Briefing Room November 2012

Sheriff David A. Weaver

November, 2012

REAL LIFE TRAINING FOR REAL WORLD DANGER Undersheriff : “Without a doubt, this kind of training saved his life.”

Police from all over the state can now train for real-life dangerous situations in a new law enforcement facility that boasts the newest interactive computer program that spits out virtual bad guys, a tactical bay area to practice high-risk traffic stops, a huge defensive tactics mat room and one of the largest classrooms available. See pages 5 & 6 for “New Facility” 6,322 PIECES OF CANDY FOR LITTLE MONSTERS At Trick-or-Treat Street in Highlands Ranch and the DCSO See page 6

Diaper Candy !

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Sheriff’s Message, page 2 Happy Equals Healthy, page 3 How do you say ‘Sheriff” in Russian?, page 4 New Facility, pages 5 & 6 Who Dunnit?, page 7 Lil’ Monsters, page 8 Pancakes and Tips page 9 Stop! An app for that, page 10 Code Red, page 11 Shave & Save, page 12 Facebook Feedback, page 13 Calendar of Events, page 14

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, CO 80109 303-660-7505 www.dcsheriff.net Non emergency: 303-6607500 Patrol: 303-660-7546 Jail Info: 303-660-7550 Traffic Safety Hotline:

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

CHILD SAFETY KIT

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Message from the Sheriff: Dear Parents, With the recent news about a child abduction in Colorado, we’re all wondering how we can protect our own children. Parents have stopped by the station to say they feel somewhat helpless. We’re here to help.

Just in the last few weeks, our deputies taught more than 4,500 students in middle and elementary schools about how 'Friendly faces can fake us out.' While most people are friendly, School Resource Officer Jay Martin tells children that a small number of people are not so nice. He gives kids tips to protect themselves. Never get too close to a car of someone you don't know, use a buddy system and, above all, trust your instincts.

Deputy Martin also teaches children how to get away. He calls it, 'Stun, run and yell.' That means kids should throw their backpack at the stranger’s face, run away and yell loudly. Our deputies conduct this on-going training throughout the year at elementary and middle schools across Douglas County.

Our deputies also show the students a video that is a wake-up call to most kids and their parents. Don't think your kid would ever wander away with a stranger? Just watch "Stranger Danger," produced by NBC Dateline News.

You can also take action by visiting one of our two Sheriff's stations in Castle Rock or Highlands Ranch and picking up a Douglas County Child Safety Identification Kit. The kits are put out by the Child Abduction Response Team or CART. The kits give you the resources to collect your child's fingerprints, DNA, photos and critical personal, medical and social media information should something go wrong. Parents keep the kits.

The main goal of CART is to quickly find and safely return missing or abducted children. The team consists of investigators from law enforcement agencies around the county, search and rescue personnel and many other experienced professionals. To learn more about it, visit our website at www.dcsheriff.net.

Finally, the Douglas County School District also has safety and stranger danger tips. Just click here to download the tips.

Together, we can stay safe.

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

HAPPY= HEALTHY

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POLL: AMERICANS WHO LIKE WHERE THEY LIVE AND FEEL SAFE ARE IN BETTER HEALTH That’s great news for Douglas County, where 99% of residents feel safe.

“That’s just one reason why the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is so committed to community safety and why, a few years ago, we changed the culture in our office for deputies to be highly trained in defensive tactics, physically fit and healthy,” Undersheriff Tony Spurlock, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, DCSO, said.

Undersheriff Tony Spurlock

The DCSO opened up a new LawFit Obstacle Course at the grand opening of the tactical training facility compound last month in Littleton.

Officers will be able to scale a five-foot wall, drag around a 150pound dummy, crawl through windows, compete in long jumps and step up stairs to stay in shape on the obstacle course. The facility also includes weight-training equipment.

While deputies are required to be skilled with weapons and be physically fit, their job description alone means they have to out-run, out-wrestle and subdue bad guys. The average age of a suspect involved in criminal activity is between 18 and 24 years old, the Undersheriff says.

“Staying physically fit is valuable for their job, their families, their fellow officers and the public,” Spurlock said.

The Gallup poll also finds Americans who feel good about their community are less likely to experience physical pain, to be obese, and to report having ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes. They are also more likely to report feeling well-rested and having enough energy.

Their Physical Health Index scores are nine points higher than those of people unsatisfied with their communities or feel their community is becoming a worse place to live.* Surveys show 99% of residents in DougCo feel safe.

Gallup finds that Americans who feel safe while walking alone at night in the city or area where they live are in better physical health than those who do not feel safe doing so. Similarly, those who say they have easy access to a safe place to exercise in the city or area where they live are in better physical health than those who don't. *October 12, 2012 Gallup Poll results, by Lauren Besal and Kyley McGeeney

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

RUSSIAN VISIT

Page 4

Five leaders from Ulan-Ude, Russia—a city that didn’t allow foreigners until 1991—learned about the American way of life by visiting people in Parker and Douglas County, including the Sheriff’s Office.

The delegation climbed inside DCSO’s Bearcat armored vehicle, got behind the wheel of cruisers and toured the dispatch 9-11 center.

No doubt one of the Russians muttered, “Шериф cool” (“the Sheriff is cool.”)

The leaders were taking part in the Open World Program, that furthers tolerance, understanding and cooperation between the U.S. and other countries. The delegates got to travel the country, getting a first-hand look at our people, cities, governments and businesses.

While in Parker, the visitors met the mayor, council members, county officials and also toured our courthouse. Later, the delegates were expected to check out the state Capital and explore Colorado.

So, just where is Ulan-Ude? With just 100-thousand more people than Douglas County, the city is the third largest in Eastern Siberia. According to Wikipedia, the city boasts the largest statute in the world of the head of Vladimir Lenin in the central square.

Built in 1970 for the centennial of Lenin's birth, it towers over the main plaza at 7.7 meters (25 ft) and weighs 42 tons. The city has long, dry, frigid winters and short and very warm summers.

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

NEW FACILITY

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Continued from page 1...

“It’s one of the premier training facilities in the United States by far,” Bob Armstrong, former Deputy Director of CBI, said. “Police can use it as much as they want, anytime they want.”

The 20,000 square foot addition to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility (HRLETF) in Highlands Ranch, officially opened October 25th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility is the training ground for 2,400 law enforcement officers from 64 agencies, including local, state and federal agencies.

The new facility sits on a compound with eight shooting ranges, a sniper area, a repelling tower, classrooms, storage facilities, an area for Necro Search International that studies animal decomposition and a fitness obstacle course. The new facility was the project of Administrative Services Bureau Chief and H.R.L.E.T.F board member, Holly Nicholson-Kluth.

“Holly has been the mastermind behind this facility,” Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver said. “We are so thankful for her hard work.”

Mission Viejo, which was purchased by Shea Homes donated the 165 acres of land for the compound and new training facility. Shea Homes continues to be a supportive partner with the Foundation.

“I don’t know where we as a county would be without you,” Sheriff Weaver said to the owners of Shea Homes. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am very proud of our partnership.”

The $1.1 million multi-regional facility is jointly managed and funded by the Douglas and Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Offices and by the non-profit Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Foundation, Inc. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4….

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

New facility

Page 6

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 With this, we do things right. We provide a great service to taxpayers with very little resources. You get your bang for the buck,” Arapahoe County Undersheriff Dave Walcher said. “With this facility, our trainees are spoiled. They don’t know just how great this is.”

The facility also allows officers to simulate firearms defensive training using vehicles, (or police car shells,) as barriers. In the past, Douglas County Undersheriff Tony Spurlock says deputies were training in the dark and cold with their own cars, which was “complicated and difficult.”

“Now we can do this kind of training all the time inside the facility, even in the winter,” Spurlock said. “People don’t learn well when it’s 20 below and the wind’s blowing.”

Spurlock believes that very kind of real world training saved the life of Deputy Michael Garcia in 2010, who had nothing but his car to stop 24 bullets fired by a drunk outside a bar in Castle Rock.

“I believe that special training, the kind that will be even easier in this facility, without a doubt saved his life,” Spurlock said.

Police can also practice their split-second reactions with a virtual computer program that dumps them into scenarios where gunmen are shooting at random. Every moment matters.

“You are how you train,” Former Douglas County Sheriff Stephen Zotos said. “You have to have the skills because things happen in the snap of a finger, and that officer will be judged for weeks after and praised or criticized for that moment.”

Zotos had the vision for the facility in 1983, after he took office as Douglas County Sheriff. With time, hard work and cooperation, he brought together resources and connections from various agencies to make it a state-of-the art facility today.

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

Who Dunnit?

Page 7

Deputies roped off parts of Surrey Ridge Road and Havana and waived traffic around two cars that faced awkwardly, headed the wrong way and going nowhere anytime soon. It looked like a crash.

It was actually a mock accident scene with two police cruisers, set up by Douglas County’s Traffic Unit to teach patrol deputies how to understand and investigate basic crash investigations.

Instructor and lead investigator Jeff Burke told his 10 students they had to figure out where the cars were before the crash, how fast they were going and which driver was at fault. They also had to interview and interpret witness statements.

“Patrol deputies often reneed to know how to inmine fault and issue a citon, DCSO Traffic Unit

spond to crash scenes. They vestigate the accident, detertation,” Deputy John Compsaid.

In the end, all of the stumined the gray car was at been speeding.

Way to go, deputies!

dents got it right! They deterfault because the driver had

CRASH FACTS DCSO 2012 semi-annual stats

• There was a 5% increase in total vehicle accidents between the first half of 2011 and the first half of 2012.

• The top accident location during the first half of 2012 was Quebec Street and County Line Road with 14 accidents. It was also the top accident location during the first half of 2011.

• Quebec St. and Lincoln Ave. (University Blvd) was the second highest accident location with 12 accidents.

• The peak accident day and time was Tuesday between 3:00 p.m. and 359 p.m.

• Most crashes happen on Fridays.

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

LIL’ MONSTERS

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Trick-or-Treaters wound their way through a quarter-mile long Halloween House at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Friday. The next day, Sheriff’s Deputies passed out candy to hundreds of little monsters at Trick-or-Treat Street at the Eastridge Recreation Center in Highlands Ranch.

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

PANCAKES & TIPS

Page 9

Thanks to Castle Pines Village for serving us Emergency Services Appreciation Breakfast!

At YOUR SERVICE This year’s Tip-A-Cop raised $3,143 for Special Olympics. Big thanks to Red Robin Restaurants and Deputies James Mason, Karissa Russell, Rodney Stucky and Jermy Newkirk!

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

STOP! The App

Page 10

WITNESS A CRIME OR HAVE A TIP? Metro Denver Crime Stoppers has an App for that!

On November 9, Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers will officially launch its iPhone, Blackberry & Android App which will allow users and witnesses of crimes to bypass the phone queue and instantly report crimes with specific details built-in to this first of its kind technology in the United States.

Metro-Denver Crime Stopper is the first to have and host this technology.

The application also allows Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers to send “push notifications” to its users in Amber Alerts, Medina Alerts and some of the more serious crimes. Most importantly, Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers will keep its promise of “Absolute Anonymity” for witnesses and offer rewards for accurate information which results in the arrest and the filing of criminal charges against a felony criminal or the apprehension of a felony fugitive.

The mission of Metro Denver Crime Stoppers is to increase the safety of the Metro Denver community by assisting Law Enforcement Agencies in identifying and arresting criminal suspects through anonymous tips.

In addition, the Crime Stoppers program provides community education outreach related to crime prevention. www.metrodenvercrimestoppers.com www.facebook.com/MetroCrimeStoppers Questions?

Call Larry L. Stevenson Phone: 720-308-0757 or 720-854-8896 Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

CodeRED

Page 11

CodeRED Life can change in a moment

make sure you are connected

Life can change with just a moment’s notice, so it’s important for emergency response personnel to be able to connect with residents in an emergency.

In an effort to take advantage of new technology and ensure accurate crisis communication with residents, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and all other Douglas County agencies have transitioned to a new mass notification system called CodeRED. CodeRED is a high-speed telephone emergency notification system that allows public safety personnel to send messages directly to residents – whether they are home or away - during an emergency.

It uses geo-tracking to target specific areas with prerecorded phone messages, emails or texts.

Some of you may have signed up with a previous system. County and municipal agencies are no longer using that system. Though contact information will be transferred to the new system, all residents should sign up with the new system to make sure we have your contact information. Business owners are also encouraged to register.

The Douglas County Emergency Telephone Service Authority decided earlier this year to go with a different notification provider. After requesting proposals from a variety of providers, CodeRED rose to the top.

The authority, which is funded by a monthly 70-cent phone surcharge on all cell phones and landlines within the County, will pay for the system.

Like the former system, CodeRED alerts may be used in situations such as police activity in the area, an Amber Alert, wildfires or other emergencies. The system does not issue weather alerts.

To ensure your information is included in CodeRED, you must sign up. Registering is free online at http://NotifyDouglasCounty.org Please give us your first and last name, address (no P.O. Boxes), city, state, ZIP code and primary phone number. Data will be kept confidential.

Residents can also sign up using cell phone numbers and emails, because dispatch centers can also use CodeRED to send messages via text message or email. If you move, you will have to reregister with your new address.

You can also subscribe to the DCSheriff news blog and receive alerts via email, facebook, and twitter. Just sign up! Go to www.dcsheriff.net and click on the Facebook and Twitter icons in the middle of the home page. Sheriff's Office news can be accessed here: http://www.dcsheriff.net/newsroom/

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

Shave & Save

Page 12

What would make a grown man with a semi-full head of hair shave it all off?

Lt. Brian Murphy left it all on the table for 10-year-old Preston with Hodgkins Lymphoma, 6-year-old Austin with a kidney tumor, and 1-year-old Tuesday who has the most deadly pediatric cancer, Neuroblastoma.

None of them have hair either because they’re fighting tumors, blood disorders and cancers that have ravaged their small bodies.

Oh yes he did!

Lt. Murphy and others have mowed off their hair for six years straight to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a childhood cancer research charity.

In the last six years, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Parker Police, Castle Rock Police, Littleton Police and the community at large have raised more than $250,000 to fight childhood cancer.

The battle’s underway. In the new year, they need your help. The goal for the seventh annual March 2013 fundraiser is $50,000.

“Your donations are crucial, as it’s strictly a volunteer organization,” Deputy Niles Ackerson, DCSO SWAT member says. “The donations allow some of the most brilliant Tuesday Preston, 10-years-old minds to study cancerous cells and research cures for clinical trials. Without the donations and the funding from the government, these researchers would not be able to do their jobs properly.”

Deputy Ackerson lost his child to cancer. He doesn’t want other parents or little girls and boys to suffer.

“I urge you to help these child warriors battle a microscopic enemy. They are true heroes with strong hearts and more courage than you can possibly imagine,” Ackerson says. ”Step up this year. Donate. Volunteer. Without your help, doctors can’t help the kids win the battle.”

Please check out this website and help: http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/SheriffYear7 Or contact Deputy Niles Ackerson Nackerso@DCSheriff.net 303-947-2446 Deputy Niles Ackerson

Fundraiser at Douglas County Events Center, Castle Rock

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

“LIKE” US!

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NEW to The Briefing Room

FACEBOOK FEEDBACK https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountySheriff “Thanks! I noticed a few of ya’ll out there this morning (could have been CRPD too). Thanks for all ya’ll do!”

KS Mc, Facebook Fan October 27th, 2012 A Facebook Fan told us about crazy drivers around Rock Ridge Elementary School on-line. The next day, we had deputies patrolling the area during school hours.

“The Stranger Danger tips posted earlier this month were very helpful.”

Q: Where can we get more information about child safety?

A: Parents can get Child Safety Identification Kits at the Sheriff’s Offices in Castle Rock and/or Highlands Ranch. The kits come with instructions about how to take your child’s DNA, fingerprints and gather critical information such as their social media usernames and passwords.

Want to know what’s going on in the

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office?

Please go to our FACEBOOK page and “LIKE” us!

• Ask us questions about law enforcement, safety issues and sign up for urgent alerts.

• Tell us what’s happening in your neighborhood, your schools, your work.

• Read the Sheriff’s blog, The Blue Blotter, about outstanding people in the DCSO.

Vision: To BE THE LEADER in public safety!

NEW FACILITY GOOD TIMES

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DOUGLAS COUNTY GOVERNMENT Upcoming events

Douglas County

A

Calendar at a Glance

Continued from pag 1…

WANT TO STAY IN THE LOOP?

Check out our NEW EVENTS CALENDAR on the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office website “ at www.dcsheriff.net/events/ and learn about K-9 Unit demonstrations, bomb-robot displays, when and where you can check out our Mobile Command Unit and meet our deputies, Undersheriff and Sheriff!

Don’t forget our NEWS FEED. Find out what’s happening all around you by subscribing to our news feed at http://www.dcsheriff.net/newsroom/ NOVEMBER 2012 • 17th The 14th Annual International Survivors of Suicide Day, 8:30 a.m. registration, program 9:00 a.m. to noon. An annual day of healing for bereavement after suicide. Presented by the Colorado Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevent. At the Jubilee Fellowship Church, 8200 Southpark Circle, Highlands Ranch. For more information, email AFSP-Colorado@afsp.org.

•

DECEMBER 2012 • 1st Holiday Celebration, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Civic Green/Redstone Park in Highlands Ranch. A free, fun family event with Children’s holiday Douglas County Sheriff’s Office music, holiday food and fun.

4000 Justice Way • 7th Hometown Holiday, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Town CenCastle Rock, CO 80109 ter South of Highlands Ranch. Presented by HRCA, this cele303-660-7505 www.dcsheriff.net bration extravaganza has winter wonderland filled activities Non emergency: 303-660-7500 including caroling, entertainment, food and Santa! Santa Patrol: 303-660-7546 leaves as 7:30 p.m.

Jail Info: 303-660-7550 •

Traffic Safety Hotline:

12th The Long Blue Line and Cops Fighting Cancer. 9:00 303-660-7539 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. law enforcement officers will lead a vehicle Case Tip Line: 303-660-7579 Community Resources: procession to Children’s Hospital. There, officers will visit 303-660-7544 more than 7,000 patients and deliver gifts. It’s the 10th annual Records: 303-660-7545 event. Contact Tom Cornelius, Community Resources at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office forTHE more: tcorneli@dcsheriff.net Vision: To BE LEADER in public safety!