ONESHIFT CIT Y O F M O BIL E P UBL I C S AF E T Y E M P LOYE E MAG A Z I N E
Issue 1, October 2021
Captain Smith & Officer Owens level up in fire and crime prevention
Dispatcher on life support 17 days shares her recovery An Inside Look: Firefighters running into fitness
1st Precinct detectives take commercial burglars by surprise in Operation Obscure
Smoke Alarm Blitz
THE LEADERS’ MESSAGE BOARD A Message from Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste
Greetings, Congratulations to our new Chief of Police Paul O. Prine! Having many years of service to the department, having served in various units and divisions, rising through the ranks, Chief Prine is very learned and well-rounded in his service experience, which is complimentary to his vision for the department. I am enthusiastic for a refreshed perspective, direction, and positive enhancement that he will bring to our police department. Whether sworn or civilian, your contributions to the City of Mobile Public Safety are both invaluable and most highly regarded. It is somewhat difficult to find the proper adjective to best describe my gratitude to you for your hard work and dedication.
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ublic safety is a collaborative service effort of the city’s police and fire departments to provide the optimum value of service to our communities.”
In these trying times that we have experienced because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, along with our continued effort to combat crime and the varied negative impacts and trauma that crime presents, our city is quite fortunate to have its very own superheroes. You are not clad in costumes that deflect harm to your persons; you are donned only with uniforms, badges, medical equipment, fire equipment, and most importantly, a dedicated, willing, and sacrificial spirit for public safety. I am sure that I speak for our mayor as well in expressing appreciation to the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department for your service and ongoing efforts to educate and inform our communities on fire prevention, cautionary measures, and safety plans. The department is diligently working on its accreditation process and recertification for its ISO-1 rating. The best recipe for personal growth and success is not to believe you have to be better than everybody else; but to believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be. Thank you again for all that you do. I pray that each of you and your families will continue to be safe and blessed as we continue navigating our way through life. Humbly appreciative to each of you,
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Fire Chief Jeremy Lami
It’s certainly been a month of exciting news for the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department. Between the SAFER and Port Security Grants, we will receive over $6.5 million to hire 30 additional personnel and purchase a new fireboat. Also, all employees will receive a 5% cost-of-living adjustment. We must offer competitive salaries to attract and retain the best, so I’m appreciative of the continued support from the Administration and City Council. You are our greatest asset, so to better serve the citizens of Mobile we must first take care of your needs. This week I received a letter from a paramedic student who conducted clinical rotations on one of our rescue trucks. She was extremely thankful for her positive experience and the encouragement she received from many of you. She experienced what I see firsthand every day, true professionals who care about the profession and are focused on preparing the next generation of public servants. Thank you for all that you do daily. It matters, and ultimately these interactions build a reputable and positive image in the community. In closing, I would like to congratulate Chief Prine on his appointment to police chief. Over the past several years, building a strong relationship with MPD has been a point of focus and I expect this to continue to build under Chief Prine’s leadership. We support our brothers and sisters in uniform at MPD and we will work together to build a safer community. Sincerely appreciate what you do,
Police Chief Paul Prine
I want to take this opportunity to greet each member of the Mobile Police Department and to express my sincere humble gratitude in having the opportunity to lead this department in our effort to accomplish the mission statement “Making the City of Mobile the safest city in America with respect to everyone”. Although this is a bold mission statement, it can be accomplished with teamwork and dedication. A big part of my strategic plan includes improving morale through standards of excellence: Attitude, Appearance, Competence and Service. These standards are primarily for fostering morale, professionalism, and creating a work environment where every member of the team is respected, valued, and appreciated for their efforts. One Mobile is not only a slogan but a mission in and of itself to unify citizens with government services that greatly improve quality of life and facilitate growth. Government’s primary purpose is to provide its citizens with outstanding professional public safety services. Understanding that our mission statement should, and will, include working in concert with the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department, and our Communication’s Department, to improve these services. You have my unwavering support and I look forward to serving you as the chief of police. “Mission First”
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THis Issue Contributors Dwayne M. Penn, Sr. MFRD Deputy Chief of Support Captain Charles Bagsby MPD First Precinct Captain Dwight Smith MFRD Public Fire & Life Safety Division Charles Hines MFRD Health & Safety Officer Officer Gary Owens MPD Crime Prevention Kysten Richard MFRD Firefighter Ruth Grant MPD Records Unit John Weichman MPD Crime Prevention Unit Dakota Vest-Wright MPD Communications Unit Stacey Woodyard MPD Victim Services Unit Tonya Calhoun MPD Office of the Chief
Editorial Staff
City of Mobile Public Safety Charlette Solis Public Affairs Manager Steven Millhouse Public Information Officer
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FALL INTO
SELF-CARE
•Go to a fall festival •Take a walk or hike at Five Rivers •Make a fall wreath •Visit a pumpkin patch •Carve or decorate a pumpkin •Tailgate a football game •Do something unexpected and new •Plant fall flowers or vegetables •Light the fire pit and relax •Host a board game day •Perfect that recipe •Bake pumpkin bread •Have a scary movie marathon •Hang outside and enjoy the weather •Host an outside movie or barbeque •Rent a cabin at a state park •Read a good book, check out “The Noticer” by Andy Andrews •Drink warm apple cider
Learn more about the MPD Victim Services Unit at mobilepd.org/victim or call 251-208-6384.
HEROISM AND SACRIFICE
This year’s R E M E M B R A N C E C E R E M O N Y marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Locally hosted by Mobile Memorial Gardens Cemetery at the Garden of Heroes, MFRD, MPD and MCSO came together to pay tribute to those first responders who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The 30 firefighters who died in 2020 and 2021 were also recognized during the ceremony. Public Safety Chaplain Ed Connick helped organize the event.
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Public Safety Photo of the Month “PROTECTING THE PORT” MPD Marine Unit’s “The Guardian”
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When firefighters are called to action, stress levels instantly increase, and heart rates go from resting to tachycardia rates in a matter of a few seconds.
RUNNING INTO FITNESS
Firefighting is one of the most physically demanding and hazardous of all civilian occupations. The strenuous nature of firefighting tasks, the high incidence of injury, and premature death have been well documented. If firefighters cannot perform their duties, they are at an increased risk of suffering from an occupational hazard or incurring injury. Successful job performance is dependent on the firefighter’s ability to perform strenuous physical activity. When appropriate fitness levels are met, accidents and injuries are reported to decrease, and job performance is improved. Firefighters are performing their work wearing an excess of 50 pounds of gear. When fighting a fire, firefighters perform at or near maximal
effort and work in a hot environment. They are also exposed to numerous environmental hazards. All these conditions put the firefighter at a high risk/stress level. If the firefighters have poor fitness, they are at extremely high risk for cardiovascular death and decreased performance on the fire ground. The MFRD has established a schedule to evaluate all sworn personnel doing planks,
push-ups, and either a 1.5-mile run or a 2-mile walk. All personnel are expected to perform the test items to the best of their ability. The established norms are based on health and wellness norms developed by Dr. Hank Williford, a kinesiologist with Auburn University-Montgomery for MFRD. The exercises are supported by NFPA 1582. Research conducted with the national fire services evaluated good wellness programs compared to departments with less than optimal programs. The study results found that firefighters in the vital programs were healthier and had less body fat. They had a lower prevalence of obesity, anxiety disorder, smoking, and greater levels of physical activity/ exercise, and job satisfaction.
Forty-five percent of all firefighter deaths are related to cardiovascular disease. But participation in wellness programs can prevent risk factors related to cardiovascular events. THE BOTTOM LINE is that MFRD’s established health promotion program aims to produce healthier firefighters who perform better on the job.
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OPERATION OBSCURE
First Precinct patrol officers and GID perform a best case of investigative teamwork GID investigators of the First Precinct took commercial burglars by surprise in Operation Obscure. The operation was launched September 10 as a way to target commercial burglaries that had been occurring throughout various areas of the precinct. Two prime suspects were captured. The operation, which enlisted covert surveillance and directive patrols, was a success on the first day of its implementation. Officer Mark Coombe provided the investigators with information obtained from his keen work of conducting field interviews of suspected burglars following an incident on Duval Street.
From left, Detective Jamal Slaughter, Sergeant William Walker, Detective Brittany Black and Corporal Raymond Grissett.
With the provided information, Lieutenant Tina Zanca, Officer Arak Young and Officer Luther Homsher were able to capture the suspects committing a burglary on Holcombe Avenue. These efforts in turn yielded numerous confessions to other commercial burglaries occurring throughout the precinct and identified other potential players. On September 17, the GID investigators, with the assistance of the Street Enforcement Team and SWAT, conducted search warrants at the residences located at E Street, Rotterdam Street and Johnson Avenue. An enormous amount of property related to the previously committed burglaries was recovered. This investigation remains continuous into the apprehension of other involved parties.
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Dispatcher on life support for 17 days shares her recovery Dakota Vest-Wright was on life support for 17 days. When she was admitted to the hospital, she was 29 weeks pregnant and had tested postive for COVID-19. Her road to recovery was a miracle. In April, the dispatcher for the Mobile Police Department Communications Detail, was airlifted to UAB Hospital upon admission to a local hospital. The doctors at the top academic medical center were unable to put Dakota on the necessary life support due to her being pregnant. Her son was born by emergency C-section prematurely. Immediately, Dakota was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which is a type of life support that bypasses the lungs and heart to oxygenate the blood. Dakota stayed on life suppport for 17 days. On the 18th day, she was taken off of ECMO and her physical and occupational therapy began. At the end of May, Dakota was
released from UAB Hospital and allowed to continue her recovery from home. Dakota’s baby boy, Bruce Archer Wright who was named after her father, was later released from the NICU. Baby Bruce made it home for the first time on July 3. This was his original due date. Dakota and Bruce, affectionately called “Bruiser”, are both doing well. Dakota has returned to work in the Communications Detail in her role as head trainer. Bruce has figured out that all he needs to do to get whatever he wants in the world is to scream. The doctors were concerned about his lungs. His parents are quite sure that they are doing just fine. Dakota, her husband Justin, firstborn Stevie, and Baby Bruce are and will forever be grateful for all of the suppport received from the MPD family while she was ill. Dakota says the love and care that was extended in their time of need made all the difference in the world.
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PRAISE &RECOGNITION from the community OFFICER OSVIEL VIGOAMARTINEZ was great to work with. Even though our issue was minor he was very courteous and professional. He was also thorough in getting us the information we needed and handled the situation. Would recommend him for Officer of the Month! Thank you and keep up the hard work in keeping our community safe! – Trevor Ward, Cottage Hill Road
I saw JULIUS NETTLES and his team working hard on a case. I was watching TV. I am so impressed with that guy! He is a dedicated bloodhound. We all look up to those young boys! They are 100! Thanks for your service SIR. (white boomer guy) – Thomas Theiss, Dayton, OH
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OFFICER DEFFERY HOLLIS was so kind to me during a really stressful morning. I was having to drive my husband’s vehicle and unfortunately ran out of diesel (a miscommunication between me and my husband). I sat in the middle of University and encountered so many rude people honking, cussing and flipping me off but your officer was so kind and understanding. He even went to try and find me a diesel can and still came back and helped me get out of the road and actually pushed me in a parking spot. This officer went above and beyond his job description and my husband and I will be forever grateful for this officer. He could teach the sheriff [deputy] that was there a thing or two on human kindness. Thank you MPD for having such an amazing officer on your team. Please treat him well and let him know he is valued in our community. – Brittney Smith, Chunchula, AL
Lagniappe sponsors and hosts the annual “Nappie Awards” where favorite local people, places, and things are chosen by readers’ votes. This year, KRYSTEN RICHARD won Best Firefighter. Krysten was also recognized as the first Black woman at MFRD in 25 years. Proud of you!
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FULLY INVOLVED
Meeting the needs of the community with safety education The MFRD Community Risk Reduction Division (CRR) is fully involved and committed to keeping the community safe. CRR is a process to identify and prioritize local risk, followed by an integrated and strategic investment of resources to reduce their occurrence and impact. Simply put, CRR seeks to eliminate and reduce hazards in the community. One of several methods that the CRR staff uses to meet the needs of the community is safety education. After each fire, they canvas the community in hopes to keep the homeowners informed. They have several firefighters go door to door to empower each individual with information and education to stay safe in the home. This is a unique opportunity for safety professionals to be in the homes and it provides some in-depth insight toward enhancing safety measures. Once in the homes, they can provide safety information and offer assistance on methods to stay safe. These methods are beneficial in that they allow CRR to expound upon their safety efforts. Each quarter, an area of the city is identified and CRR collectively canvasses the entire community. In this case, they partner up with Red Cross, along with other firefighters and go door to door installing smoke alarms. When installing the smoke alarms, the safety professionals determine the best placement and the number of alarms to be installed. In most
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cases, smoke alarms will be installed on each floor and near each bedroom of the home. If the homeowner isn’t home, information is left to contact the department at a later date to schedule the safety visit. Other information offered is the residential home Knox key program. This program allows the homeowner to have a special Knox box installed on the home. The Knox box allows emergency fire personnel to gain access to the home in an emergency in case the homeowner cannot answer the door. CRR is the “service” in “fire service”. They strive to improve upon all safety matters and concerns in order to continue a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The community may not come into contact with fire trucks or fire personnel very often, but when it does, CRR wants that contact to be a pleasurable experience. THE SMOKE ALARM BLITZ is a time that children can come out with parents to meet the fire chief and other safety professionals. It is a time for the fire department to address any needs and concerns the community may have. Over 1,000 smoke alarms have been either installed or given out. The number of lives impacted—countless! (Right, Captain Chad Sprinkle; below from left, Captain Dale Calhoun, Driver Rob Brown, Firefighter Jonathan Mosner, Captain Ben McKenna and Captain Sam Allen.)
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BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS The mission of the COFFEE WITH A COP (CWAC) event is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve. Taking time to meet at neutral locations provides the opportunity for real communications about issues that matter. CWAC events have no program, agenda or issues, only wanting to build community relationships, “one cup at a time”. The CWAC concept began in 2012 by a California police department. The concept was shared with MPD at the second ever training class held for multiple South Alabama law
enforcement agencies in Orange Beach, AL. Officer Gary Owens attended this training session and carried the idea into action for the MPD. Many “Thanks and Thank you” comments are given to the MPD by citizens. UPCOMING CWAC EVENT: On October 20, CWAC will serve Mobilians shopping at the Winn-Dixie Market at Catherine Street and Government Street from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be sweet treats compliments of Winn-Dixie and Store Manager Jeremy McPherson.
CWAC is organized by the MPD Crime Prevention Unit. John Weichman and the CWAC volunteers pose for photos at the Virginia Dillard Smith/Toulminville Branch - Mobile Public Library held July 29 with Corporal Will Thompson.
STOP THE VIOLENCE COMMUNITY WALK IN BIRDSVILLE F I R S T P R E C I N C T C A P TA I N C H A R L E S B A G S B Y supported the “Stop the Violence” community walk organized by the Moral Vigilantes Pursuing Progress community group. Taking place September 4 in the Birdsville area, the walk brought awareness to the victims of crime and appealed for criminal activity to cease. O N E S H I F T M AG A Z I N E - 1 6
SHOOTING FOR MORE DOWNLOADS Digital Siren by Pursuit Alert
On the afternoon of September 21, Class #67 Recruits Samantha Avallone, Matthew Devine, Wayman Grant and Keenan Sanders arrived on set for the video production of an important public safety announcement. They would be cast as actors, along with the stars of the production Officer Terry Sexton, Traffic Safety Officers Ryan Bice and Roddrex Shelton. After hair and make-up, then it was lights, camera and action!
drivers of police chases, stopped emergency vehicles, the approach of an emergency vehicle or any hazard to the motoring public involving the roadway.
The purpose of this 30-second PSA video is to encourage more people to download Digital Siren by Pursuit Alert. It’s an app that warns
Above, Director Battiste meets with the recruits and preps them on what to expect. Recruit Avallone gets hair and make-up done.
The opening scene is furious fast and exhilarating —sure to catch viewers’ attention. It will hit all public safety social media platforms on October 20. Be sure to share it! It will also air on the local TV networks.
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LEVELING UP.
Two well-known and most-loved first responders create the ideal partnership and friendship ultimately proving that Mobile Police and Mobile Fire-Rescue can deliver the best of public safety together.
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High points for our community-focused champions
MFRD Captain Dwight Smith says the Public Fire & Life Safety Division annually averages approximately 300 fire and life safety events, 80 truck events and 450 smoke alarms home installation. However, through this year’s highly successful SMOKE ALARM BLITZ, the number of smoke alarms home installations is close to tripling with over 1,000 to date. Captain Smith is a community risk reduction fire and life safety educator. He graduated from the Mobile Fire-Rescue Training School in the winter of 1998. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and presenting community risk reduction-related education to the general public, health care facilities, schools and to any civic group upon request. When asked what is his favorite part of the job, he said it’s the opportunity to know he can make a difference in someone’s life through fire and life safety education. Captain Smith’s programming includes Fire Safety in Schools, Youth Fire Risk Invention Program and Mobile Fire Extinguisher Program.
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Officer Gary Owens of the MPD Crime Prevention Unit has served the Mobile community for 19 1/2 years and steers up purposeful programs such as Project Care, Coffee with a Cop, Junior Police Academy and Meals on Wheels at Mardi Gras. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has placed limitations on his community service programs, Officer Owens’ work will be modeled for years ahead. Notably, as chairperson for National Night Out, Officer Owens earned Mobile the recognition as one of the Top 20 Cities in the U.S. for hosting a well-planned National Night Out event. And, in 2019, to give families a safe and fun outing for Halloween, Officer Owens partnered with MFRD and Public Works to organize a first-ever Public Safety Trunk or Treat event. It attracted nearly 3,000 attendees. “It is a honor for me to get up each day and put this uniform on and serve the citizens of the wonderful city of ours,” said Officer Owens, who has received the Excellent Police Duty Award four times during his career.
IN THE MAKING: Next-Generation LEOs
Junior Police Academy is a MPD weeklong summer career exploration program “Here at Junior Police Academy, I learned about what police officers do on a daily basis, which I thought was real fun. My favorite part was the K-9 Unit. I really enjoyed it here. My name is now Junior Officer Parker Baggett.” —Officer Mark Breslin’s stepson (below)
“Monday I learned how the 911 calls station has different sections and how they help in so many different ways. Tuesday we learned how officers approach cars for traffic violations. Then later firefighters came and showed us fire safety. Wednesday CSI came and taught us about what they do. They do a variety of things and we were able to be on TV. On Thursday, we were able to go to the courthouse. Then the polygraph examiner was able to come and teach us about what they do. On Friday, we went to the barn were their police animals are held. We got to see their daily lives. Then the K-9 Unit came out and showed us what they do and the dog.” —Sara Congleton, Sergeant Scott Congleton’s daughter (top right photo)
”I learned to be a good cop and how to search people. I learned the correct way to do a traffic stop too. We learned about K-9 and police horses.” —Jumorin Nettles, Officer Julian Nettles’ son (above) O N E S H I F T M AG A Z I N E - 2 1
HELPING HOUMA LAW ENFORCEMENT
Mobile police officers collected supplies to help law enforcement in Houma after Hurricane Ida hit. This is the hometown of Fallen Officer Justin Billa and the hometown of Officer Ethan Matherne, who had not been home since the storm.
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A lot of the officers in Houma received damage to their homes and were in need of cleaning supplies. These officers worked all day and then would come home to take care of their families with little resources. A trailer load of the supplies was delivered to Houma on September 22.
FAITH SHIELDS by Ruth Grant
“Success is not measured by the heights one attains but by the obstacles one overcomes in its attainment.” –Booker T. Washington. I believe God gives us power for success through our faith. With it we can overcome any situation and become victorious. Our best protection through life’s daily challenges is our shield of faith.
GOOD DEAL Looking for a good deal on a Rock River Arms AR-15 with complete upper receiver? $250 or best offer. Call Sergeant LaDerrick Dubose at 251-583-9546.
RECOGNITION AT CITY COUNCIL
M F R D E M S was awarded the Culture of Excellence by the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the State of Alabama. This status means they achieved excellent scores during a recent inspection and that the EMS NEMSIS reporting was judged
to be exemplary. From left, Director Battiste, Fire Chief Lami, District Chief of Emergency Medical Services Jim Cox, Paramedic Firefighter John Johnson, Paramedic Driver Ami Ingram and Chief of Operations Jimmy Frank.
FIREFIGHTER OF THE MONTH
OFFICERS OF THE MONTH
Richard Long
James Stewart and Darian Pennington
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