September 2014 Today’s Good News Monday, Sept. 1—CITY HOLIDAY Tuesday, Sept. 2 Kudos to Fourth Precinct Detective Patrick Mansfield who was named the Department’s Problem Solver of the Month for July! From suspects to concerned citizens, Detective Mansfield has a way about him that makes it easy for people to talk to him. That comes in handy when searching for tips, building strong community relationships and trying to get a confession. The easy-going way about him has also gone a long way when dealing with the public and establishing trust. It’s even benefitted other detectives who have been able to use his resources to assist in investigating their cases. In July, Detective Mansfield investigated nearly 50 cases, ranging from robbery to burglary, and he treated each one with care and consideration to help bring closure to the victims. In additional to several solid arrests, he didn’t hesitate to drop what he was doing to help his fellow detectives when they needed assistance on an investigation or street coverage due to vacation or injuries. Thank you and congratulations to Detective Patrick Mansfield—our Problem Solver of the Month for July! Wednesday, Sept. 3 Third Precinct Officers Tommy Obenrader and Brian Sheridan were on walking patrol Sunday when they were notified about a woman unconscious on the railroad tracks across the canal from the North Bank Trail. Without a specific location, the officers hiked about three miles looking for her until they finally spotted her. Fearful for her safety, both officers jumped into the canal and swam across to get her to safety and render first aid until Richmond Ambulance Authority and the Richmond Fire Department could arrive. Thankfully the woman turned out to be OK and even though Officer Obenrader suffered from heat exhaustion, he was treated and released back to full duty later that night. Thank you, officers, for your dedication to duty. Thursday, Sept. 4 A citizen recently emailed to commend First Precinct Officer Keith Mansfield for his assistance when their car broke down in Shockoe Bottom neighborhood last week. “I would like to send a big THANK YOU to Officer Mansfield. My friend’s car battery had died in the middle th of N. 18 Street. Neither of us had jumper cables. Luckily, my friend’s car is a manual and just as we were about to start pushing it to pop the clutch, Officer Mansfield drove by,” she wrote. “Although he did not have jumper cables either, he did help by using his blue lights to warn other drivers to be cautious AND he got out of his car to help push my friend’s car uphill to the next block so we could pop the clutch. What an extremely nice guy who was more than willing and ready to help!” Good job Officer Mansfield! Friday, Sept. 5 A woman called this week to commend Third Precinct Sergeants John Stanton and John Raina for their work and community support. During the first week of school each year, her street becomes very busy with traffic when people are dropping off students at the elementary school, she said. She has called for years asking for some assistance with illegal parking in front of her house that blocks her in and prevents her from leaving.

This year, she said, she was happy to see officers out and patrolling during the pickup and drop off times, which kept traffic moving and prevented illegal parking issues. “I love my local police,” she said. Good work sergeants and officers! NO WEEKEND NEWS Monday, Sept. 8 Thanks to the good investigative work by Second Precinct Officer Vamana Brown and an assist from another officer, a man who fled the scene after a car accident that seriously injured another man was quickly identified and arrested. It all started when Officer Brown responded to Jefferson Davis Highway and located the unconscious victim suffering from several injuries. After he was taken to VCU Medical Center, Officer Brown was notified by Fourth Precinct Officer Willie O’Neil, who was working off duty at another hospital, that a man had just come to the hospital with injuries from a car accident and that it could be related. Officer Brown responded and interviewed the man, who confessed to being the driver, fleeing the scene and leaving his friend injured without calling for help. Due to Officer Brown’s thorough investigation, he was able to arrest the man and charge him with felony hit and run and driving without a license. Good work Officers Brown and O’Neil! (On the Spot) Tuesday, Sept. 9 A woman recently emailed to commend Third Precinct Sergeant Chuck Hayes for helping her daughter deal with a troubled roommate situation. “Sgt. Hayes was kind enough to speak with me and talk through what our options were regarding the incident and regarding the roommate’s behavior. He reassured me that I was thinking right about the escalating behavior and that my daughter needed to get out of that living situation and that I should continue to try and persuade her to move. Of course, my daughter did not agree with me that she should move out,” the woman wrote. “He was very kind to listen to a very worried parent and supportive that I get involved in my then 20-yearold’s situation. Sgt. Hayes kindly gave my daughter a call, unbeknownst to me at the time, and spoke with her about her situation. He pointed out to her that she was definitely not in a good place with her roommate and that she should seriously consider her alternatives. I know from speaking with Sgt. Hayes after the call that it was a good conversation. Even better, my daughter decided within 24 hours of that conversation that she should move out. “A few months after that situation she was able to look back and recognize that she had really been affected both mentally and physically. I think it is not likely that she would thank me or Sgt. Hayes for intervening but that doesn’t matter to me since I can see that she is healthy, happy and more capable of making smart choices concerning her well-being. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for Sgt. Hayes service and for all that the Richmond Police Department does to make the city a safe community.” Wednesday, Sept. 10 Third Precinct Officer Jasmine Winn recently responded to investigate a report of three juveniles breaking into vehicles and thanks to her quick thinking and quick feet, she made--of course--a quick arrest. As she pulled up, she spotted the suspects, who immediately scattered in different directions. She anticipated their direction of travel, directed responding units and focused on the primary offender, whom she arrested without incident. Thanks to her quick reaction and expertise guiding other officers, one of the juveniles was interviewed, arrested and charged with property damage and violating curfew. Good work Officer Winn!

Thursday, Sept. 11 Thanks to the speedy and coordinated response by several Fourth Precinct officers earlier this week, a man was arrested within minutes of robbing a woman of her purse. Officers Paul Campbell and Ashley Wood were the first officers on scene and after helping the victim calm down, they gathered and broadcast information about the suspect’s description. Officer Michael Musselwhite, who was already searching the area, immediately spotted a man matching that description walking a few streets away. But he noticed that the man kept changing direction so he requested the assistance of Officer Campbell and together they detained the man without incident. With further help from Detective Kristie Reed, the man was identified as the robber and charged accordingly. Good work officers! Friday, Sept. 12 Every loss of life is tragic. That’s why the Department is grateful to have hardworking and dedicated officers and detectives who work together around the clock to solve such crimes and bring justice to a loved one’s family and friends. Here’s just one example: In early January, First Precinct Sgt. Kelly O’Connell and other officers responded to investigate the murder of an elderly woman in the city’s East End. Homicide Team D, comprised at the time of Detectives Arcellious Demery, John Bandy, Conrad Simms and Mac Adams, and Forensics’ Detectives Gene Provost, Steve Jones and Supervisor Ron Judah, sprang into action and immediately began interviewing possible witnesses and collecting and analyzing evidence at the scene. They noted that the victim’s vehicle had been taken and broadcast its description. Less than two hours later, eagle-eyed Fourth Precinct Officer Michael Musselwhite spotted the car parked outside a motel on Chamberlayne Avenue and called for backup. With the assistance of Fourth Precinct Sgt. Eric Flick and Officers Jill Simons, Nicholas Castrinos, Joshua Umbel and Robert Kleinholz, the perimeter was set up and secured. Sgt. Flick used the loud speaker on the police wagon to speak with the suspect inside the motel and in less than one minute, the man surrendered to police. The suspect subsequently gave a full confession to Detectives Demery and Simms thanks to their good interview techniques and even showed them where he’d discarded the murder weapon. Supervising Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Traci Miller prosecuted the case and as a result of these combined efforts, the suspect pleaded guilty to first degree murder. This week, the judge sentenced him to life in prison. “This was truly one of those investigations that showed a remarkable team effort,” Deputy Chief John Buturla said. “Good work all.” NO WEEKEND NEWS Monday, Sept. 15 Thanks to an observant victim, fast-responding officers and one dumb criminal, a quick arrest was made in a recent burglary in the Fan. Third Precinct Officer Ralph Mills interviewed the victim, who was home when a man broke into the residence and stole several items, and quickly broadcast the suspect’s description and direction of travel. Though the suspect initially eluded capture, he was spotted returning to the scene of the crime 20 minutes later to gather the stolen items he had apparently stashed in some bushes. That’s when the victim saw him and called Fourth Precinct officers, who rapidly responded and detained him. After further investigation by Detective Harry Brown, the man was charged with burglary. Good works officers!

Tuesday, Sept. 16 People driving around the city in a vehicle filled with drugs, packaging materials and a gun is a dangerous situation – when there is a 6-year-old girl in the vehicle also – it is downright scary. That is what Third Precinct Officers Carrie Griffith and Daniel Minor encountered after making a traffic stop recently. An arrest was made and the tense situation for the child was defused thanks to the great work of the officers. Thank you and good work officers! Wednesday, Sept. 17 Two teens leaving school is not an unusual sight – unless it’s happening when the school year has not yet begun! Second Precinct Officer Robert Misegades was called to an elementary school to investigate a burglary alarm call a few weeks ago. Officer Misegades checked the security of the building and spotted two teens running inside the school toward a side door. He dashed to the door and was able to intercept the teens and place them into custody. With help from Detective Derrick Longoria the full story emerged about the breaking and entering. After being released to their guardians, we hope the teens will appreciate the inside of a school – and not the inside of a juvenile detention center. Thursday, Sept. 18 “We’ll get ‘em next time,” is a phrase that brings no comfort to the dedicated officers of the Richmond Police Department. Officers want to make arrests for criminal activity each and every time a crime has occurred. That’s what happened recently when Second Precinct Officer Vamana Brown and Master Patrol Officer Steven Durham responded to a call of a breaking and entering. The officers were nearby, responded quickly and observed a rear window had been forced open – with the suspect still inside the residence. An arrest was made and “We’ll get ‘em next time” was nowhere to be heard. Great job officers! Friday, Sept. 19 Kudos to Second Precinct Officer Jerry Scarborough who was named the Department’s Overall Officer of the Month for August! Officer Scarborough has many tools on his tool belt, but he knows that sometimes it’s his words that are the most powerful weapon. This was on full display last month when he and other officers responded to a storage compound to investigate a man stealing copper wire. The offender climbed a fence topped with barbed wire and into an enclosed area. A perimeter was set up, but the man refused to comply with officer commands and tried to escape several times. After several minutes, Officer Scarborough was able to develop a rapport with the man, convincing him to surrender to officers. Further investigation revealed this man was the prime suspect in the theft of several thousand dollars in copper wire. Numerous charges are pending. Thank you and congratulations to Second Precinct Officer Jerry Scarborough, our Officer of the Month for August! Officer Scarborough is pictured here with Chief Ray Tarasovic, Second Precinct Captain Marty Harrison and Area 1 Major Scott Booth. NO WEEKEND NEWS Monday, Sept. 22 Kudos to Fourth Precinct Sergeant Jeremy Nierman who was named the Department’s Sergeant of the Month for August! During the past month, Sergeant Nierman has done a great job managing critical incidents all while supervising and developing his very young platoon. Case in point: On Aug. 18, Sergeant Nierman and his platoon responded to a robbery in progress involving three suspects who had also assaulted the victim. Sergeant Nierman immediately coordinated

the response of his officers, setting up a perimeter while directing Richmond Ambulance Authority to the victim to render aid. The suspects were quickly spotted nearby and arrested by officers thanks to their solid perimeter and speedy response. Sergeant Nierman then worked with the responding detective and all three suspects were identified by the victim and charged accordingly. The responding detective said that if it were not for the efforts of Sergeant Nierman and his officers it would have been much more difficult to solve this crime. Thank you and congratulations to Fourth Precinct Sergeant Jeremy Nierman, our Sergeant of the Month! Sergeant Nierman is pictured here with Chief Ray Tarasovic and Fourth Precinct Captain John O’Kleasky. Tuesday, Sept. 23 Kudos to Officer Kaneka McQueen who was named Fourth Precinct’s Officer of the Month for August! It’s often a level head and a coordinated response that brings the best outcome to most situations. Officer McQueen was all that in one officer during an incident last month in which a man threatened to shoot another man. The victim—a utility worker--called police to report that he was trying to turn off a man’s utilities when the man came out and threatened to shoot him before retreating back into his residence. Officer McQueen interviewed the victim, and also took the time to research information about the offender, including criminal involvements and possible interactions with mental health professionals. Her actions set the foundation for the department to gauge the level of danger and come up with the perfect plan of action that resulted in the offender being arrested without incident; his four firearms being seized; and the offender being evaluated by mental health professionals. This is just one of the many reasons Officer Kaneka McQueen is our Fourth Precinct Officer of the Month! Congratulations! Officer McQueen is pictured here with Chief Ray J. Tarasovic and Fourth Precinct Captain John O’Kleasky. Wednesday, Sept. 24 Kudos to Officer C. Griffith who was named Third Precinct’s Officer of the Month for August! Officer Griffith is known as the “go to” officer on her shift when there is a specific problem to be addressed in Sector 312. Her ability to fully investigate and solve the problem is second to none. This is especially evidence on the “every day” calls. Officer Griffith strives, and routinely succeeds, at reaching amicable solution that pleases all the parties involved. This solves the problem itself and prevents the multiple calls for service to the same address over a period of time. Additionally, Officer Griffith has sought out training on her time to better her skills. She embraces the community policing style that our Department possesses and is never at a loss for proactive police work that regularly results in a positive impact in the community. That’s why she’s our Third Precinct Officer of the Month! Thank you and congratulations. Officer C. Griffith is pictured here with Chief Ray J. Tarasovic and Third Precinct Captain Emmett Williams. Thursday, Sept. 25 Kudos to Officer Erica Maine who was named First Precinct’s Officer of the Month for August! Officer Maine may be relatively new to patrol, but her level of commitment to the organization and the community in which she serves is anything but. Thanks to her keen eyes and exceptional foot speed last month, she spotted one of four armed robbers trying to hide from police. As she approached the area, she noticed movement in the wood line, parked

her car and engaged in a foot pursuit that resulted in the man’s arrest as well as the recovery of the firearm used. Responding officers also captured the three other robbers. This is just one of the reasons Officer Erica Maine is our First Precinct Officer of the Month! Thank you and congratulations! Officer Maine is pictured here with Chief Ray J. Tarasovic, Sector 113 Lt. Jody Blackwell and Area 1 Major Scott Booth. Friday, Sept. 26 Kudos to Communications Officer Sameika Anderson who was named the Department’s Communications Officer of the Month for August! CO Anderson has not been with the Department very long, but her positive attitude and strong skill set have already gone a long way in bettering internal and external communications at the Division of Emergency Communications. Here’s one great example from her very last day of training: CO Anderson was operating Police Channel 2 when an officer advised that two individuals were acting unusual. She quickly identified the unit and got the vehicle description. It’s a good thing because seconds later, the suspects fled from the officers. Because CO Anderson was still in training, she had a safety net in another training officer, however, the net was not needed. CO Anderson performed her duties well, toning and simulcasting the event appropriately while notifying supervisors and requesting additional units. Two keys to being an effective communications officer are voice control and being able to process information quickly. During high impact events, this has to be done quickly and CO Anderson did just that and did it perfectly. Good job and thank you to Communications Officer Sameika Anderson, our Communications Officer of the Month! NO WEEKEND NEWS Monday, Sept. 29 Kudos to Fourth Precinct Detective Dale Shamburg who was named the Department’s Problem Solver of the Month for August! Detective Shamburg routinely works hard to investigate and solve a variety of crimes in his area, but it was a particular incident last month that really showed how dedicated he is. It started with a voicemail from a distraught family member whose father had died of natural causes, but the woman was concerned that someone had stolen several items from his residence. Detective Shamburg immediately called the woman back, gathered more information about the missing items and investigated further, discovering that the items had indeed been stolen and pawned in a shop in Henrico County. Detective Shamburg then worked with Henrico Police to locate and arrest the suspect, who confessed to the crime. Detective Shamburg’s actions not only reassured a citizen that the Department cares and goes the extra mile, but this quick arrest also had an impact on a neighborhood that had seen a spike in burglaries and other thefts recently. Good work and thank you, Detective Dale Shamburg, our Problem Solver of the Month! Tuesday, Sept. 30 Several members of the Department’s SWAT and Negotiators teams were recently called out to assist with a woman who had locked herself in a building and was threatening to harm herself. When patrol officers arrived, they quickly set up a perimeter, determined the woman was inside and that she had access to a firearm.

Patrol officers initially tried to talk the woman into coming out peacefully, but she produced the firearm and discussions were suspended until negotiators arrived. Negotiator and Second Precinct Officer Paul Cline then took over negotiations and after a lengthy conversation, he convinced her to walk out of the building without the firearm. Officers then took her to the hospital to be checked out. This situation could have ended tragically for the woman and the officers, but thanks to officers’ good preparation, which includes Crisis Intervention Training about how to deal with people suffering from mental illness, no one was injured and the woman received treatment. Good job officers!