Merriam Police Annual Report, 2016

MERRIAM POLICE 2016 Annual Report

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 1

CONTENTS 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 12 14 15

BUDGET REPORT FORFEITURE REPORT CRIME STATISTICS INVESTIGATIONS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY PATROL DIVISION CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES POLICE TRAINING OFFICERS AT WORK COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TESTIMONIALS HONORS & NEW OFFICERS

CITY POPULATION

11,288

CALLS FOR SERVICE

9,395

SELF-INITIATED CALLS

18,924

WRITTEN REPORTS

3,877

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

705

CAR SEAT CHECKS

130

POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES

36

TORCH RUN MONEY RAISED

$22,215.53 TOTAL BUDGET

$3,787,307 2 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

MESSAGE FROM

THE CHIEF Merriam Residents,

Hello, and welcome to the 2016 Merriam Police Department Annual Report. I hope that you find the information provided interesting and useful. The staff works very hard to compile and present the information about the previous year in a useful way.

The officers work hard to provide the best possible service to the citizens of Merriam. Our Community Policing philosophy along with the Core Values of Courage…Sacrifice…Compassion guide the officers daily activity and decision making. We strive to be a part of the Merriam community by providing opportunities like Coffee with a Cop, the Citizens Police Academy, station tours, ride-a-longs, and even handing out candy on Halloween from our patrol cars, to allow for positive interaction with our officers. We are active supporters of Special Olympics helping to organize fundraisers like the Hero’s Pull, Polar Plunge, Torch Run, and the Popcorn Stand-Off. Training is a high priority; we believe that a well-trained officer is more confident, more professional, and a better decision maker. We empower officers to use critical thinking skills and discretion to make good decisions based on their training, and to provide service that is best for the community.

In 2016, we hired three new police officers and the department’s first crime analyst. Crime statistics included will give you a picture of what our officers do each year. You will see that most of our crime is related to the theft of property. We have included a report of our Special Law Enforcement Trust Fund, along with an overview of the budget required to operate the police department.

We thank you for taking the time to read our annual report and hope that you can attend a few of our events in 2017. We will continue to work hard to move the department in a positive direction. Thank you for allowing me to be your Chief of Police and don’t hesitate to call us if you need anything.

Respectfully submitted, Michael Daniels

Chief of Police If you enjoy social media, please follow us:

T WIT TER: @MerriamPolice and @MerriamPDChief | FACEBOOK: @MerriamPolice | www.merriam.org/MPD

PATROL COMMANDER Major Darren McLaughlin INVESTIGATIONS COMMANDER Captain Troy Duvanel SUPPORT SERVICES COMMANDER Captain Todd Allen

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 3

FORFEITURE REPORT According to K.S.A. 60-4117, law enforcement agencies are required to report the status of their Special Law Enforcement Trust Fund in an “annual report.” The report must include the type and approximate value of the forfeited property, the amount of any forfeiture proceeds received, and how any of those proceeds were expended.

This section is included in all annual reports to ensure that the Merriam Police Department stays in compliance with K.S.A. 60-4117. Any questions concerning specific details should be directed to the City of Merriam’s Finance Department.

Drug Forfeiture Activities in 2016 On Jan. 1, 2016, there was $71,879.35 in the Merriam Special Law Enforcement Fund.

Through the course of the year, the following receipts and expenses were made to this fund: RECEIPTS Total funds received Interest earned on account in 2016 Total Assets for 2016:

$9,060.25 $457.58 $9,518.13

EXPENDITURES Attorney’s fees (includes Johnson County District Attorney fees) Uniforms Training Ammunition Total expenditures in 2016:

$1,428.60 $2,981.63 $1,495.00 $2,317.52 $8,222.75

Fund balance as of Jan. 1, 2017: $73,174.43

BUDGET

EXPENSE REPORT

In 2016, Merriam’s total police budget was $3,787,307. This amount included all projected costs of personnel, contractual services, commodities, and capital outlay purchases. Of the total budget, $3,388,322 was dedicated to employee salaries and benefits. During the 2016 budget year, the Merriam Police Department spent $3,696,588. Below is a breakdown of expenditures by major categories as of December 31, 2016.

PERSONNEL This budget item includes salaries, benefits, overtime costs, and other expenses.

B U D G E T E D: $3,388,322

S PE N T: $3,390,986

PE R C E N T O F B U D G E T S PE N T: 100.01%

CONTRACTUAL SERVICES This budget item includes utilities, equipment rental and repair, custodial services, training expenses, vehicle repair, and building maintenance.

B U D G E T E D: $219,585

S PE N T: $188,360

PE R C E N T O F B U D G E T S PE N T: 86%

SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT This budget item includes office equipment, police equipment, uniforms, and fuel.

B U D G E T E D: $173,200

S PE N T: $117,242

PE R C E N T O F B U D G E T S PE N T: 68%

Police department spending was approximately $90,719 under budget in 2016.

4 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

2016 CRIME STATISTICS Each year, we report crimes to the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.

The following are examples of some of these crimes.

MURDER

RAPE

ROBBERY

ASSAULTS

BURGLARY

THEFT

AUTO THEFT

ARSON

0

5

4

152

48

427

96

2

INVESTIGATIONS In 2016, detectives were assigned 516 cases. Of these cases, 127 have been cleared and detectives are still investigating 87.

2016

THEFT

SIMPLE ASSAULT

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

FINANCIAL CRIMES

BURGLARY

105

54

49

45

36

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

UNATTENDED DEATH

CHILD IN NEED OF CARE

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

SEX CRIMES

22

21

15

14

12

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 5

CRIMINAL ACTIVITY The Merriam Police Department tracks criminal activity and trends by dividing the city into grids that separate residential areas from business areas, as much as possible.

GRID

ARSON

MURDER

RAPE

ROBBERY

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

SIMPLE ASSAULT

BURGLARY

THEFT

AUTO THEFT

TOTALS

The chart below will give you information on some of the crime reports taken in each grid during 2016.

A

1

0

0

0

0

18

7

24

8

58

B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

7 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 3 1 1 0 0 2 3 0

16 3 1 19 0 1 1 0 13 20 7 0 14 1 5 1 0 1 5 1

6 2 3 3 0 0 2 10 2 0 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 2 1 0

30 14 23 13 9 0 17 8 7 0 6 2 4 4 16 2 23 4 15 1 22 14 10 0 51 7 10 2 35 5 2 0 6 3 11 2 106 4 0 3

74 43 13 50 7 9 11 28 47 37 51 11 78 16 46 3 10 18 120 4

Totals

2

0

5

4

25

127

48

427

6 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

GRID MAP

96

Blue lines represent the grid boundaries. *Grid Q is the Merriam City Hall Complex.

PATROL DIVISION The patrol division comprises three patrol shifts and a traffic unit; it is responsible for answering calls for service, traffic enforcement, traffic accidents and other tasks essential to serving the citizens of Merriam.

Last year, our officers answered 9,395 calls for service.

These calls range from simple city ordinance violations to severe crimes involving personal injury or death. Merriam police officers also conducted more than 18,924 selfinitiated citizen contacts. These included traffic stops, suspicious person checks, business checks, community outreach and other miscellaneous duties.

Officers took 3,868 criminal offense reports, resulting in 1,262 arrests.

CITI Z E NS ACADEMY In 2008, the Merriam Police Department introduced its first Citizens Police Academy. Since then, the program has benefited citizens, officers and the department.

The Academy provides citizens a first-hand look at what a police officer does on a daily basis. All classes are designed to emulate the daily responsibilities of a Merriam police officer. Citizens are given the opportunity to participate in as many of the trainings as they feel comfortable.

Training sessions consist of more than just watching videos and listening to lectures. More than half of the time is actually spent in hands-on training.

Students practice shooting handguns on the firearms range, and some even dare to experience a Taser shock. In addition to classes and exercises, students also go on a ride-along with a police officer during an actual shift. This provides a realistic opportunity for students to see how all that they’ve learned can be applied in the field.

The 2016 Citizens Police Academy consisted of ten weekly three-hour sessions from August 24 – October 26, 2016. The following items are covered during the program: • Domestic Violence • Use of Force • Taser • Firearms • Defensive Tactics • DUI Enforcement • Police Equipment • Basic Patrol Procedures • Traffic Stops

• Accident Investigation • Radar/Lidar • Search and Seizure • Investigations • Merriam City Court • Tour of the Johnson County Jail • Tour of Johnson County Communications Center • Johnson County Crime Lab 2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 7

MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT The enforcement of traffic laws is an important part of a police officer’s job, a duty that directly contributes to public safety in the community. The purpose of traffic enforcement is to reduce traffic accidents and save lives. In 2016, Merriam officers issued 6,790 traffic citations.

The following numbers represent some of the violations that Merriam officers issued citations for in 2016:

SPEEDING

2,127

NO PROOF OF INSURANCE

1,331

SEATBELT VIOLATIONS

418

DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE

TRAFFIC SIGNAL VIOLATIONS

148

STOP SIGN VIOLATIONS

107

DUI

107

253

CRASHES

One of the fundamental duties of any police department is to investigate motor vehicle crashes. The City of Merriam has 65 miles of roadway within its borders, including approximately three miles of interstate highway. According to data provided by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) the portion of Interstate 35, just north of 75th Street, is the busiest section of highway in the State of Kansas. KDOT estimates that over 150,000 cars drive through the city each day.

With the types of roadways that run through Merriam, and the high number of businesses and general drive-through traffic, the problem of traffic control and crash investigation becomes a fulltime challenge.

2016 CRASH FACTS There were 705 motor vehicle accidents reported to the Merriam Police Department in 2016 compared to 648 in 2015. Of these: »» 189 accidents involved some level of personal injuries »» 428 accidents resulted in damage of more than $1,000 »» 26 accidents were alcohol-related • There were injuries in 6 of these »» 62 were on private property »» 73 were minor accidents under $1,000 NOTE: The above statistics do not include crashes reported to and investigated by KHP that occurred on I-35.

TOP CRASH LOCATIONS The section of Shawnee Mission Parkway in Merriam accounted for 26% of all accidents in 2016. These top 10 locations accounted for 57% of all accidents in Merriam in 2016.

8 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY & I-35 JOHNSON DRIVE & I-35 75TH STREET & I-35 67TH STREET & I-35 ANTIOCH & SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY IKEA WAY & SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY ANTIOCH & I-35 HADLEY & SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY CRAIG AND SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY ANTIOCH & 75TH STREET

103 73 67 51 29 24 19 15 12 12

TRAINING

USE OF

FORCE

The State of Kansas requires all police officers to complete a state-sponsored police academy. The Merriam Police Department also requires new officers to complete a 12 to 14 week field training program. The State of Kansas requires certified police officers to receive a minimum of 40 hours of training each year. Merriam police officers received an average of 134 hours of training in 2016.

Law enforcement officers face many challenges — one is the need to occasionally use force to subdue a violent offender, or take a person into custody for their own protection. Merriam officers arrested 1,262 individuals in 2016, and they had to use force in 26 of those incidents.

This is a testament to our officers’ ability to de-escalate tense situations, and gain compliance without force.

The Merriam Police Department makes it a top priority to conduct comprehensive examinations of any incident when force is involved in making an arrest. It is critical to be absolutely sure each use of force was necessary and within policy. Therefore, each of these types of incidents is reviewed by the officer’s supervisor and a 3-member Use of Force Panel, for a thorough analysis. The panel and supervisor examine the reports, videos, witness statements, and other evidence to get a complete understanding of the incident. Finally, recommendations are made for the training committee to consider whether lessons learned from the incident could benefit all officers in future work, and improve best practice standards.

All of the 26 use of force incidents in 2016 were reviewed and found to be within department policy. We believe that our comprehensive oversight not only makes the community safer, but also makes officers more accountable.

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 9

OFFICERS AT WORK Merriam Police Officers respond to many different types of calls for service. The following are examples of memorable incidents handled by Merriam officers in 2016. The incidents on this list were submitted by the patrol supervisors.

01-07-2016

04-06-2016

Officers checked on a vehicle sitting on the exit ramp from I-35 to Antioch. There were three males asleep in the vehicle as well as a 3-year-old child awake and unrestrained in the back seat. Two of the men had loaded handguns in their lap. A large bag of marijuana was also found in the vehicle.

Officers carefully took all of the men into custody. It was discovered that all were gang affiliated. The driver of the vehicle was the father of the child in the back seat. Two of the three suspects were convicted of drug and child endangerment charges. The third suspect, who was already on parole for another charge, was sent to prison for 15 years. The child’s mother was contacted and came to pick him up.

Officers stopped a car for speeding in the 5800 block of Knox. The officer recognized the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

A search of the vehicle revealed 2 grams of cocaine, several prescription pills, and a weight scale with cocaine on it and $15,000 in cash (all $100 bills). The driver was arrested and brought to the station.

While in a holding cell, the man tried to flush some plastic baggies of cocaine, which he had hidden in his rectum. This was captured on the camera inside of the cell. The man was taken to jail and the case is currently pending in court.

CHILD ENDANGERMENT

MPO Herron, SGT Brokaw, MPO Waller, DET Naegele

03-09-2016

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT/ROBBERY

Officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 7300 block of Brittany. Officers contacted three people on scene (two men and one woman). These three went to the area to meet two men for a drug deal. The two men ended up robbing the three individuals, allegedly stealing three bags of marijuana. During this incident, there was a struggle, and one of the suspects fired a round from a handgun. Nobody was struck by the gunshot. This case is still under investigation.

MPO Waller, SGT Brokaw, MPO Eickhoff, CPL Weiler, CPL Waters, DET Simmons, DET Meyers, DET Naegele

10 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

POSSESSION OF DRUGS

SGT Brokaw, MPO Waller

05-25-2016 SHOOTING

Officers responded to a shooting in the 7300 block of Antioch. A vehicle drove by, fired several rounds, and struck an unoccupied vehicle in the driveway. During the investigation, a suspect was identified. The suspect had also been involved in a recent domestic violence incident. The suspect was charged with criminal damage to property and unlawful discharge of a firearm. The case is pending in court.

CPL Weiler, MPO Herron, PO Hirsch, DET Meyers

05-30-16

AGGRAVATED ROBBERY

A 22-year-old man, who was high on methamphetamine, entered a business in the 10200 block of 75th Street with a handgun and demanded money from the safe.

The suspect removed money from

the register and forced the 28-yearold employee into a restroom while he waited for the time-lock safe to open. After collecting the money from the safe, the suspect left the store. The suspect was arrested in another city later that night while breaking into houses.

PO Courtney, MPO Wechsler, MPO Eickhoff, DET Naegele

7-8-16 RAPE

Officers were dispatched to Denny’s restaurant where they met a woman wearing only a shirt. She stated that her boyfriend had forcibly raped her. She was taken to Shawnee Mission Medical Center for medical treatment. Officers responded to her residence in the 7200 block of Eby, where the rape occurred.

When officers arrived, the door was wide open, but no one was inside.

A check of the residence revealed a broken window and signs of a struggle. Officers learned the male suspect was at a different apartment in the same complex. Officers responded to that apartment. The male suspect refused to come out and tried to escape out of the back door. When he saw officers outside the rear of the apartment, he went back inside. He later came out the front door and was taken into custody without incident. Detectives were called out to investigate and the suspect was taken to jail. He pled guilty in district court.

PO Hirsch, SGT Reynolds, MPO Herron, MPO Castaneda, PO Twite, DET Meyers

07-10-16

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

Officers responded to a call regarding a man pulling a gun on a vehicle occupied by two women and two children. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a business in the 5500 block of Antioch. The man was upset over the other vehicle taking a parking space. After pointing the gun at the victims, the man left the lot. The vehicle he left in was driven by a female and had three children in the back seat. The suspect vehicle was stopped by officers and a Glock pistol was located hidden inside.

The man admitted he pulled out a gun but denied ever pointing it at anyone. The subject was placed under arrest and transported to the county jail.

DET Simmons, CPL Browning

07-11-2016

UNLAWFUL TREATMENT OF AN ANIMAL

Officers were dispatched to the 5700 block of Antioch in reference to a puppy locked inside a vehicle.

The temperature was near 100 degrees outside. When officers arrived, the owner of the vehicle was not present. Officers had to force entry into the vehicle to rescue the puppy. The owner was found inside a nearby business and was charged with unlawful treatment of animals. This case received national attention.

CSO Brokaw, CPL Waters, PO Ruby, PO Ready

parking lot. While attempting to make contact with the male driver, the vehicle fled. The suspect struck Officer Castaneda’s police car while he was in the driver’s seat. The suspect vehicle then drove toward Officer Hannabass’ patrol car head on. Officer Hannabass was able to avoid a collision. The vehicle was not pursued. No suspect has been located.

CPL Lewis, MPO Castaneda, PO Hannabass, DET Meyers

09-03-16

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

Officers were called to a disturbance at an apartment in the 7400 block of Royalty Way. Upon arrival, officers noticed blood outside the door. A female victim and her friend were contacted in the apartment. Officers found the victim’s ex-boyfriend in bed, pretending to be asleep.

Officers noticed a large concrete brick had been thrown through the back sliding glass door, which was on the second floor of the apartment building. Further investigation revealed the ex-boyfriend had thrown the rock through the glass doors, climbed up to the second floor, and forced his way inside.

Once inside, an argument occurred and the suspect grabbed a large kitchen knife. The victim tried to grab the knife but cut her finger.

The suspect would not follow commands. An officer from another agency sprayed the suspect with pepper spray and officers were able to take him into custody.

PO Taylor, PO Hirsch, SGT Reynolds

7-27-16

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AGAINST A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

Officers received a tip from another Johnson County agency about a suspect in a hotel in the 6600 block of E. Frontage Road. The suspect was believed to be in possession of a stolen car, a firearm, and methamphetamine. A possible stolen vehicle was spotted in the

11-24-16

AGGRAVATED BATTERY AGAINST A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

Officers were called to a physical disturbance between a male and female in the 6100 block of Balboa.

As officers arrived, the male suspect pulled the female victim into his vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle fled northbound on Knox and ended up

in the 9500 block of Hocker, which is a dead end. Officers blocked the suspect’s vehicle in when it stopped.

The suspect’s vehicle backed up toward Sergeant Walton and struck a light pole. The suspect’s vehicle drove past Sergeant Walton, who was out of his vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle then struck MPO Wechsler’s police car head on, as he was arriving on scene. After hitting the police car, the suspect's vehicle struck a tree. The male suspect driver exited the vehicle and tried to flee, but was tackled by officers after a short foot pursuit. The female victim had a large bump on her forehead as well as a bloody lip and nose. Witnesses observed the suspect choke and punch the female victim prior to police arriving on scene. The victim refused transport by ambulance, and went to the hospital with her mother. The suspect was transported to jail.

SGT Walton, DET Naegele, PO Ruby, PO Courtney, MPO Castaneda, MPO Wechsler

12-20-16

ATTEMPTED MURDER

Officers responded to a subject refusing to leave a hotel room in the 6400 block of E. Frontage Road. The suspect was at the reporting party’s door and refused to leave. The first officer to arrive, Officer Hannabass, pulled her patrol car into the parking lot. While waiting for backup in her patrol car, Officer Hannabass heard several gunshots fired and saw a bullet skip off the pavement.

She quickly drove away from the area of the gunfire. Other Merriam officers responded and set up a perimeter, with the help of officers of other agencies. A canine track was conducted, but the suspect was not located. On January 20, 2017, the US Marshall Service located and arrested the suspect.

PO Hannabass, PO Castaneda, PO Waller, DET Waters, DET Simmons, DET Meyers, MPO Eickhoff, SGT Brokaw

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 11

COMMUNITY

INVOLVEMENT The Merriam Police Department has been involved in the Law Enforcement Torch Run since 1982. The Torch Run started in Wichita, Kansas and now has participants in all 50 states, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Japan.

The Merriam Police Department participates in events like the Polar Plunge, Strikes for Bowling Tournament, Popcorn Standoff at Cinemark, and the Torch Run itself throughout the year, to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics. In 2016 the Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run raised $501,122.85.

This is the most money ever raised in the State of Kansas. The Merriam Police Department raised $22,215.53 which was the sixth highest of any law enforcement agency in Kansas.

2016 GUNS N’ HOSES Guns N’ Hoses is a charity boxing event that features boxing bouts between police, fire and emergency service personnel within the greater metropolitan area.

PO HUTCHINSON IN BLUE

CSO BROWKAW IN BLUE

PO PAUL HUTCHINSON

CSO JAMIE BROKAW

12 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

Participants are from the Missouri counties of Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte; and the Kansas counties of Douglas, Johnson, Miami, Shawnee, and Wyandotte. All bouts are supervised by USA Boxing, the national governing body of amateur boxing in the United States.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from Guns N’ Hoses benefits local charities. The majority goes directly to the Kansas City Crime Commission’s Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment Fund (S.A.F.E.), which provides financial assistance to the spouses and children of local sworn officers, firefighters, and emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty. The rest is donated to amateur boxing programs in the Greater Kansas City area.

Merriam Officer Paul Hutchinson participated in this event for the third year in a row. Community Service Officer Jamie Brokaw participated for her second time in 2016. All boxers are required to have a minimum of 20 training sessions with a certified USA boxing instructor before they can participate in the charity event.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME

HEROES PULL Finished 2nd out of 15 teams

CSI FOR KIDS

OPERATION RUDOLF

POPCORN STANDOFF

GIRL SCOUTS TOUR

TORCH RUN

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

DRUG COLLECTION

GROWING FUTURES

ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAININGS

COFFEE WITH A COP

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 13

T E STIMONI A LS “Thank you all so much for your support to honor Captain Melton. We appreciate your kind words and prayers. God bless you each and keep safe!”

— The family of fallen Kansas City, Kansas Police Captain Dave Melton

“Chief Daniels, Sending special thanks for your department’s support of Child Abuse Prevention Month. The efforts of Officer James Browning are so appreciated. Please pass along sincere thanks to all.”

— KC Safe Haven for Newborns

“This letter is in appreciation of your agency’s representation during the assembly of Metro Squad, #318, on May 10-12, 2016 for a homicide that occurred in our city. The assistance of Detective Jeremiah Waters has been instrumental in this investigation and resulted in the examination of 68 leads over a period of three days.”

— Shawnee Police Chief Rob Moser

“The cookies are to thank everyone who participated in the Citizens Police Academy. It was great and we learned so much! We also want to thank all of the Merriam Police Department staff for your service to our city. We appreciate and support you. Enjoy the cookies” — Merriam residents

“Our Cub Scout pack would like to say ‘thank you’ for allowing the boys to do a service project for your unit.

They all had so much fun putting together survival kits.”

— Cub Scout Pack 3094

“My husband and I believed we were victims of identity theft and came into your office to make a report. With Officer Castaneda’s assistance it was discovered to be a misunderstanding. Everyone was so nice to us and we deeply appreciate everything.”

— Merriam residents

14 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

OFFICER OF THE YEAR The Merriam Police Department Officer of the Year award is given to the officer who best demonstrates a distinct pattern of teamwork, community service, community policing, and promotes the department’s core values of “courage, sacrifice, and compassion.”

A Merriam Police Department Officer of the Year is an excellent role model for his/ her fellow officers. They perform their duties in an exemplary fashion and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of their job. The Officer of the Year shows dedication to the department and our profession through reliability and flexibility with the various duties required of a police officer. They also keep physically fit and maintain proficiency with the tools required to protect themselves and the public.

CPL. NICK WEILER

The 2016 Officer of the Year is Corporal Nick Weiler. Nick joined the Merriam Police Department in February of 2005. He was hired as a Community Service Officer where he worked for approximately seven months before obtaining a position as Police Officer. He has served in a variety of assignments to include patrol, investigations, and traffic. Corporal Weiler has also volunteered for extra duty assignments. These include firearms range master, field force instructor, less lethal instructor, chemical munitions operator, RADAR/LIDAR instructor and a member of both the employee appreciation and training committees.

Corporal Weiler is dedicated to law enforcement both on and off duty. He is a an avid supporter of Special Olympics and volunteers at events such as the Torch Run and the Popcorn Standoff.

Nick is admired by his peers for his willingness to lead by example and mentor. No task is too trivial for Corporal Weiler and he volunteers for assignments others shy away from. He comes to work with a positive attitude and a drive to get the job done, whatever that may be.

Congratulations and thank you for your service Corporal Weiler!

NEW TO TEAM MERRIAM IN 2016

PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: OFFICERS COLIN BROWN, MATTHEW HIRSCH, AND TREY DANIELS

SETH POTTS, CRIME ANALYST

CRIME ANALYSIS The Merriam Police Department hired a Crime Analyst in October of 2016. This position is part of the Investigations Department, but provides support to all administrative and operational units within the department. The main goal of crime analysis is to help the department become more effective by having access to better information. The analyst's duties include analyzing and summarizing data, disseminating crime and intelligence data, and identifying crime series and patterns.

RETIREMENT TODD SPARKS Todd was a Merriam Police Officer for 25 years. He served as a training officer for many years and was on the Merriam Police SWAT Team. He was a recipient of the Department’s Officer of the year award.

LISA ALDRICH Lisa worked for the Merriam Police Department 24 years. She worked as both a property room custodian and records clerk.

Both Todd and Lisa served the City of Merriam and its citizens faithfully. They will both be greatly missed.

2016 ANNUAL REPORT | 15

MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT 9010 W. 62ND STREET MERRIAM, KANSAS 66202 913.322.5560 · WWW.MERRIAM.ORG/MPD

16 | MERRIAM POLICE DEPARTMENT

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