INSIDE the Lakeland Police Department

Lakeland Police Claim First Place at International SWAT Competition

It is with great pride that we announce LakelandPD has once again claimed top honors at the International SWAT Roundup completed last week in Orlando. Lakeland's team came from behind on the final day to take first place by one point over the team from Alachua County SO. A total of 52 teams from agencies across the state, the US, and from other countries participated in the annual Roundup. Final standings show just how close the top teams were to each other.

A video of the final event, the obstacle course, is available on YouTube. It shows many of teams as they struggle with the challenging "O-Course" and the physical demands required to not only excel in this event but just to finish it. It's a great video to watch.

We are exceptionally proud of the team's accomplishement along with their dedication and commitment to train throughout the year so they can represent our agency in this international competition. Training for the Roundup and practicing the skills necessary to win there also helps prepare our team to win in the real world when called up to handle dangerous tactical situations.

Job well done guys!

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

LakelandPD Celebrates Two Well-Deserved Retirements

We celebrated a couple of well-deserved retirements late last week as two of our long-tenured members retired from our department.

Captain Tom Day ended his 32-year career with LakelandPD with a celebration event on Thursday, and Ms. Connie Bowman retired on Friday with over 30 years of service to our community.

      

As for Captain Day, he was well known in Lakeland for his commitment to physical fitness and competitions. Tom was the driving force behind our highly successful Police Olympics teams and our running teams in annual events like the Corporate Cup Run. He also had a special place in his heart for the Olympians of the Special Olympics as he coordinated our annual Torch Run. Tom served in every bureau of our department, with his last assignment being as a Patrol Captain and SWAT Commander, having been a former SWAT and K-9 Officer. He plans to continue his drive for physical fitness by participating in a couple of international triathlons. We wish him well.

Ms. Bowman was one of those members whose work behind the scenes as an Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Chiefs helped keep our department moving. She was my assistant for six wonderful years, through which she kept me on time and on task. Her 30-year career started in our Records Section, but Ms. Bowman worked as an Assistant to many of our former Assistant Chiefs over the years. I first met Ms. Bowman when I applied to become an Auxiliary Police Officer in 1980, never realizing that one day I would have the privilege of working so closely with her. Rumor has it she will be taking extras trips to the beach now to get some of that wonderful Florida sand in between her toes!

Both of these retirees will remain part of our extended LPD family. We wish them well in their retirements and look forward to many return visits to the police station whenever they want ot come back and see old friends.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

LakelandPD Awarded Florida Crime Prevention Unit of the Year

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

Presidents' Roundtable Honors LPD Officers of the Year

Two Lakeland Police officers were honored today during the 41st annual Presidents' Roundtable Public Safety Awards banquet.

Officer Jason Leggett was named Officer of the Year for his efforts to locate a homicide victim. Leggett received information from out of state that a suspect had made comments about killing a man in Lakeland. Based on the very limited information known at the time, Officer Leggett utilized a variety of investigative research methods to locate where the victim was found deceased. His initial efforts led to the subsequent arrest of the suspect.

Detective James O'Neill is our Detective of the Year and was awarded Honorable Mention for his investigative efforts into a reported fraud case that ultimately led to the seizure of additional drugs and money. Det. O'Neill is well known for the thoroughness of his fraud investigations. He relentlessly follows all leads and often creates more work for himself because one case generally leads to another and to another and so on.

 

We congratulate both Officer Leggett and Detective O'Neill for receiving their awards today and for their dedicated service to the community.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

LPD Snipers Top Team in the State

When critical events occur that require activating our SWAT Team, an essential element of that entire operation is the deployment of snipers around the target location. Snipers provide cover and protection for entry teams and other personnel involved in tactical operations within the inner perimeter. They also afford us the opportunity to neutralize a threat, such as a hostage taker or a barricaded subject shooting at officers.

Our SWAT Commanders rely on our sniper team knowing these officers can make a precision shot from a long distance should they be called upon to do so. We consider our snipers to be among the best around - and that was proven during the Florida SWAT Association's annual sniper competition last week.

Two of our snipers participating in the competition, Sgt. Chad Mumbauer and Det. Bob Bernhardt, placed first in the team event and easily separated themselves from the rest of the pack. The competition included six different tactical events, and our team took first place in three of the six separate challenges and second in two more.

The sniper's role is to wait, sometimes for hours on end in the worst possible environmental conditions, providing protection to those exposed to danger. The job is stressful, requires a great deal of patience and restraint, and demands the highest degree of professionalism. We are so proud of our snipers and congratulate these two for their outstanding performance in the heat of competition.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Lakeland Police Swear-in Three New Officers

Three new members joined the Lakeland Police Department as police officers last week after taking an oath of office and receiving their police shields. Officers Tyler Anderson, Mike Glass, and Dagon Leach completed the preliminary orientation program on Friday and entered the Field Training program this weekend. They will be in Field Training until November to learn the many skills and duties we expect from our officers.

We welcome each of them to the Department and wish them well in their career at LPD!

From left to right: Officer Dagon Leach, Officer Mike Glass, Officer Tyler Anderson.

For the moment, we are at full strength of police officers (absent the 10 positions we lost earlier in the year due to budget cuts).

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Lakeland Police Forensic Artist Featured on Channel 13

We previously highlighted the exceptional forensic artist work of one of our Public Safety Aides, Ms. Darlene Melius. Her artistic talents are simply phenomenal.

And just yesterday, Channel 13 - WTVT, featured some work PSA Melius is preparing to complete on a human skull found in Tampa Bay in hopes of providing investigators with a drawing of what the victim looked like.

We cannot say enough good things about the work PSA Melius offers to our community and now to the greater Tampa Bay area. Thanks Darlene for a job well done.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Det. Mingus Retires from LPD

Det. Eddie Mingus recently retired from the Lakeland Police Department after 18 years of service to the community. Co-workers, family, and friends gathered for ceremonies to say good bye and wish him well in his future endeavors.

   

When given an opportunity to address those gathered, Det. Mingus introduced himself as the honored retiree saying everyone there must have heard free cake was being handed out in the Community Room rather than be there to wish him well. That is the kind of humor he brought to the job everyday he was here.

You may recognize him as one of our "calendar models" for a recent project on behalf of Bloodnet. Det. Mingus was a faithful donor of life through our many blood drives at LPD.

Despite the free cake, we do want to wish Det. Mingus well. Thank you sir for your many years of service as a patrol officer, detective, and member of our Hostage Negotiations Team.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Lakeland Police Swear-In Four New Officers

Four new officers were sworn-in as members of the Lakeland Police Department during ceremonies this past Thursday. Officers Mike Arbogast, Talya Frazier, Jason Leggett, and Scott Weaver took their oath of office and received their shields from Chief Boatner.

These four new officers have just completed a four-week orientation program and begin their 14-week field training program this weekend. We wish them the best in their careers at Lakeland PD and welcome them to our department.

From left to right: Officer Scott Weaver, Officer Jason Leggett,
Officer Talya Frazier, and Officer Mike Arbogast.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Lakeland Police Promote Dr. Greg Robinson to Supervisor of Crime Prevention Unit

Dr. Greg Robinson, a Lakeland Police Department Crime Prevention Practitioner for over 10 years, was recently promoted to Supervisor of the Community Services Unit. This position was previously held by a Police Sergeant, but it was converted to a civilian supervisor as part of our redeployment strategy to move sworn personnel from administrative positions and put them in the field.

Dr. Robinson earned his Doctorate at United Bible College and Seminary in Theology and Christian Education. He has earned many awards and decorations during his military service, service to the religious community, and here at LPD. His most recent recognition was Civilian Member of the Year for the Police Department in 2007.

Greg was born and raised in Lakeland. After graduating from Lakeland Senior High School he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served 13 years and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant functioning in many capacities. Some of his duties were: Cannoneer, Fire Direction Officer, Gun Chief, Pershing Missile Chief, Drill Instructor and an Advanced Weapons Instructor. During his tenure he completed two tours in Europe for a total of 6 years.

Greg started with the Lakeland Police Department in December of 1995 serving in the Community Services Section. He has graduated numerous courses and training sessions such as the FBI Citizen Academy, Credit Card Fraud Course, Time Management Training, Child Safety Technician, City University courses, Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, Florida, Work Place Violence Instructor and a Victim Service Practitioner. Greg is certified as a Florida Crime Prevention Practitioner.

We congratulate him on this promotion and look forward to his continued service to the Lakeland community.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere