LOCK YOUR DOORS! This ain't Fresno or L.A., but it ain't utopia either. LOCK UP!

Some Unusual Police Incidents

The following are merely highlights taken from hundreds of hours of work output of the Morro Bay Police Department's routine law enforcement, investigations, contacts and follow-ups; if you can call anything in law enforcement "routine."

• In the afternoon of October 14th, officers responded to a hit and run traffic collision in the 1200 block of Main Street. A witness provided information on the suspect vehicle. Officers located a vehicle matching the description and arrested the driver for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• On October 15th, officers responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of Jamaica Street. Officers investigated the incident and arrested a 53-year-old man for attacking a family member. 
• On October 16th, officers responded to a residence where a sexual assault was reported involving a juvenile. The case is under investigation.  
• On October 19th, officers responded to a disturbance in the 700 block of Piney Way. The disturbance and resulting vandalism involved two people over a parking issue. A man, who reportedly committed the vandalism, was placed under Private Person's (Citizen's) Arrest by the reporting party. 
• On October 20th, officers responded to the 2900 block of Cedar Avenue. regarding loud music. The occupants of a residence were warned. Officers received additional reports a short time later and witnessed the loud music. A citation was issued to the resident for disturbing the peace.   
• During the course of October 24th and 26th, officers investigated reports of a subject who was defrauding local motels in the 500 block of Embarcadero and 500 block of Morro Avenue. The suspect was identified through photo line-ups and was arrested.
• In the late afternoon of October 27th, officers conducted a traffic stop and after further investigation arrested the vehicle occupants for possession of methamphetamine, driving on a suspended license, false vehicle registration, providing false identification, possession of drug paraphernalia and warrants.
• In the morning of November 1st, officers responded to a domestic violence call in the 1900 block of Main Street. Investigation resulted in a man being arrested for domestic battery and destruction of phone device or lines.
• In the early morning hours of November 4th, officers responded to a motel in the 200 block of Beach Street regarding a woman who was heard screaming for help. Officers arrived and found an intoxicated woman with a head injury. The said she was injured while fleeing from someone. The woman was uncooperative and the case is under investigation. 
• In the early morning hours of November 4, officers responded to the 1200 block of Scott regarding reports of a woman screaming at a residence. During a prior call, the woman refused to answer the door and turned off her lights. Officers received a second call that the woman was again screaming and creating a disturbance. During the second call, officers could hear the woman screaming and talking gibberish. Officers finally made contact with the uncooperative woman and placed her under "citizens" arrest at the request of the complainant for disturbing the peace.
• In the evening of November 5th, officers responded to Del Mar Elementary School regarding suspicious persons. Five juveniles were contacted and a 14-year-old female was arrested for public intoxication. 
• In the early morning of November 7th, officers responded to a report of domestic violence at a motel in the 2600 block of Main Street. The investigation resulted in the arrest of a woman for being under the influence and in possession of methamphetamine. The woman had three young children in the room that had access to the narcotics, so the charge of child endangerment was added.  A man in the room was also arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.  
• In the afternoon of November 7th, our school resource officer received a report that a 16-year-old girl may have been the victim of a sexual assault. The initial investigation indicated the assault occurred in Paso Robles and the investigation was turned over to the Paso Robles Police Department.     
• In the afternoon of November 7th, officers responded to a report of a heavily intoxicated man aboard SLO Transit bus en route to Morro Bay. Officers met the bus and arrested the man for public intoxication.   
• In the late evening of November 8th, after numerous non-emergency 9-1-1 calls from a man in the 500 block of Mimosa, officers investigated and referred the case to the district attorney's office for prosecution.
• In the morning of November 8th, officers investigated a report of a burglary of a vessel off the 200 block of Main Street. Electronic equipment including a flat screen TV and hand tools were taken. The case is under investigation. 
• On November 8th, MBPD investigated a report of a sexual assault that occurred at multiple locations within our city. The investigation resulted in the arrest of a man for rape by force, domestic violence, and false imprisonment.
• In the afternoon of November 10th, officers responded to a report of physical violence between a male and female in a parked vehicle at Highway 1 and Main Street.  The man fled on foot from officers, but he was eventually found in the 1000 block of Balboa, hiding between two houses. The man was arrested for resisting/obstructing an officer and having two outstanding arrest warrants.
• On November 11th, officers took a 'late report' of a prowler that was seen the previous evening in the 2500 block of Juniper Street. The prowler was seen early in the morning dressed in black. Extra patrol was requested in the area. 
• On November 11th, officers investigated a report of a man who had been at the harbor patrol office making irrational conspiracy comments. At one point, the man pulled a pellet gun from his waist and surrendered it to Harbor Patrol personnel. Initially, the man could not be located, he is known and an investigation was opened regarding the possible unlawful display of the replica firearm. This same man was the one who had been making non-emergency 9-1-1 calls to the police department. 
• On November 14th, MBPD received information that the same subject who had been calling dispatch with non-emergency traffic and displaying a replica firearm was now calling the CHP and sheriff's dispatch. The man was located later that evening after the sprinklers at his apartment in the 500 block of Mimosa were set off and flooded the apartments. After investigation by the police department and fire department it was determined that the man had intentionally set off the sprinklers and caused thousands of dollars of damage to the apartment building. The man was arrested for felony vandalism.
• In the morning hours of November 17th, officers investigated the grand theft of $4,000 worth of jewelry in the 800 block of Main Street. The case is under investigation. 
  
  

We are receiving complaints about people with signs begging for money "panhandling" in the parking lot of Albertson's Market. Panhandling is legal as long as the people do not cause a disturbance or disrupt sidewalks or vehicular traffic. Since the parking lot is private property, we need permission and cooperation of the property owners to enforce trespassing laws. The storeowners, responding to complaints from their customers, are requesting our assistance with enforcing trespassing laws. Officers will now warn the panhandlers and document the contact. If they return, they can be placed under Private Person's (Citizen's) Arrest for trespassing.  The panhandlers can still legally panhandle from public sidewalks as long as they are not aggressive and do not block the sidewalks and streets.

Officers attended 120 hours of training this week related to mandatory handgun and rifle qualifications and 16 hours of training related to first responders.  Our dispatchers and SSM attended 48 hours of training related to records. Officers attended 60 hours of training related to crime scene investigations and special weapons and tactics. 

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER LOG

The following log highlights are intended to keep you up to date with our new SRO position at the high school.  An important component of an SRO's duties is prevention and intervention before enforcement action is needed. We believe the SRO's logs, which were Officer Sam Rodriguez's idea, reflect some of the time he spends on these critically important issues. 

• A student was called into the school dean's office regarding the odor of marijuana on his clothes. Two cigarette lighters were located in the student's backpack, a violation of Penal Code 308(b) — Possession of tobacco products/ implements. The student was warned regarding the offense and was turned over to the dean for discipline.
• A student was caught stealing food from the cafeteria. The student was counseled and suspended from school. No criminal charges were filed. 
• A student was counseled regarding intimidating female students.
• A student was counseled about wearing gang attire. Other students were counseled regarding skateboarding without a helmet.
• A student refused to come to school and the parents requested assistance. Principal and SRO went to the student's house and spoke with the student who complied and was transported to MBHS. The student and mother were advised of other options, including juvenile hall if the truancy continues.
• Our SRO received a report that a 16-year-old female may have been the victim of a sexual assault
• Our SRO took a report of a possible sexual assault of a female high school student that had occurred in another jurisdiction. The SRO started the preliminary investigation and forwarded the report for further investigation to an agency in Arizona where the incident was reported to have occurred.

        Journal Twitter

Information was obtained from the Morro Bay Peace Officers / Community Newsletter.
Photo of Morro Bay Police Car by Jerry Kirkhart