Blue Ribbon Campaign supports area law enforcement; two flee police, are Tased and arrested; one cited for indecent exposure in vehicle
As we see in today’s blotter items below, law enforcement officers take care of (and put up with) a lot in our community.
In appreciation of their efforts, the Lawrence Police Foundation kicked off its Blue Ribbon Campaign on Monday to show support for Douglas County law enforcement, including the Lawrence, Baldwin City and Eudora police departments, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas University Public Safety Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
The Blue Ribbon Campaign encourages area businesses, organizations and members of the public to display blue ribbons around on a few trees, light posts or other items in front of their buildings or residences as a “thank you” to law enforcement.
https://www.facebook.com/LawrencePoliceFoundation/photos/a.1450534108520641.1073741830.1444283772479008/1687638991476817/?type=3&theater
The idea originated after the Lawrence Police Foundation asked area businesses to write thank-you messages on their marquees and other signs in the area. The foundation posted on its webpage that those messages meant the world to many area officers.
“The response from the business community was great, but the reaction of the men and women who serve our community was overwhelming as they were out on patrol and read these messages,” the website reads. “While they don’t ask for any fanfare it means a lot to them to know the community supports them.”
https://www.facebook.com/LawrencePoliceFoundation/photos/a.1450534108520641.1073741830.1444283772479008/1685631735010876/?type=3&theater
For more information, visit http://lawrencepolicefoundation.org/blue-ribbon.html.
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Sunday, 5:05 p.m.
A Lawrence police officer attempting to make a routine traffic stop for an alleged traffic violation near Sixth Street and Kasold Drive was led on a pursuit when the driver refused to stop and fled southbound on Schwarz Road, Lawrence Police spokesman Sgt. McKinley said.
As the driver drove away, he allegedly “violated stop signs, failed to signal turns and accelerated to approximately 70 mph on Ninth Street where the vehicle went west,” McKinley said. The driver then went south on Kasold Drive, but as he did, the front passenger-side tire started to lose air
The driver stopped the car near 10th Terrace and Randall Road, then allegedly fled on foot. An officer chased the man on foot, seeing that the man was carrying an “unidentified object” in his hand while running away, McKinley said.
Eventually the man tried to jump over a fence in a nearby yard, but was unsuccessful. The officer then tried to arrest the man, but he attempted to resist. The officer deployed a Taser on the man, “which was effective in stopping additional attempts to resist arrest,” McKinley said.
The man was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for clearance from the Taser shock, in accordance with Lawrence Police Department policy. When he was cleared, he was booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of felony fleeing/attempt to elude law enforcement, drug possession and possession of drugs (suspected to be PCP) with the intent to distribute, McKinley said.
Another example of how it typically only gets worse if you see flashing lights behind you and don’t pull over. Luckily, no one was injured in this chase, but that isn’t always the case, especially when speeds exceed the speed limit.
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Friday, 4:02 p.m.
A Lawrence police officer noticed a man with an active warrant for his arrest. When the officer attempted to make contact, the man ran from the officer into a garage. Inside, he fought with the officer, leaving the officer with minor injuries.
The officer used a Taser in this case, as well, which McKinley said was also “effective in stopping the subject’s resistance. The man was taken to LMH for medical clearance, then booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of battery on a law enforcement officer, obstruction of the legal process and the warrant.
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Saturday, 7:54 p.m.
What started out as a report of gunshots down the street ended up in a citation for lewd behavior, Lawrence McKinley said.
A resident in the area of Lawrence Avenue and Trail Road called police to report hearing a loud noise coming from somewhere down the block from where the caller was. Officers responded, walking in the direction the caller indicated.
As they walked, they noticed a vehicle idling in the street with a man inside who appeared to be asleep. But as the officer approached, the man was found to have his pants down and his genitals exposed, McKinley said.
The man admitted to his sexual conduct in the vehicle and, when asked about the alleged gunshot, told police it had been the sound of his lawnmower backfiring. He’d been mowing the lawn earlier and when the mower backfired, he “decided to take a nap in his vehicle rather than continue mowing,” McKinley said.
Officers issued the man a citation for indecent exposure.
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And now for our regular 911 call roundup. As always, I’ll remind you that this is a list of noteworthy calls I pulled from the Lawrence Police Department call log. Not all calls yielded police reports, and many may have gone unsubstantiated. The list is meant to give you an idea of what kinds of calls police are responding to within a given time period.
This list is a collection of calls that police responded to between Monday and Tuesday mornings:
Violence
• Disturbance (verbal or physical arguments): 3
• Domestic disturbance: 2
• Stabbing: 1
Traffic
• Injury accident: 1
• Noninjury accident: 11
Medical
• Medical: 4
• Suicide threat: 3
• Suicide attempt: 1
Person crimes
• Sex crime: 1
• Criminal threat: 2
Miscellaneous
• Suspicious activity: 8
• Prowler: 1
• Noise or Nuisance: 4
Welfare
• Child welfare check: 3
• Adult welfare check: 2
• Animal welfare check: 1
Substance concerns
• Drug activity: 1
• Alcohol poisoning: 1
Property crimes
• Stolen vehicle: 2
• Burglary: 1
• Theft: 2
• Trespassing: 4