INSIDE the Lakeland Police Department

Project Blue Light

One of the holiday traditions in the LePere household is to participate in Project Blue Light, a simple gesture of displaying a blue light in honor of law enforcement officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice or who continue to serve our communities. We put two lights in the windows every year, and have done so for the past two decades.

The tradition started twenty years ago when a Philadelphia woman put blue lights in her windows during the holiday season in honor of her son-in-law, a police officer who had been killed in the line of duty. Today, officers and law enforcement supporters across the country continue the tradition every holiday season.

You can learn more about Project Blue Light at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund web site.

Merry Christmas to all as we remember our fallen heroes and those who continue to serve and protect.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Lakeland PD Releases November Crime Data

The Uniform Crime Report data for November 2008 has been posted on the Department's website. Follow the link to view the entire report for November and year-to-date crime figures.

We are seeing a slight rise in property crimes during the past several months. Many will be quick to suggest this increase is due to the downturn of our economy. We are not quite ready to blame it all on the economy just yet. The biggest year-to-date increases were in auto theft (up 12%), a crime that is not often linked to economic downturns. Burglaries are down almost 3% from same period last year and larcenies are just about even. These crimes are more likely to be linked with the economy than auto theft.

Violent crime for the year is also up significantly during October and November. Robbery and Aggravated Assaults are the leading cause of this increase. However, the overall year-to-date figures for violent crime show a respectable decrease of 8%.

Crime figures for December and all of 2008 will be available at the end of January when we do our annual audit report for the year.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Cops for Christmas

The spirit of Christmas filled the Lakeland Police station Thursday evening as we celebrated Cops for Christmas here. This annual event allows us the opportunity to share the generosity of our community with families who need some assistance during the holiday season.

Approximately 70 families and over 200 children received Christmas presents generously donated to the police department by various individual donors and civic groups. Each family received a bag of toys to meet their children's needs along with a meal from Texas Cattle Company, and of course holiday cake! Photos were taken with Santa as well.

Our efforts for the evening would not have occurred if it were not for the volunteers of the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association who helped in a variety of ways. Our alumni served as Santa's helpers, guides, and anything else needed to be done. We appreciate our dedicated volunteers more than we can ever express to them.

I asked one volunteer if he needed anything while helping us for this event. He replied, "All I need is to see a child smile." I can assure you there were plenty of smiles to be seen last night.

Merry Christmas to all...

     

   

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

December Do The Right Thing Awards Presented

Four local students were recognized on Thursday for exceptional behavior during December's Do The Right Thing awards ceremony at the Lakeland Police Department. It is always heartwarming and uplifting to hear about the positive accomplishments of our students. This month's nominees are worthy of this recognition.

    From left to right: Officer Billy Wayne Skinner, Allyson Lewis, Shy'peria Brown, Lucas Catlett, and Robert Stephenson.

Overall Winner:

Allyson Lewis - a sophomore at Lakeland Senior High School, Allyson was recognized for her calm and heroic actions during an emergency. Allyson was riding her morning bus to school with many other students when she noticed the driver was experiencing difficulty maintaining control of the bus. When the driver passed out and the bus rolled off the roadway, Allyson helped maintain control of the situation by remaining calm and calling upon the other students as she turned off the engine, called 911, and escorted the other students off the bus.

Runner Up Awards:

Shy'peria Brown - a first grader at Rochelle School of the Arts, Shy'peria is already a high achiever in life. At the mere age of six, she has become a role model for others by assisting in teaching Sunday School, tutoring her little brother in reading and writing, ushers at church, sings in the children's choir, and maintains good manners at school and home. Shy'peria is also a class motivator at school with a cheerful outlook and attitude as she helps classmates resolve conflicts and assists the teacher. With an infectious smile and positive day to day behavior, Shy'peria is a constant model of choosing to do the right thing.

Lucas Catlett - is a fourth grader at Sleepy Hill Elementary School. Though his family was experiencing economic difficulties in these challenging times (something that children easily pick up and understand), Lucas saw beyond his own situation and recognized another who had far greater needs. Lucas saw another student wearing shoes being held together with tattered laces falling apart. He felt the child needed what he had and gave him is own laces from his shoes. Sometimes it is the smallest gifts that mean the most.

Robert Stephenson - is an eighth grader at Southwest Middle School. While attending P.E. classes, he overheard students discussing a group of girls that were away from the class injuring themselves. No one took the initiative to help. Robert recognized the danger and went to see what the other students were doing. He observed the group of young girls were sitting away and hurting themselves with a piece of broken glass. Robert immediately notified a teacher of the situation. Because he chose to do the right thing rather than ignore it as the other students were doing, the girls were able to get psychological and medical attention they needed.

Congratulations to each of you for your willingness to do the right thing.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Lakeland SWAT Places Second at SWAT Round-Up

The LPD SWAT Team has been competing in the 2008 SWAT Round-up International competition in Orlando, Floridathis past week. During this week long event, our SWAT members competed against 60 other tactical teams that came from the national and international levels of the tactical arena. The tactical skills and abilities of each member were put to the ultimate test during this tactical competition with only the "cream of the crop" rising to the forefront.

It is with great honor and pleasure that I announce our LPD SWAT team secured 2nd place out of the sixty teams competing this year. To say the least, I am extremely proud of the team members that competed and once again demonstrated the LPD SWAT is a team that truly exemplifies the meaning of "Commitment to Excellence" in the SWAT world.

- Lt. Mike Link

Florida Winter Driving

Though it was a bit chilly this morning when I walked outside to get the newspaper before sunrise, I realize it could be a lot worse if temps fell below freezing and starting impacting on local crops. It was almost a bit of serendipity this morning then while checking my various police blog feeds that I discovered a post from yesterday on the Dalton (GA) Police Department's blog about winter driving tips.

After reading those tips, I am so grateful to be living in Florida this time of year and for the fact we do not have to share such tips with the community!

- Asst Chief Bill LePere