Parade Big Brothers & Big Sisters Stuff the Patrol Car - 333 lbs. of food was donated to Project Mana. Community Survey - Over 760 responses and over 240 comments.


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CRIME STATISTICS Crime Statistics 8 6

HOMICIDE

7 34

RAPE

ROBBERY AGGRAVATED ASSAULT BURGLARY

126

53% reduction in larceny since 2011.

LARCENY

2011

63% reduction in burglaries since 2011.

12% decrease in assaults since 2011.

POPULATION

2013

2014

2015

16,180

16,180

16,156

16,165

16,211

MURDER / HOMICIDE

0

0

2

0

0

RAPE

1

2

0

3

2

ROBBERY

2

1

3

3

1

ASSAULT

93

104

49

84

77

BURGLARY

92

61

58

44

34

253

252

130

104

119

12

17

8

11

8

479

205

427

577

425

WARRANT ARRESTS

67

51

46

44

42

CALLS FOR SERVICE

13,552

13,337

13,360

15,598

14,605

1,713

1,738

1,359

1,614

1,577

Drug Abuse Violations

69

59

57

61

59

Liquor Laws / Drunkenness

70

89

51

117

101

LARCENY VEHICLE THEFT ARRESTS

12% reduction in arrests since 2011.

2012

# Of Reports


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TRAFFIC In 2015 Truckee PD responded to over 1,460 calls for service involving traffic (speed, parking, obstruction, etc.). This was a 7% decrease from 2014. Of those, we wrote 145 collision investigation reports, of which one was a fatal. The fatality was a solo vehicle involving speed and drug impairment. Fatal investigations are handled by a specially-trained group of officers who look at all aspects of a collision to determine a cause. These officers will interview involved parties, draft a scale diagram of the collision scene using laser measuring equipment, conduct vehicle inspections, and collect evidence. These investigations often take several months to complete. In 2015, Truckee PD wrote a total of 1536 traffic citations. Almost 50% of those citations were issued for hazardous safety violations, which are the most common causes of collisions in the Truckee area. The most common hazardous violations consist of stop signs, red lights, crosswalks, and speed. Even with increased enforcement, traffic complaints continue to be one of the most common complaints to the Police Department. Truckee PD believes in measured enforcement, with long term changes requiring behavior modification which include education and engineering where appropriate. The Police Department’s approach to traffic enforcement is based on the philosophy that, in some neighborhoods, traffic enforcement is a quality of life issue that deserves a more holistic approach—rather than just writing tickets. This philosophy is evident in TPD’s ongoing Share the Road campaign, Click It or Ticket campaign, and the Distracted Driver Awareness campaigns, along with Special Enforcement Zones. With this philosophy in place, Truckee PD has maintained a consistent decline in our collision rates annually for the past few years. 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

DUIs

118

106

107

160

83

DUI Accidents

12

13

15

23

12

DUIs by Age Range 4%

19% 15-21 33%

22-31 32-51 52 & Over

44%

CITATIONS

Traffic Citations

25%

Warnings Dismissable Hazardous

52% 23%

WARNINGS

383

TRAFFIC (dismissible)

348

TRAFFIC (hazardous)

805

TOTAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS


1,536 145

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CANINE UNIT The Truckee Police Department launched the Canine Unit in 2013 and introduced its first K9, “Trax,” a black Labrador Retriever. The Canine Unit was established to promote partnership with the community and assist in reducing illegal drug activity. COMPETITION By competing in K9 Trials, Trax and his handler are able to test their skills in a competitive atmosphere while networking with other K9 handlers. In 2015, Trax competed in a series of regional canine trials for narcotics detection. Usually, 30-50 police dogs from around the western US complete in the trials. The year ended with Trax earning his first awards by placing 4th in Vehicle Searches and Overall Performance. Highlights to date: US Currency

Over 1 Million dollars of suspected drug money recovered

Marijuana

Approximately 500 pounds seized

Methamphetamine

Approximately 10 pounds seized

Arrests

Over 30 felony arrests, including a murder suspect

High School Searches

4 per school year

Presentations

Multiple all year long – Schedule yours today!


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SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER The SRO program is a partnership with Tahoe Truckee Unified School District where TTUSD pays 50% of an officer’s salary, so an officer can be assigned to Truckee campuses, primarily Truckee High School. This year saw a change in our School Resource Officer assignments as Ofc. Moreau returned to patrol and Ofc. Borden stepped in to take over the reins as the assigned School Resource Officer (SRO). The SRO is a specialized position, not only providing direct law enforcement services and support during school days to approximately 2,700 students and staff, but also building strong relationships with our youth. Student athletes from Truckee & North Lake Tahoe high schools are participating in Athlete Committed Program, which advocates a drug-free lifestyle and reinforces the value of good training habits, nutrition, communication, and model citizenship.

1 in 3 Tahoe-Truckee 9th graders (33%) said they drank alcohol in the last 30 days, compared with 1 in 5 (20%) of 9th graders statewide. *

26% of Tahoe-Truckee 11th graders are regular marijuana users, compared to the State rate of 22%.*

* Per the California Healthy Kids Survey 2014.

Average age when teens begin drinking alcohol is 14.*

Officer Noel Borden


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INVESTIGATIONS - DETECTIVE UNIT 2015 involved a reconfiguration of the Detective Unit. A Detective was rotated into the unit in a newly created Alcohol and Community Resources Detective position. That position works closely with the State Alcohol and Beverage Commission (ABC) to address concerns locally with alcohol consumption and associated crimes. This concentrated effort by the department and its community partners led to a massive reduction in DUI arrests making our roadways safer for all. Even with the changes, we stayed focused on our core mission to thoroughly investigate crimes. We focused heavily on registered sex offenders, ultimately doing follow-up from patrol compliance checks on every registered sex offender in Truckee. In addition, the unit was heavily involved in assisting outside agencies with several multi-state drug investigations that resulted in numerous arrests across the country. In 2015, detectives were called upon to interview two different homicide suspects for outside agencies. In one case, a homicide suspect from Idaho traveling on Interstate 80 attempted to avoid the Agriculture Station and was caught in the Glenshire subdivision. Det. Madden assisted Idaho authorities with interviewing the suspect and collecting evidence. In another case, CHP made a stop on a homicide suspect from Fort Bragg, N.C. that was traveling to Sacramento on Interstate 80. Authorities in Fort Bragg asked Truckee PD to assist with an interview in which Detectives obtained a full confession from the suspect and a location of where the accomplice was located. Some other cases of note in the past year include: 

Detectives developed suspects and made arrests in a string of thefts from vehicles in the Glenshire and Meadows subdivisions. The case is still ongoing and more arrests are expected.



Detectives worked several embezzlement cases from local businesses that resulted in arrests and convictions. Losses exceeded $300,000.00. The detectives are continuing to work several other embezzlement cases involving local businesses and employees.


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DIVE TEAM & BIKE AND BOAT PATROL In June of 2015 the dive team participated in Truckee Clean Up day. Divers scoured the public boat ramp area of Donner Lake removing trash, debris, and tires form the lake bottom. This was the sixth year the dive team participated, and removed a large amount of debris to help keep the lake environment clean. Officers routinely used bicycles to access areas where patrol vehicles can’t access. Officers used this form of transportation to interact with the recreating public, and ultimately strengthening community relationships. Officers assisted countless boaters this summer season by daily interactions. These interactions included; towing stranded vessels, boating enforcement, and giving advice where the fishing was good. Truckee Police and the Truckee Fire Protection District have had a regional dive team since 2003.


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ANIMAL SERVICES 2015 was another successful year for Animal Services. Our ongoing partnership with the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe is stronger than ever which was proven by a record year for both adoptions and spay/neuter services provided to the community. In addition to the community spay neuter program, the Town and Humane Society also partner in community outreach events, such as vaccination clinics, school visits to the shelter, and the summer kids camps sponsored by the Humane Society where kids come and learn about pet owner responsibility and behind the scenes at the animal shelter and clinic. In September, the Town entered into a long-term agreement with Placer County Animal Services to provide shelter services to eastern Placer County. This agreement established a regional partnership to better serve residents and visitors in the Truckee-Tahoe region and supports a governmental best practice in being as efficient and prudent as possible with the taxpayers’ dollars. The Town also continues to provide shelter services to Sierra County on an as needed basis. The animal shelter is a shared facility with the Humane Society and has three full-time and three parttime Town staff. Our two Community Service Officers continue to handle all calls for service related to animals. Below are a few of our statistics for the year. IN THE FIELD

2014

2015

ANIMAL SHELTER

2014

2015

Calls for Service

900

762

Animal Intakes at Shelter

871

923

Citations Issued

110

78

Animals Spayed / Neutered

509

484

Animal Bite Calls

53

49

Animal Adoptions

467

477

Bear Calls

128

59


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PARKING DISTRICT In 2015, the Downtown Parking District had the highest year in usage in its ten year history. It is estimated that over 400,000 transactions occurred on 30 meters in the Downtown District, with over 60% percent of those transactions being done by credit card. Also in 2015, the parking meters originally purchased in 2005, received an upgrade. The upgrade included new internal hardware and software along with a new collection system that made it easier for the end user to obtain their meter receipt. Starting in 2016, the Town will be continuing the expansion of improvements in the Brickelltown area west of the Commercial Row section of Downtown. Once construction is completed in 2017, the Brickelltown expansion will add approximately 90 parking spaces and an additional 8-10 meters to the Downtown Parking District. The Parking District is a self-funded program and receives no general fund revenue. The meter revenue and citations fines that are collected through the Parking District can only be used to fund the operations of the District. Examples of what this revenue is used for include staff costs, parking lot leases within the District, snow removal, and for equipment repairs and upgrades. Parking enforcement is carried out by the Community Service Officers in the Police Department.

Number of Parking Citations


2014

2015

1337

1293

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VOLUNTEERS IN POLICING SERVICES (VIPS) The police department currently has 21 dedicated volunteers who assist the department in a variety of areas, from snow patrols and traffic control, to working the front counter and assisting with special events. Their mission is to promote the quality of life in Truckee through a partnership between the community and the Truckee Police Department. Cumulatively, for 2015 Truckee Police Department Volunteers worked a total of 3,132 hours. Based on the state volunteer based rate of $27.00 per hour this is a savings to the Town of $84,564. However, and more realistically…in officer costs, this same contribution would equal almost $200,000. We had ten volunteers who received the President's Volunteer Service Award in 2015. The following VIPS received the Bronze Award for volunteering 100-249 hours: Joe Fiore, Al Salas, Norm Justesen, Karen Justesen, and Shirley Berg. The following VIPS received the Silver Award for volunteering 250-499 hours: Rick Lundblade, Ron Reynolds, Jody Zirelli, and John Creveling The following VIPS received the Gold Award for volunteering 500 + hours: Gary Thomas We would like to extend a warm welcome to two new VIPS, Andrea Oddo and Ed Coralla. Contact us at www.townoftruckee.com/departments/police/volunteers if you are interested in becoming a Volunteer in Police Service.


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EMPLOYEE AND VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Martin has been employed by the Town since 1995. Over the last couple years his job duties have evolved from strictly animal services to a Community Service Officer within the Police Department. Martin continues to handle animal related calls in town in addition to addressing parking issues town wide. The Downtown Area is the core of our community, and Martin takes this seriously and works hard to make this a priority in his daily duties. He has been known to discuss fishing spots, best restaurants, and other local lore with tourists when asked for information. Ask him for a quarter, he always has one since that is the easiest way to check the machines. Martin has always been a go to guy for animal issues. He knows the system well, has a ton of experience, and is a great resource. His local knowledge of pets is unmatched. He works closely with the shelter on projects and different cases. He has worked several animal cases extensively involving abuse and barking issues. He is extremely good at potentially dangerous dog cases and works with all parties for a good resolution. Officers, CSO’s, and Admin routinely seek out Martin’s advice on animal issues, even on his days off. Martin is never too busy to answer a question or help out. He is truly a team player.

Al Salas Volunteer of the Year

CSO Martin Schneider Employee of the Year

Al has over 10 years of service with the Truckee Police Volunteer Program. During this time he has been a rock solid contributor to various aspects of the program. He can be counted on to be at nearly every Truckee Thursday event during the summer. Also, he is a major contributor when we have call outs for snow patrol, moving vehicles in the right of way, assisting motorists with snow related problems. Often working behind the scenes Al is the first one to volunteer when the command trailer needs moved or a vehicle needs service. He was one of the first volunteers to patrol on bicycles this year. He rarely misses a monthly training meeting and is the one who brings to the monthly meetings the short and relevant training tips of the day designed to help keep the volunteers safe and uninjured as they go about their duties. Quiet and unassuming, perhaps the most outstanding trait this individual provides our volunteers is that he is a team player first and foremost. Whatever is needed he will help out. If someone needs assistance he will be available. He works any assignment and with any volunteer seamlessly. It is a pleasure to have him as a member of the volunteer team.


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COMMUNITY SURVEY The employees of the Truckee Police Department thank you for the 766 of respondents who participated in our Community Survey. Your feedback is important to us. We appreciate those who wrote comments, as these will serve to strengthen our department by pointing out ways that we can better deliver our services. We are mindful that our department’s effectiveness is ultimately determined by the confidence and cooperation of the community we serve. Below are some of the trends and highlights of the survey: Top Three Most Important Policing Priorities From Our Community: 1. Service Calls & Assistance 2. Traffic Regulations & Enforcement 3. Alcohol Enforcement 82% of the community feels that the Truckee Police Department is engaged in community functions, 79% of the community feels that the Police Department does its job well, and 64% of the community feel the officers respect the rights of individuals and treat people fairly.

“Thank you for your professionalism and service to our community.” “Thank you to all the men and women in the Truckee Police Department for keeping this town safe, yet friendly to all.” “I think that the Truckee PD is a very professional organization that I can trust.” “Activities to make biking more safe in Truckee has my vote! The one time I contacted Truckee PD about a biking related issue, the Chief returned my email immediately. Keep up the great work!!!” 95% of respondents stated that they feel safe in Truckee “I think they do a wonderful job. They are on the ball and do not take crimes lightly. I believe that is the biggest part of keeping our neighborhood safe is that no crime is overlooked as something too small so thieves can get away with it…”


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2015 PERSONNEL CHANGES Departures to Other Departments

Police Officer Austin Harper 2 Yrs., 10 Mo. Of Srv.

Police Officer Robert Madden 5 Yrs., 5 Mo. Of Srv.

Retirees

Captain / Reserve Officer Harwood Mitchell 10 Years of Service

Promotions

Police Officer Jason Litchie 14 Yrs Of Service

Support Srvs. Sup. Brenda Lee

Police Officer Keenan Smith

New Hires

Records Assistant Charlie McLeod 15 Years of Service


Reserve Police Officer Andrew Gartner

Office Assistant Deverie Acuff

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2016 PRIORITIES Traffic Safety Provide consistent and focused traffic education and enforcement. Increase public awareness for bicycle and pedestrian safety. Participate in national and state safety campaigns. Maintain consistent and measured DUI enforcement efforts. Continued outreach for safe winter driving and winter parking restrictions. Promote the Responsible, Safe, & Legal use of Alcohol/Drugs through Education & Enforcement Public and media presentations. Create and maintain community partnerships. Social Host Ordinance. Community Outreach / Engagement Ambassadors for our community. Public police academy. Public presentations. Community events. Bicycle, foot and trail patrols. Donner Lake Annual Report Partnerships with key regional stakeholders Enhance Volunteer (VIP) Opportunities Ambassadorship foot patrols downtown Assist with parking details Office work. Vacation checks. Senior shut in checks. Routine patrols. Vehicle Abatement Program Trails


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