« September 2009 | Main | November 2009 »
It's time once again for our Halloween Safety tips. This link takes you to our website where you will find a safety brochure and a link to a safety video file from our School Resource Unit.
We encourage parents to take a moment and review these ideas and safety tips designed to ensure your ghosts and goblins (or super heroes or princesses) have a safe Halloween this year.
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
One of the services we strive to provide our community is the prevention of crime long before it happens. Crime Prevention programs have been around for many years as police departments worked to educate the community on ways to prevent home burglaries, keep our children safe from strangers, or women safe from sexual assault.
And so it is with great pleasure that announce LakelandPD's Community Services Unit was awarded the Crime Prevention Unit of the Year distinction by the Florida Crime Prevention Association.
LPD Community Services Unit
Our unit's members, including Supervisor Dr. Greg Robinson, Mr. George Butler, Ms. Cynthia Clifford, Ms. Anna Ricks, and Ms. Cindy Sharp, received the award at the Association's annual meeting last week. All of the members are Certified Crime Prevention Practitioners as designated by the Florida Attorney General's Office.
To be recognized by your peers for ongoing excellence in efforts to prevent crime and raise awareness in our community that crime prevention is everyone's responsibility is a tremendous honor. We salute our Community Services Unit for this distinction.
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
LakelandPD partnered with Amscot Financial and other law enforcement agencies in central Florida last week to distribute free bike helmets to pre-school and elementary school children. The helmets were donated by Amscot as part of their annual corporate program to promote bike safety for children. This was the seventh year for the helmet giveaway.
Officers Wesley and Kendrick and our Crime Prevention Unit joined volunteers from the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association and Amscot management at their location at 614 East Memorial Boulevard to hand out the free helmets and make sure they fit properly.
Our volunteers tell us seeing the smiles on the children's faces is reward enough for assisting with this program, but we do appreciate their time to make this effort such a success. And thanks to Amscot for continuing their commitment to making sure children have a helmet to ride their bikes safely.
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
The City Commission took a few moments from their meeting this morning to recognize the two Lakeland K-9 Officers and their partners who performed so well at the recent National K-9 Trials.
In case you missed our media releaseon this tremendous news, Officer Aaron Peterman and K-9 "Charief" (above left) placed second in the competition while Officer Barrett and K-9 "Benno" (above right) finished eighth out of 100 teams from around the country.
Captain Tom Day introduced the officers and their partners to the Commissioners and the audience at this morning's Commission meeting. We appreciate the Commissioners taking the time from their busy agenda today to recognize these officers and their extraordinary crime fighting partners.
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
One of the great things about living in Lakeland is how our residents are there to help each other whenever assistance is needed. We were able to recognize a local hero who did just that and saved a life following a traffic crash.
A vehicle traveling on Carpenter's Way struck a concrete pole, went through a stand of bushes, and hit a wooden sign before coming to rest in a water-filled retention pond. The vehicle began to sink beneath the surface of the water with the unconscious driver still inside.
Mr. Sam Benefiel lives across the street from where this crash occurred and witnessed it unfold. Without regard for his personal safety, Mr. Benefiel entered the pond and pulled the driver from the sinking vehicle through the shattered rear window. He was able to bring the injured driver to the shoreline where arriving EMS personnel began treatment.
Lt. Mike Link, Officer Dennis Mosser, and Sgt. Mike Moran present
Certificate of Appreciation to Mr. Sam Benefiel
Without Mr. Benefiel's selfless act of courage, quick thinking, and total disregard for his personal safety, an injured driver in a life-threatening situation could have faced a tragic ending.
We commend Mr. Benefiel for his actions and thank him for his willingness to save a life while endangering his own - a job well done sir!
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
Recent Comments