METRO's K-9 dog teams captured top honors at a recent regional competition that showcased the dogs' drug and bomb-detecting abilities, along with their obedience skills.
For the first time since METRO started its K-9 unit in 1998, METRO won two first-place awards and the highest honor, The Top Dog Team Award. Sponsored by the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDA), the competition last Friday pitted 70 dog teams from around the region, including Louisiana.
Officer Ted Armstrong and his dog Missy, a Belgium Malinois, captured three awards: First Place in Patrol, First Place in Explosives, and Top Dog Team Award.
Officer Chris Obenland and his dog Shadow, a Belgium Malinois, won Third Place in Patrol.
"It just happened to be mine and Missy's day that day," said Armstrong. "We just happened to be on. She was very quick, very fluid searching all the boxes and desk drawers. She was on the money."
A specialist in detecting explosives, Missy was off her leash when she and her handler walked into a large entertainment hall, cluttered with columns of boxes, suitcases, filing cabinets and desk drawers. Metal-legged chairs were stacked up, newspapers scattered around.
"They hide explosives out there. They give you five minutes to find as many explosives as you can," said Armstong. If the dog makes a false alert, the dog team is disqualified.
"There's so much stuff. We as humans can't tell what the dog is picking up on. Dogs could be overwhelmed," said Armstrong.
Missy wasn't. She detected five explosives - and then performed flawlessly in the Patrol competition, which tests obedience skills, off leash.
Armstrong and Missy made history by winning two First Place awards - the first time in the contest's history that a team has done that. By scoring high in two categories, Armstrong and Missy also received a trophy for the Top Dog Team Award.
Obenland and his dog, Shadow, won Third Place in Patrol after completing a five-minute routine - off the leash - that included Shadow walking right next to his handler, staying in a "down" position for two minutes, and apprehending a robbery suspect - along with a second, hidden suspect the team knew nothing about. Judges analyzed the handler's strategy in using his dog to help apprehend both suspects.
When a stray, black cat strutted by Shadow during the obedience competition, the well-trained canine didn't move a muscle.
"I just wanted to hug him and give him a pack of hot dogs. That was a very, very rewarding thing," said Obenland. "He normally likes to run after cats. It's natural for the dog to want to chase after them."
Both Armstrong and Obenland pointed out that METRO's entire K-9 unit is highly trained and skilled, and officers are always trading tips on how to best train their dogs.
"Our whole dog team could have won," said Armstrong.
Added Obenland: "Our dogs are phenomenal. We constantly get compliments by the instructors about how sharp our dogs are and how good they are each year. They improve each year."
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
HOUSTON METRO COP SAVES LIFE AT INAUGURATION!
Officer Swainson is the Vice President of our Houston Metro FOP Lodge 98.
A Houston Metro transit officer attending President Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington saved the life of a woman who fell in front of a Metrorail train, officials said.A 68-year-old woman fell onto the tracks of an oncoming Metrorail train and couldn't move, officials said. When officer Eliot Swainson heard of the woman's conditions, he jumped on the tracks and tried to move her.But when Swainson couldn't get the woman off the tracks as a train was nearing, he pulled the woman into the safety areas under the track platforms until the train could pass, officials said.
Once the train passed, emergency crews were called and the woman was lifted on to the tracks. She was transported to a local hospital to treat a dislocated shoulder.Swainson was in Washington helping regulate the rails and had been trained on certain aspects of the Metro Rail System, including the locations of the safety areas, officials said.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Anniversity Letter
Check out the anniversity letter that Vice President Swainson posted on his page on the website. One year down, and a look back of the events of the Lodge and Department.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Wanted Webmaster
I need a second WEBMASTER to help maintain the Website, Blog and Guestbook. No prior experience is necessary, I self taught myself and now I am a webmaster to several sites and even more Blogs. The FOP 98 site is a rather large site that could change daily. With this in mind, it would be beneficial to have a second webmaster on board. If you are interested please call or email me at webmaster@fop98.org.
Reflection Post Removed
I received an email from the president regarding reflection of 2008. I normally post general information here for comments, and on the website. I have learned that this post was directed at the members only and not for general posting. I have removed this post from the blog, due to the President only wanting it on his page. I regret the error of posting it in general information.
Webmaster
Webmaster
Saturday, January 3, 2009
San Francisco Transit Officer Shoots Suspect
Transit officer fatally shoots fight suspect
By Jill Tucker, Kelly Zito and Heather Knight San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — A young man allegedly involved in a fight aboard a BART train was shot to death by a BART police officer on the platform of the Fruitvale Station early New Year's Day, in the midst of a brawl between two groups of young train passengers.
Oscar Grant, 22, was shot once while on the platform after a BART officer drew his gun during what officials called a volatile and chaotic scene. A gravely wounded Grant was taken to Highland Hospital, where he died Thursday morning, the Alameda County coroner's office said.
While witness accounts reported by news organizations indicate Grant was on the platform and handcuffed when he was shot, BART spokesman Jim Allison said the victim was not restrained when the gun discharged. BART officials wouldn't comment on whether the shooting was accidental or deliberate.
"Any incident with that many people, you're going to have different perceptions of what happened," Allison said.
Officials said no weapon was recovered from Grant or others involved in the altercation.
Witnesses' account
Allison and witnesses gave this account of the events leading up to Grant's death:
Apparently, two groups of young men were fighting on the train, which had come from San Francisco. Sometime while the train was en route to Dublin/Pleasanton, BART's operations control center learned of the disturbance and dispatched five BART police officers to the Fruitvale Station about 2 a.m. The train was ordered to stop and hold at Fruitvale so the police could deal with the situation.
The train arrived at Fruitvale, and police began trying to isolate the young men as they fought. Officers believe the group included Grant.
As officers attempted to control the situation, the two groups apparently continued to scuffle on the platform. At one point, three or four individuals on the platform were handcuffed, Allison said. Two people involved in the scuffle were detained, questioned by police and later released.
On Thursday afternoon, BART officials held a news conference and confirmed the officer had drawn his weapon during the incident. In describing the incident, however, they chose their wording very carefully, repeatedly referring to the shooting as a weapon "discharge," without specifically saying that the officer shot Grant.
Grant lived in Hayward, where family and friends gathered Thursday evening, too distraught to talk about the incident.
They would only say that he leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter.
At a park around the corner from his home, dozens of his friends gathered to share stories and express sadness over his sudden death.
"I knew Oscar for 19 years," said friend Robert Johnson. "He was everything. He was the world."
When a Chronicle reporter tried to interview other friends of Grant, a grief-stricken relative asked the group not to talk to reporters.
At the news conference, BART Patrol Cmdr. Travis Gibson said officers are trained to pull their guns when a BART patron or an officer is in danger.
"You use what force is reasonable to neutralize the situation without the person losing their life or the officer their life," he said.
Gibson said New Year's Eve had been a chaotic night for the officers on duty, with one gun recovered in San Francisco and another in West Oakland.
Officer tested, put on leave
The officer involved in the shooting was not identified, but Allison said he had been on the force nearly two years. The officer was given an alcohol and drug test, per department policy, and placed on administrative leave. Results of the alcohol and drug test are pending.
"It's too early to go into the specifics of the officer's record," Allison said.
Officials said the officer was carrying a baton in addition to his gun, but they were unsure whether he also carried a stun gun.
BART police have launched an internal investigation as well as a criminal investigation into the incident. The Alameda County district attorney's office has opened its own investigation, Allison said.
The Fruitvale Station has cameras, but BART officials said they are used only for monitoring and are not capable of recording. Some BART stations do have cameras that can record events, but not all of them.
Oakland attorney John Burris, who has handled several high-profile cases involving police shootings, said the incident prompts several questions to determine whether the shooting was justified.
Burris said he would want to know why the officer believed deadly force was required and whether the victim had a weapon or posed an immediate threat, or, if the shooting was accidental, why the officer's gun was drawn.
"The question is whether the person's civil rights have been violated," he said.
BART police ask anyone with information about the incident to call 877 679-7000, extension 7040.
The BART police force has 206 sworn officers, many of whom were patrolling the system on New Year's Eve. The trains were running on extended service until 3 a.m. to accommodate late-night partygoers.
Copyright 2009 San Francisco Chronicle
By Jill Tucker, Kelly Zito and Heather Knight San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — A young man allegedly involved in a fight aboard a BART train was shot to death by a BART police officer on the platform of the Fruitvale Station early New Year's Day, in the midst of a brawl between two groups of young train passengers.
Oscar Grant, 22, was shot once while on the platform after a BART officer drew his gun during what officials called a volatile and chaotic scene. A gravely wounded Grant was taken to Highland Hospital, where he died Thursday morning, the Alameda County coroner's office said.
While witness accounts reported by news organizations indicate Grant was on the platform and handcuffed when he was shot, BART spokesman Jim Allison said the victim was not restrained when the gun discharged. BART officials wouldn't comment on whether the shooting was accidental or deliberate.
"Any incident with that many people, you're going to have different perceptions of what happened," Allison said.
Officials said no weapon was recovered from Grant or others involved in the altercation.
Witnesses' account
Allison and witnesses gave this account of the events leading up to Grant's death:
Apparently, two groups of young men were fighting on the train, which had come from San Francisco. Sometime while the train was en route to Dublin/Pleasanton, BART's operations control center learned of the disturbance and dispatched five BART police officers to the Fruitvale Station about 2 a.m. The train was ordered to stop and hold at Fruitvale so the police could deal with the situation.
The train arrived at Fruitvale, and police began trying to isolate the young men as they fought. Officers believe the group included Grant.
As officers attempted to control the situation, the two groups apparently continued to scuffle on the platform. At one point, three or four individuals on the platform were handcuffed, Allison said. Two people involved in the scuffle were detained, questioned by police and later released.
On Thursday afternoon, BART officials held a news conference and confirmed the officer had drawn his weapon during the incident. In describing the incident, however, they chose their wording very carefully, repeatedly referring to the shooting as a weapon "discharge," without specifically saying that the officer shot Grant.
Grant lived in Hayward, where family and friends gathered Thursday evening, too distraught to talk about the incident.
They would only say that he leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter.
At a park around the corner from his home, dozens of his friends gathered to share stories and express sadness over his sudden death.
"I knew Oscar for 19 years," said friend Robert Johnson. "He was everything. He was the world."
When a Chronicle reporter tried to interview other friends of Grant, a grief-stricken relative asked the group not to talk to reporters.
At the news conference, BART Patrol Cmdr. Travis Gibson said officers are trained to pull their guns when a BART patron or an officer is in danger.
"You use what force is reasonable to neutralize the situation without the person losing their life or the officer their life," he said.
Gibson said New Year's Eve had been a chaotic night for the officers on duty, with one gun recovered in San Francisco and another in West Oakland.
Officer tested, put on leave
The officer involved in the shooting was not identified, but Allison said he had been on the force nearly two years. The officer was given an alcohol and drug test, per department policy, and placed on administrative leave. Results of the alcohol and drug test are pending.
"It's too early to go into the specifics of the officer's record," Allison said.
Officials said the officer was carrying a baton in addition to his gun, but they were unsure whether he also carried a stun gun.
BART police have launched an internal investigation as well as a criminal investigation into the incident. The Alameda County district attorney's office has opened its own investigation, Allison said.
The Fruitvale Station has cameras, but BART officials said they are used only for monitoring and are not capable of recording. Some BART stations do have cameras that can record events, but not all of them.
Oakland attorney John Burris, who has handled several high-profile cases involving police shootings, said the incident prompts several questions to determine whether the shooting was justified.
Burris said he would want to know why the officer believed deadly force was required and whether the victim had a weapon or posed an immediate threat, or, if the shooting was accidental, why the officer's gun was drawn.
"The question is whether the person's civil rights have been violated," he said.
BART police ask anyone with information about the incident to call 877 679-7000, extension 7040.
The BART police force has 206 sworn officers, many of whom were patrolling the system on New Year's Eve. The trains were running on extended service until 3 a.m. to accommodate late-night partygoers.
Copyright 2009 San Francisco Chronicle
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Metro police work to reduce auto-train crashes
By ROSANNA RUIZ
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Agency's officers park at downtown intersections to deter motorists' turns into trains' path
The Metro Police Department is taking a stand against auto-train accidents by taking a seat.
The transit agency has parked officers at six downtown intersections every day for the past month, aimed at preventing motorists from making illegal turns into the path of oncoming light rail trains.
There have been 57 accidents on the rail line this year — five fewer than in the first year of operation — many of them the result of illegal turns, the transit agency has said.
The officers are monitoring the intersections as part of a pilot program that began Nov. 17, said Police Chief Tom Lambert of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. Last month, the city of Houston and Metro made adjustments to traffic signals at the same intersections to allow rail cars to proceed a few moments ahead of motorists.
"Some may say we're being very aggressive with having officers at every intersection," Lambert said. "But we have a responsibility to public safety to make sure we reduce accidents."
Lambert said he will scale back the number of officers at the intersections along Main at St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress. He said his review revealed no accidents had occurred at those sites since the start of the pilot program.
Starting Friday, he said, officers will be assigned to patrol "as appropriate" between Pierce and Commerce.
The change could not come soon enough for Metro officers, who have questioned the wisdom of requiring police to sit at the intersections for an entire shift rather than being out on patrol, said Dean Goodrick, the president of the Houston Police Patrolman's Union.
Robert Lozano, president of the Houston Metro Fraternal Order of Police would only say that officers follow the chief's orders.
Metro's response to the accidents is similar to the "saturation" method the Houston Police Department has employed to deal with spikes in crime in various parts of Houston, said Larry Hoover, a criminal justice professor and director of the Police Research Center at Sam Houston State University.
"The issue is how long or what is the duration of that assignment," Hoover said. "As long as it stays temporary, because if it becomes permanent, the price you pay to personal motivation and morale can be pretty strong."
mailto:rosanna.ruiz@chron.com
METRO WRITE ON BLOG HAD THIS POSTED TODAY:
Train Accidents Decline in Pilot Program
Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:55 PM
In the past 30 days, there have been no car/rail accidents caused by cars turning left downtown in front of a train.
That safety record is the result of a pilot program that ends this week and is a result of three factors, says Assistant Police Chief Tim Kelly of MPD.
"Education - the media attention to this effort helped to educate the driving public. Engineering - the signal timing changes implemented by the city of Houston. Enforcement - the dedicated police officers at six downtown intersections," explained Kelly. "It is a combination of these three, and no one factor can be attributed solely to this accident reduction."
Earlier, we wrote about how the city has worked closely with MPD to adjust the timing of traffic signals along the Red Line. The six test locations along Main Street are: St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress.
The re-signaling has meant that METRORail gets a green light first, a few seconds before drivers get a green light to proceed. This permits the train to travel ahead of regular traffic at these intersections. Westbound and eastbound traffic has not been affected.
So far, this three-pronged approach is working.
By the end of this week, the police officers who have been deployed at the six downtown intersections will be reassigned, but "there will be continue to be dedicated police enforcement along Main Street to reinforce the positive changes we have made," said Kelly.
The new signal timing will stay in place. The city and METRO will work closely together to determine if more traffic lights need to be adjusted to benefit the rest of the Red Line.
"All in all, this has been a very successful joint effort between the city and METRO to enhance public safety along the Red Line corridor," said Kelly.
COMMENTS OR DISSCUSSION?
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Agency's officers park at downtown intersections to deter motorists' turns into trains' path
The Metro Police Department is taking a stand against auto-train accidents by taking a seat.
The transit agency has parked officers at six downtown intersections every day for the past month, aimed at preventing motorists from making illegal turns into the path of oncoming light rail trains.
There have been 57 accidents on the rail line this year — five fewer than in the first year of operation — many of them the result of illegal turns, the transit agency has said.
The officers are monitoring the intersections as part of a pilot program that began Nov. 17, said Police Chief Tom Lambert of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. Last month, the city of Houston and Metro made adjustments to traffic signals at the same intersections to allow rail cars to proceed a few moments ahead of motorists.
"Some may say we're being very aggressive with having officers at every intersection," Lambert said. "But we have a responsibility to public safety to make sure we reduce accidents."
Lambert said he will scale back the number of officers at the intersections along Main at St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress. He said his review revealed no accidents had occurred at those sites since the start of the pilot program.
Starting Friday, he said, officers will be assigned to patrol "as appropriate" between Pierce and Commerce.
The change could not come soon enough for Metro officers, who have questioned the wisdom of requiring police to sit at the intersections for an entire shift rather than being out on patrol, said Dean Goodrick, the president of the Houston Police Patrolman's Union.
Robert Lozano, president of the Houston Metro Fraternal Order of Police would only say that officers follow the chief's orders.
Metro's response to the accidents is similar to the "saturation" method the Houston Police Department has employed to deal with spikes in crime in various parts of Houston, said Larry Hoover, a criminal justice professor and director of the Police Research Center at Sam Houston State University.
"The issue is how long or what is the duration of that assignment," Hoover said. "As long as it stays temporary, because if it becomes permanent, the price you pay to personal motivation and morale can be pretty strong."
mailto:rosanna.ruiz@chron.com
METRO WRITE ON BLOG HAD THIS POSTED TODAY:
Train Accidents Decline in Pilot Program
Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:55 PM
In the past 30 days, there have been no car/rail accidents caused by cars turning left downtown in front of a train.
That safety record is the result of a pilot program that ends this week and is a result of three factors, says Assistant Police Chief Tim Kelly of MPD.
"Education - the media attention to this effort helped to educate the driving public. Engineering - the signal timing changes implemented by the city of Houston. Enforcement - the dedicated police officers at six downtown intersections," explained Kelly. "It is a combination of these three, and no one factor can be attributed solely to this accident reduction."
Earlier, we wrote about how the city has worked closely with MPD to adjust the timing of traffic signals along the Red Line. The six test locations along Main Street are: St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress.
The re-signaling has meant that METRORail gets a green light first, a few seconds before drivers get a green light to proceed. This permits the train to travel ahead of regular traffic at these intersections. Westbound and eastbound traffic has not been affected.
So far, this three-pronged approach is working.
By the end of this week, the police officers who have been deployed at the six downtown intersections will be reassigned, but "there will be continue to be dedicated police enforcement along Main Street to reinforce the positive changes we have made," said Kelly.
The new signal timing will stay in place. The city and METRO will work closely together to determine if more traffic lights need to be adjusted to benefit the rest of the Red Line.
"All in all, this has been a very successful joint effort between the city and METRO to enhance public safety along the Red Line corridor," said Kelly.
COMMENTS OR DISSCUSSION?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
