April 2013 Today s Good News Monday, April 1 Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Christine Cestaro recently wrote to commend Major Crimes Detective Christopher Foultz for his hard work and tireless efforts during a recent fatal hit and run investigation. Detective Foultz went above and beyond the call of duty on too many occasions to count. He did not complain when I sent him more than 40 subpoenas to serve personally. He did not complain when I called him during his vacation or on his day off to run something by him or ask him a question, she wrote. And when it came time for the multi-day trial, Detective Foultz was there, sometimes after working all night, for the entire day, for four straight days. Detective Foultz was more than just a detective assigned to the case: he was an integral part of the team. His efforts, which were key to the guilty verdict rendered in this case, should not go unrecognized. Tuesday, April 2 A Community Care Unit sergeant recently wrote to commend his colleague in a different unit Forensics Photographic Technician Kathy Thompson for her excellence service. She goes above and beyond what s asked of her, he wrote. She continuously takes time out of her schedule to document events held by the Police Athletic League. Her love of photography, combined with her passion for helping others, allows her to capture the essence of PAL s mission. We very much appreciate her helping us support and promote our mission! Thank you. Wednesday, April 3 Most of the incidents you read about a Richmond Police officer s actions are usually during or after a crime has already occurred, but their efforts to prevent crime is just as important. And that s why we recognize Second Precinct Officer Teru Hayashi whose recent foot patrols along the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor likely stopped a crime before it could occur. During a recent midnight shift patrol, he was checking the doors of businesses and discovered an unlocked door at one of them. He then went the extra mile and found a phone number for one of the managers. The manager quickly responded and thanked Officer Hayashi, saying that she must have forgotten to lock the door at closing. Officer Hayashi should be commended for his work ethic and his desire to serve the community. Thursday, April 4 After Aggravated Assault detectives recently identified a man wanted for shooting at another person, they requested help from patrol officers to find the offender. Second Precinct Officers Tanner Braaten and Officer Michael Wheeler took the initiative as soon as they got a break from answering radio calls to seek out the offender at his last known address. They found the man at the address and arrested him on charges of attempted murder and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Additionally, they recovered a BB gun and ammunition. Good work and thank you officers for taking this dangerous offender off the streets! Friday, April 5 Kudos to Officer Larry Boxley who was named Second Precinct s Officer of the Month for March! From his impressive work last month, it is clear that Officer Boxley has a can t stop, won t stop mentality until his job is done. This was exemplified during a routine visit to a business last month on Hull Street when he noticed several individuals looking upset and repeatedly looking at a vehicle in the parking lot. Even though he had not received any calls for police service, he went to investigate and discovered a man assaulting his pregnant girlfriend inside the car. Officer Boxley pulled the man off of the female, but the man refused to be handcuffed and tried to reach for the officer s gun. With the assistance of other officers, the man was safely taken into custody and charged with several felonies. His good observation and police skills helped him make an important arrest and remove a violent offender from the streets. Thank you Officer Boxley!
Monday, April 8 Kudos to Officer Andrew Nicholson who was named Third Precinct s Officer of the Month for March! This is the second month in a row Officer Nicholson has received this recognition because of his great work. Officer Nicholson s ability to consistently perform at the highest level of professionalism makes him a great asset to not only the Department, but to the Richmond community as a whole. During the month of March, he made three felony arrests, conducted 41 traffic stops, issued 24 summonses and made 12 misdemeanor arrests. During one incident, he made multiple firearm arrests and assisted the community by removing a violent domestic assault offender from the streets. His kind demeanor during the incident also helped comfort the distraught young female victim. The offender was on his way back to the scene when Officer Nicholson stopped him in his tracks and arrested him. Officer Nicholson s non-stop positive attitude and can-do work ethic inspires all around him. Thank you Officer Nicholson! Tuesday, April 9 Kudos to Officer Kaneka McQueen who was named Fourth Precinct s Officer of the Month for March! Officer McQueen had a busy March, making six misdemeanor arrests, seizing a firearm, issuing eight summonses and responding to 90 radio calls among some of her work. During one incident last month, Officer McQueen assisted on a traffic stop with another officer that resulted in a foot pursuit. Though the driver tried to flee, they quickly arrested him and discovered the reason for his flight: he had a gun and marijuana in the vehicle. The offender was arrested and charged with several crimes. The Department greatly appreciates Officer McQueen s efforts to make the community safer and the dedication and commitment she displays every day. Thank you Officer McQueen! Wednesday, April 10 Thanks to the quick response and good observation skills of First and Fourth Precinct officers and detectives, two men were recently identified and arrested within hours of carjacking a woman on Bainbridge Street. First Precinct Officer Joseph MacKnight interviewed the victim and broadcast the suspects descriptions while Fourth Precinct Acting Sergeant Robert Jamison spotted the vehicle a short time later at 3 rd and East Canal streets. Though the driver refused to stop and officers lost sight of the vehicle, a citizen called minutes later to report a suspicious male in that same area. Fourth Precinct Detective Keary Lightfoot quickly located and detained the man. With the assistance of First Precinct Detective John Grazioso, the man was interviewed and charged and the second offender was also identified and warrants obtained for his arrest. Additionally, Fourth Precinct Officer Justin Land recovered the vehicle with minor damage on North 10 th Street. Good work everyone! Thursday, April 11 Sometimes officers just know when something isn t right. That was the case recently when Third Precinct Officers Ben Frazer and Joseph Ronan spotted a man riding a bicycle without the required headlight on Westover Hills Boulevard around 2 a.m. They stopped the cyclist and questioned him about a bag he was carrying. When the man gave conflicting answers and was found with property that clearly belonged to someone else, the officers investigated further. With the assistance of Officers Jacob DeBoard and Michael Kiniry, they determined the man had just broken into someone s vehicle and stolen the bag of items. They charged the man with several crimes and returned the stolen property to the victim. Good work officers! Friday, April 12 Some criminals just aren t that smart. Combine that with our good police skills and you get this recent arrest: Fourth Precinct Officer Michael DiSalvo tried to stop a suspicious vehicle for traffic and narcotics violations, but the driver refused to stop until he reached the Henrico County line where he parked the vehicle and ran away. Though Officer DiSalvo lost sight of the suspect, K-9 Officer Monty Agee and K-9 Phantom responded and located the man hiding behind a nearby home. The man was
detained and he immediately told the officers he was not who they were looking for, despite not knowing for whom they were looking. Despite this statement, officers not only found drugs in the parked vehicle, but also the man s wallet and identification. Thanks to the officers good work, many illegal items were seized and the man was charged with several crimes. Good work! Monday, April 15 Though a man recently robbed a gas station at gunpoint, he was no match for fast-responding Richmond Police officers who had a suspect in custody within minutes of the crime! Officers received the call for the Midlothian Turnpike robbery just after 3 a.m. last week and after gathering suspect information, Third Precinct Officers Duane Osbourne, Anddy Quinonez and Dustin Holmes spotted the man nearby and detained him. With the assistance of Detective Mary Paulette, the man was identified by the victim, interviewed and charged with robbery and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Good work everyone! Tuesday, April 16 First Precinct Officer Reynaldo Perez recently stopped a vehicle on Accommodation Street for a traffic offense, but suspected something more was going on after talking with the driver. He returned to his car and as he requested one of the Department s drug detection K9s, the driver suddenly sped off. Officer Perez followed the vehicle, relaying information to backup units about drugs being thrown from the vehicle as it moved. The vehicle then crashed a short distance away and officers quickly arrested the driver and identified the passenger. They were also able to recover several grams of cocaine and marijuana that had been thrown from the vehicle. Officer Perez charged the driver with numerous crimes and obtained warrants for the passenger. Good job! Wednesday, April 17 Thanks to officers quick response and knowledge of their sector, two men were recently arrested for stabbing a man on Chamberlayne Avenue. Fourth Precinct Officer Jill Simons was the first officer on scene and worked to obtain the suspect s vehicle description and a license plate number from witnesses. Armed with that information, Officers Gene Carter and Ryan Donald recognized the vehicle and its usual occupants and went to find them. With the assistance of Officer Simons, they spotted the vehicle and arrested both men inside and charged them with malicious wounding. Good work officers! Thursday, April 18 A local retirement home employee recently called to praise Fourth Precinct Officers Donnie Watkins and Kaneka McQueen for the professional behavior they displayed when dealing with a disorderly, drunk individual at the home. The employee said she was so impressed with how well they diffused the situation that she may ask them to train her staff about some of the techniques. Thank you and good work officers! Friday, April 19 Are you a fan of TV shows like CSI, Law and Order, Cold Case and Castle? Then we bet you d like to sign up for our FREE, four-week Citizen Police Academy that starts June 4! We d like to invite everyone to take the opportunity to learn about the different operations and strategies of the Richmond Police Department ranging from the Department s organizational structure and forensics to criminal investigation, narcotics and firearms. There will be eight, two-and-a-half hour classes held twice a week every Tuesday and Thursday, beginning June 4 through July 2. Classes will be from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Richmond Police Training Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road. This will be the Department s 16th Citizen Police Academy. Anyone who lives or works in Richmond can attend the academy. You must be at least 18 years old with no felony convictions. Misdemeanor convictions will be reviewed and considered by Chief Ray J. Tarasovic. Those interested can register by calling the Community Care Unit at 646-7648. The deadline to register is May 24. Space is limited. We hope you ll sign up!
Monday, April 22 Fourth Precinct Officers Raymond Mitchell, Anthony McRae and Willie O Neil recently took the initiative when they learned of a man in their area who was wanted for malicious wounding and two firearm charges. Within two days, the officers had an idea of where the man might be and conducted surveillance in the area of North Avenue until they spotted him and safely arrested him. These officers dedication and professionalism should be commended. Good work officers, and thank you for removing this dangerous offender from the streets! Tuesday, April 23 Second Precinct Officers Ezequiel Canete and Nathaniel Harris recently responded to Chesterfield Street to investigate a burglary in progress just before 10 p.m. As they arrived on scene, they spotted the suspect walking quickly away from the house. They stopped and detained the man and, with the assistance of Detective Pedro Riddle, they found a piece of copper tubing on the man s person that perfectly matched a missing piece from inside the home. They also noted cobwebs on the man that also appeared to match the large amounts of cobwebs in the home s crawlspace. They then arrested and charged the man with burglary and possession of burglary tools. Good work officers! Wednesday, April 24 Though the types and locations of crimes can vary, it s a police officer s job to find new ways to prevent the incidents and identify the problem areas. Third Precinct Officer John Raina s actions last month are a perfect example of how we that. After a sharp rise in car break-ins, Officer Raina maneuvered his schedule to work in more than 40 hours of walking patrol as well as 80 hours of biking patrol in the Fan and Randolph neighborhoods. During that time, he also handed out more than 1,000 safety tip fliers to help keep people from becoming victims of car break-ins. Combine this with his six felony arrests, 14 misdemeanor arrests and 52 traffic summonses, and you get a 76 percent decrease in car break-ins last month in the Fan, Randolph and Maymont neighborhoods as well as reductions in other property crimes. Good work Officer Raina! Thursday, April 25 Thanks to observant citizens, officers were recently able to make a quick arrest of a man breaking into vehicles on Hermitage Road. Fourth Precinct Officer Larry New was the first officer on scene and after he spotted the offender nearby, he safely took him into custody. Officer New then gathered information from the victims and with the assistance of Detective James Higgins, the man was charged with breaking into two vehicles. Good work officers and thank you citizens for alerting us! Friday, April 26 Fourth Precinct Lt. Don Davenport recently observed several individuals loitering outside a residence on West Broad Street that he knew to be a nuisance house. With the assistance of Sgt. Mark Sims, he knocked on the door and they immediately smelled marijuana. After securing the residence and obtaining a search warrant, they found and seized marijuana, cocaine and cash. They arrested one man for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance. They arrested a second man for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and maintaining a common nuisance. These seizures and arrests will go a long way toward making the area safer for all. Monday, April 29 First Precinct Officer Daniel Burgess recently responded to a downtown business that had just been robbed, but thanks to his good eyes and K-9 Sumo s good nose, the robber didn t get far. As K-9 Officer Rob Gregory and K-9 Sumo began their search of the area, K-9 Sumo picked up a scent and Officer Burgess noticed a white picket fence that had been pushed open. He knows the fence is usually secure so he carefully approached the yard and that s where he spotted the robber changing into women s clothing in an attempt to disguise his identity. He was quickly arrested and gave a full confession. Officer
Burgess s excellent knowledge of his sector and good investigative skills combined with our dynamic K-9 team removed a dangerous offender from the streets. Good work! Tuesday, April 30 Several First Precinct officers recently responded to Mechanicsville Turnpike to investigate an attempted robbery, and though the would-be thieves thought they d gotten away, the officers tracked them down in a nearby neighborhood. Officers Shawn McNeil, Erika Berube, Eric Allen, Brian Wilson, Reynaldo Perez, Keith Mansfield and Sergeant Jayson Walter were involved in the incident, interviewed the victim and spotted the three offenders during their search of the area. With the assistance of Detective David Cuffley, the trio was arrested, interviewed and charged with several crimes. Good teamwork all!