Opinion: More officers on duty to combat crime
By Brian Uhler
Several South Lake Tahoe businesses were disrupted over the past three months (June-July-August) by 19 smash and grab commercial burglaries. Typically, these burglaries are occurring between 3-9am.
The offender(s) have broken windows or glass doors to gain access to these businesses across town. The crimes have not been centralized in any one particular area, although several have occurred in the area of the Y and some businesses have been victimized more than once. After forcing entry, the thief or thieves grab a variety of products such as cigarettes and alcohol.
Brian Uhler
If you know of anyone who has an unusual amount of cigarettes or alcohol or if you have other information, please call the police department (530.542.6100), or the Secret Witness program (530.541.6800).
Another summer time crime trend we have identified has involved auto thefts. Although there have been several vehicles stolen throughout the summer months, we have noted a unique sub-trend of the theft of utility trailers. These trailers, some enclosed and others open, are commonly used to store tools and equipment for construction and other types of labor projects. There have been five of these trailers stolen this year. At least one of the stolen trailers has been recovered.
During August we were able to add some staffing to the police department. Two police officers and four public safety dispatchers were hired to replace current vacancies in the police department. Two of the dispatchers will be serving par -time, which represents a staffing improvement funded by 9-1-1 service fees.
We have received many comments of support for the department’s efforts to help control the illegal cultivation of marijuana. We have taken enforcement action against four illegal residential marijuana grows in the past month. On Sept. 16, the City Council will be receiving additional information about ways to control the unchecked growth of marijuana commerce in South Lake Tahoe. The main point for this effort is to promote safety.
Brian Uhler is South Lake Tahoe’s police chief.
I would like to report an unusual amount of alcohol and tobacco and the Harrah’s casino.
And I would also like to know how much meth and pills you have taken care of. No one cares about marijuana, you aren’t going to get a golf clap for your efforts.
How is your military vehicle working? How many hours have you spent in training and how much does it cost you to maintain that armored clown car.
Also, do your officers choose those haircuts or do you have an in house stylist that makes bad decisions for them?
Last June and July were the worst wireless smartphone hacking around Sierra tract that I have ever noticed. Mostly bandwidth restrictions. Pretty much daily for 2 months.
I was talking to a local business owner who wanted more evidence of property violations, but then seemingly balked at stationary on site cameras. Didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Kinda look at these types of cameras as a cost of doing business. Either that, or stop the complaining.
To boast about 4 illegal marijuana grows seems silly to me. There are at least 4 within a 2 block radius of my home. How many are on the South Shore ? 1000 ?
on the average 1 person per week dies from a Herion Overdose here in our little Town.
Chief, any facts to back that claim up?
Cosa-
The number of errors in your post kinda suggests that you might have been a bit under the influence when writing.
What do you know about a ton of alcohol and ciggies?
But I wanted to agree that it is so obvious that almost every police force in the country has many of the officers going with the skinhead look, and the bus windshield sized sunglasses. This is obviously designed to intimidate the citizens and others that they come in contact with, in my opinion.
There has been a lot of press recently about the militarization of city police departments, which is absolutely undeniable.
There has been so much press/movies and other attention paid to the various special forces around the world, and my bet is that when shaving their heads, these local police officers don’t see themselves in the bathroom mirror exactly the same way we citizens do. By some self delusion, they see a Seal, a Green Beret, Army Ranger or other special forces guy looking back at them.
I knew a senior officer a while back in one of the Reno Area police departments, and in a conversation over coffee the skin head intimidating look many of his officers affected came up. He said he and some other senior officers recognized “the look” as something not conducive to the best public image, but that their Union contract did not allow any specifications to be set on such things. True or not I cannot say, but he seemed irritated by it.
In a related conversation with a barber who gives some of them the cut, he said some call hair longer than half an inch “handles” and believe it is hazardous due to the fights, take downs and scuffles they are required to engage in on a near daily basis while controlling crime.
Cosa: Who cares about their hair? You wouldn’t give it a second thought if you were the one calling for help. Their haircut isn’t what’s going to show up any time of day or night, no matter what’s happening, and will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.
Brian Uhler, Thanks for the tip about stolen utility trailers. There are several around here in my neighborhood, so I’m spreading the word to lock them to a tree or find a place to store them so as they can be kept away from being stolen.
Congrats on the added staff and keep up the good work!!! OLS