| From
the Police Chief
With that we need to keep two things in mind. First, there will be LOTS of kids walking and running from between cars near the Elementary School, and second, there will be drivers wanting to drive faster than the posted speed limit on the new, smooth street. Put these two items together and there is the possibility of problems, with drastic results. The solution? You, as the driver, can ensure that you keep the kids safe by driving slowly through any school zone, even after school hours as many kids stay to play on the playground and youth soccer will soon be starting after school. As a reminder Cottonwood Police Department will be present, and will be stopping drivers who violate the speed limits within the school zones. Remember that there is an increased fine for speeding in a school zone. Folks, the idea is to work together to ensure our kids are safe. Speaking of working together, let’s discuss the recent burglaries. As everyone knows there were multiple burglaries in town, and the surrounding areas recently. I agree with everyone that this is a tragedy, and expresses the lowest in human interaction when someone resorts to stealing from their friends and neighbors. So, what are we, your Law Enforcement folks, doing? Cottonwood Police is working hand in hand with Idaho County and Lewis County Sheriff’s Departments as well as State agencies to identify, locate, and apprehend the folks who are responsible for the thefts. But, the best defense is a good offense. We need you to assist in your protection and prosecution of criminals within your communities. We need you to be good witnesses, if you see something in your block, on your street, please call and let us know as soon as you can. Often times the next day, or a few days later, is far too late for Police to do anything about what you saw, so it is very important that you call as soon as possible. When you see something that you think is out of place please try and get as much information as possible, such as a description of what the person looked like, how tall, hair color, what clothes, what were they driving or riding in and what direction they drove off in always helps. And finally, if you do call dispatch please, please, do not hang up until after the dispatcher has gotten your name, address, phone number and has said they are done with their questions for you. I understand that in a small community no one wants to “get involved” but that is the only way we will be able to solve the community issues. And finally, Cottonwood Police has received a grant to work on Juvenile Alcohol issues within the area. Through the Juvenile Justice Department Cottonwood Police has received funding to pay for one officer to spend 8 hrs a week in the Cottonwood School District buildings. Officer Jason Rambo was hired to fill this position. He will be working with the Drug Free Coordinator with a focus on education versus the “uniformed cop” in the schools. Jason is a very educated person who works full time at NICI as a case manager and had many years experience in Juvenile and adult corrections and counseling. My; and his; goal is to build a relationship with the kids to help them make good choices. I feel that he will be a great fit for the schools and will work very well with the kids. As always, if anyone has questions or thoughts regarding what has been or is happening within Cottonwood Police please feel free to contact me at any time at Cottonwood City Hall. |
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