SONORA POLICE DEPARTMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN HOSTS TAKE 25 EVENT TO COMMEMORATE NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN’S DAY

Sonora – The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC), in partnership with the Sonora Police Department, will be observing National Missing Children’s Day this year by participating in the national Take 25 child safety campaign.
May 25 has been observed as National Missing Children’s Day since it was first recognized in 1983. National Missing Children’s Day serves as an annual reminder that there are thousands of children who are still missing and stresses the importance of making child protection a national priority. The Take 25 campaign is a national child safety public awareness campaign created in 2007 by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The campaign encourages parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and ways to prevent abduction. The campaign begins on May 1 and continues through May 25 every year in communities throughout the country.
“Every day we hear stories about children who escaped a would-be-abductor because someone talked to them about what they should do in that type of situation”, said CEO John Ryan.
Chief Stinson said, “Education and open communication are key to keeping children safer. Take 25 minutes and talk to your child, as this could be the most important 25 minutes of their life.”
Every year in America, an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing. Of that number, it is estimated that 200,000 are abducted by family members and approximately 58,000 are abducted by non-family members. Each year, it is estimated that 115 children are the victims of the most serious abductions; they are taken by non-family members and either murdered, ransomed or taken with the intent to keep.
An analysis of attempted abduction cases by NCMEC found that in 84% of cases, the child escaped would-be abductors through their own actions. Teaching children about safety works. It saves lives.

Date and Time of Incident: 12 May 2013, at approx. 12:05 am

Subject: Police Department Struck by Drunk Driver
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12 May 2013, at approx. 12:05 am, Officers were inside the Police Department when they heard a loud crash. When they looked outside, they noticed that a 1995 Ford truck had struck the south/east corner of the department, damaging the recently remodeled structure.

The driver then drove off southbound on South Green Street. Officers were able to catch the vehicle and stop it on Stockton Road, near West Bradford. Officers contacted the driver who as identified as Steven Lavine 59 of Sonora.

Lavine asked the officers if they didn’t have anything else better to do, like chase criminals. When asked to perform field sobriety tests, Lavine replied he was too intoxicated to try the tests. A preliminary alcohol screening test showed Lavine’s blood alcohol level to be almost three times the legal limit.

Lavine was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked for misdemeanor driving under the influence and misdemeanor hit and run.

Date and Time of Incident: Saturday, 11 May 2013

Subject: Round-Up Parade Street Closures and No Parking Zones
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Saturday, 11th May 2013, will be the annual Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Posse, Mother Lode Round-Up Parade. This event draws thousands of visitors to the downtown area of Sonora each year.

Several streets will be closed before and during the parade, which people need to keep in mind if they are planning on attending the parade or trying to get through town. Detours will be posted for those streets that are closed. The following are the major street closures;

South Washington Street at State Highway 108 will be closed at 8:00 am.

North and South Washington Street will be closed at 9:30 am.

Stockton Road at Green Street will be closed at 9:30 am.

Snell Street at Bonanza Street will be closed at 9:30 am.

School Street between Washington Street and Snell Street will be closed at 9:00 am.

“No parking” will be allowed on Washington Street from Elkin Street to Toby Street, between 5 am and the end of the parade. “No parking” will be allowed on Stockton Road between Washington Street and 70 Stockton Road between, 5 am and the end of the parade. Special signs have been posted for these “No parking” zones. Unfortunately, if you park in these areas your vehicle will be towed.

If you are planning on attending the parade, the Sonora Police Department encourages you to arrive around 9:00 am to save yourself some aggravation and allow you time to find parking.

New this year, there will be “NO PARKING” allowed on the side streets between Washington Street and Green Street and between Washington Street and Stewart. This will include Elkin Street, Dodge Street, Jackson Street, Bradford Street, Theall Street, Church Street, Gold Street, Williams Street and Lytton Street. These restrictions will start at 9:00 am and will conclude at the end of the parade. Vehicles parked in these areas will be towed.

Following the conclusion of the parade, the parade route will remain closed for approx. 10-15 minutes to allow spectators to leave the area. Motorists can expect heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic at the conclusion of the parade and delays.

If you have any questions, you may call the Sonora Police Department at 532-8141.

Date and Time of Incident: 27 April 2013

Subject: Explorer Challenge
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27 April 2013, the Sonora Police Department’s Explorer Post participated in the 2013, Explorer Challenge, held in Brentwood, CA. The challenge consisted of Explorer teams from all over the bay area and northern California. Some of the teams present were from Redwood City, Daly City, Palo Alto, Pinole, San Mateo, Elk Grove, Galt, and Vacaville, just to name a few.

The Explorers performed in scenarios similar to calls that are handled by officers, which ranged from every day calls for service to high risk situations. The Explorers are evaluated on their ability to properly perform the functions to address the problem or resolve the situation, as an actual officer would.

Some of the scenarios included domestic violence, foot pursuits, burglaries in progress, bike patrol, traffic stops, suspicious subjects, high risk felony traffic stops, active shooter, written exams, and traffic collision investigation.

Once again, The Sonora Police Department’s Explorers Post showed their knowledge and skills in several different areas. However, it’s not without excellent training and guidance from Reserve Sgt. Glenn Roberts, Officer Jake Ostoich, Officer Andrew Theodore, and other members of the Sonora Police Departments, along with other allied law enforcement personnel in Tuolumne County, who make this possible.

This year members of the Explorer post took first place in high risk felony traffic stops; second place in active shooter; and third place in suspicious person contacts. This was a great day for our Explorers to show off what they have learned, while having the opportunity to interact with other Explorers from other areas of the State.

Date and Time of Incident: 23 April 2013

Subject: MADD Awards
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23 April 2013, The California Chapter of Mothers Again Drug Driving (MADD) and California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), held their annual DUI Recognition and DUI Training Seminar and award ceremony in Ripon.

The mission of MADD is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. The Mission of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) strives to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries. It does this by making available grants to local and State public agencies for programs that help enforce traffic laws, educate the public in traffic safety, and provide varied and effective means of reducing fatalities, injuries and economic losses from collisions.

The Sonora Police Department and the Jamestown Office of the California Highway Patrol work closely with each other and with both organizations to help reduce the amount of traffic fatalities related to drunk and drug driving in Tuolumne County.

Part of the event is to recognize and honor those Officers who were exemplarily in DUI enforcement in their agencies during 2012, in the Counties of Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne. During 2012, those who were honored at the ceremony made a total of 5,025 arrests.

During the event, an Officer from the Sonora Police Department and five Officers from the Jamestown Office of the California Highway Patrol were recognized for their outstanding work and personal attempts to reduce the DUI fatality rate in Tuolumne County. To be honored, each Officer had to make 25 or more arrests for DUI during 2012. The Officers honored were;

Officer Andrew Theodore Sonora Police Department
Officer Eli Dillon ID 16812 California Highway Patrol
Officer Michael Huddleston, ID 18965 California Highway Patrol
Officer Steve Machado, ID 19785 California Highway Patrol
Officer Steve Warzee, ID 19297 California Highway Patrol
Officer Joshua Mahaney, ID 19773 California Highway Patrol

All the above listed Officers will be honored again at the State recognition dinner, which will be held in Sacramento. The Sonora Police Department would like to congratulate and thank those named above for making our community a safer place.

The ceremony was held in the memory of Destanee Little. Destanee was an 18 year old San Joaquin Delta College student who was studying criminal justice and wanted to become a police officer. She was killed when a repeated drunk driver rear-ended her vehicle doing between 95 and 109 miles per hour. Destanee was ejected from her car and died at the scene. Her two passengers sustained major injuries as well. The driver who struck Destanee’s vehicle was sentenced to 48 years to life for second degree murder and a second strike.

Date and Time of Incident: 22 April, Approx. 9:00 pm

Subject: Bear Reminders
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22 April 13, at approx. 9:00 pm, a black bear was sighted in the area of Sonora Ave., inside the City of Sonora. The bear was last seen running off into a wooded area east of Southgate Road.

With this recent sighting, the Sonora Police Department would like to take a moment to remind you of a few tips when it comes to bears, with the help of MountainNature.com

Keeping Bears Wild is Everyone’s Responsibility!

Bears can be attracted into yards by a variety of items. It is our responsibility to reduce the likelihood of bears being drawn to our neighborhoods by taking an active role in reducing a variety of natural and human related enticements.

Garbage Disposal; Make sure that you do not store garbage outside, in your vehicle, or in a trailer near your residence. Remember it’s the smell that draws bears to a specific location.

Compost Piles; Many people in our community are very ecologically minded, and compost piles can be a critical part of your waste reduction plan. At the same time, it is important to limit what you place in your compost piles. Avoid placing any meat by-products such as fish, meat, bones, egg shells, dairy products or fruit into your compost pile. Adding some lime to your compost can also speeds up the decomposition and reduce the smell, which attracts bears.

Barbeques; There’s nothing like a summer barbeque on the patio. The smell of a juicy steak can permeate the air and attract much more than envious glances from non-barbequing neighbors. These same smells can attract bears to your deck once you head to bed. When you’re finished with your feast, make sure to burn the food off of the grill, or at least clean the barbeque carefully. Also, if you store your barbeque outside, be sure to use a cover as this will reduce the smell emanating from it.

Bird Feeders;Bird feeders have played a very serious role in attracting bears. There is no legitimate reason to have feeders up in the summer as there are plenty of natural foods available. If you must have a bird feeder, be sure to wait until late November before filling it with seed, and don’t forget to take it down before the bears come out in spring, usually by early March.

Date and Time of Incident: 20 April 2013

Subject: Warrant Arrest
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20 April 2013, at approx. 9:24 pm, Officers from the Sonora Police Department went to an apartment on Greenley Road to attempt to serve a felony arrest warrant on Andrew Buzinskis, 24 of Sonora.

When Officers knocked on the door of the apartment, Buzinskis opened the door. When Buzinskis saw the Officers, he started to run further into the apartment. The Officers grabbed Buzinskis and a struggle ensued. While the Officers were attempting to cuff Buzinskis, Buzinskis’ mother, Threasa Hull, 48 of Sonora attempted to pull the Officers away from Buzinskis.

Buzinskis was finally cuffed along with Hull. Hull admitted to knowing that her son had warrants for his arrest. Both Buzinskis and Hull were transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked.

Buzinskis was booked on a felony drug warrant, two misdemeanor warrants, a warrant for violation of Sheriff’s Parole, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Hull was booked for felony accessory and misdemeanor obstructing officers.

The Sonora Police Department is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer (Entry Level/Academy Graduate). The final filing date for this position is Friday, 10 May 2013, with testing anticipated to be held the week of 20 May 2013.

SALARY/INCENTIVES

• Base salary $4,292 month

• Additional incentive pay for
o POST Certificates
o Education
o Special Assignments

BENEFITS

• Retirement Cal PERS 2.7 @ 57
• Uniform allowance
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Deferred Compensation plan

MINIMUM/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Possession of an active California POST “Certificate of Academy Completion,” or a letter confirming enrollment in a certified POST Academy, on Academy letterhead. If providing a confirmation letter from an Academy, you must provide the City with a copy of your “Certificate of Academy Completion” no later than 1 July 2013.

• High School Diploma or a GED

• Possession of a valid Class C California Drivers License and have a good driving record

For a complete copy of the job description for this position, you may go to http://www.sonoraca.com/employment/JDs.htm or you may request a copy be mailed to you by contracting the Humane Resource Department of the City of Sonora at (209) 588-8946.

Applications are available at:
City of Sonora, Administration
94 N. Washington Street
Sonora, CA 95370

Sonora Police Department
100 S. Green Street
Sonora, CA 95370

Or at www.sonoraca.com

Date and Time of Incident: 7 April 2013, at approx. 4:30 pm

Subject: Search Warrant/Drug Arrest
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7 April 2013, at approx. 4:30 pm, Officers were at a residence on the 300 block of Snell Street regarding a call for service. They contacted the resident, James Benites, 67 of Sonora. Benites gave consent to Officers to enter his residence.

While Officers were inside the residence, they saw several pills in plain view. A check of the pills reveled they were a controlled substances. When asked about the controlled pills, Benites stated he did not have a prescription for them. It was also determined that Benites was under the influence of a controlled substance.

Another subject was located inside the residence, who was identified as Bradi Waldecker, 37 of Jamestown. It was discovered that Waldecker had an active misdemeanor traffic warrant for her arrest. Waldecker was taken into custody on the outstanding warrant and booked at the Tuolumne County Jail.

Officers secured the residence and obtained a search warrant. Upon the service of the search warrant on the residence methamphetamine was located, along with packaging material, scales and other evidence of sales. Drug paraphernalia was located as well, along with two law enforcement type collapsible batons.

Benites was taken into custody and transported to the Tuolumne County Jail. He was booked for felony possession of a controlled substance for sale, felony possession of a controlled substance, felony possession of a controlled narcotic, misdemeanor being under the influence of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a baton, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Date and Time of Incident: 3 April 2013

Subject: Drug Arrests
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30 March 2013, at approx. 9:57 am, the Sonora Police Department received a call of a possible drug transaction taking place in a parking lot, located at the intersection of Mono Way and Greenley Road. When an Officer arrived, he observed one vehicle leaving and made contact with the driver of the second vehicle. The Officer was able to obtain a license plate from the car that was leaving and recognized the driver.

The driver of the vehicle he contacted was identified as Jacob Sabins, 22 of Sonora. During the Officers investigation he located heroin, along with a hypodermic needle and other drug paraphernalia. Sabin was placed under arrest for felony sells of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia. Sabins was transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked.

The Sonora Police Department was able to obtain a search warrant for the second subject’s residence, who was identified as Ashlianne Palmertree, 32 of Sonora.

3 April 2013, at approx. 11:00 am, the search warrant was served on Palmertree’s residence, located on the 200 block of Greenley Road. Located inside the residence was methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and evidence of heroin use. The methamphetamine was located within reach of Palmertree’s 2 year old daughter.

Palmertree was arrested for felony child endangerment, felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. She was transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked.