Community Based Policing
There've been some noticeable changes in the tenor and appearance of the Christiansburg Police Department under the leadership of Mark Sisson and the key staff that he has assembled since 2007. For some time the town has a well-earned reputation as a no-fly zone for drugs and alcohol, and overall law enforcement. What's different now is an increased emphasis on Community Based Policing, and the progress is evident. Increased bicycle and foot patrols, community engagement for safe rides home, enforcement of internet crimes including child pornography and fraud, public relations and community-engaging activities, ability to identify and locate missing persons (especially children, seniors, and those with advanced dementia or Alzheimers), and now, as indicated by the below press release provided by Lt. Randy Bonds, a bicycle-theft program. I don't have a background or family history in law enforcement, but I do recognize the value of such efforts in the overall health, safety, and sense of security within our community. Sort of reminds me of the adage, "I don't care how much you know, until I know how much you care." And so, hats off to the new face of the Department and to the measures they are taking to demonstrate to the community that we're not just a town that enforces laws, but that we care about our people's daily lives.
PRESS RELEASE:
Beginning March 1st, 2009 the Christiansburg Police Department will be doing bicycle registrations. This registration includes placing a serial number somewhere on the bicycle, and filling out a registration form. Citizens may bring their bicycles by the Christiansburg Police Department to have the serial numbers placed on them, or they can stop in the Department and pick up the form and serial number and return the form at their convenience. The Department is also offering free bicycle helmets for children and teenagers.
Also in March the Christiansburg Police Department will be conducting a traffic safety initiative to focus on traffic enforcement in heavily traveled residential neighborhoods. The initiative, “Biking the Backstreets”, will be utilized primarily by officers that are part of the agency’s bike patrol program (weather permitting).
Brad Stipes
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Reader Comments (8)
And the press release isn't on the town's website because.....understand why not cluttering up the calendar but expected to see this on "News Flash". Would also like to see "staff directory" list employees, giving them some recognition. An earlier blog you wrote talked about installing software so online payments would be possible. Updates?
Kudos to the Police Department for getting this going. I know that it has been in the works for awhile and has only just become public knowledge. It took a good team effort to pull all of the resources together to make this happen. I have only just received a copy of the final release of information so I anticipate people will see the 'press release' on the town website and on mine within the next few days.
Something like the bike registration doesn't happen overnight. It takes planning to make it effective. The Police Dept. of the Town of Christiansburg has done a great job developing a viable and effective system of registration of bicycles without creating something that is a drain on budget. Ideas are great but the effective application of those ideas is an art form.I appreciate the effort those members of the police department involved have put into these endeavors AND I appreciate the support that Town Council members Barber and Stipes put into encouraging this type of activity.
Reader-
1. This will be on the Town Website if it's not already.
2. Staff Directory for Police is not listed for security reasons.
3. The website will support on-line bill pay once the Town Tresurer's software is functional and a separate module for that software is purchased.
Carol - Thanks for the note and clarification.
I agree. Christiansburg is well known for its Traffic Enforcement and its no B/S stance on Drug and Alcohol crimes.
These things sound fine. However,the police dept. still
is in great need of reform.
Officers are now driving around to elderly people's houses and checking parked cars. In one case they ticketed an elderly gentleman for having an expired inspection sticker on a vehicle in the man's yard.
The vehicle was not being driven.
Also, in another case, an elderly woman was told she
had to get rid of the vehicle.
Why have officers started bullying the elderly?
Also, rumor has it they are getting out on foot after
midnight and in the early hours following, and going
into trailer parks with stethoscopes and listening in
on people living in that park.
For one, this is against the law. Secondly,there is equipment to get the same result without having to be
outside someone's trailer.
Crack houses and meth labs exist within the town limits.
Drugs, especially coke, meth, crack, and prescription
drug sales are especially high in this town.
Let's get truthful. It's way overdue.
The police dept. in this town is in serious need of investigation and reform.
Town police officers now gather in Cambria , at the resturant across from the service dept. of Mont. Co. Schools....where they sit and discuss police buisness and flirt with the girls who work there.
Come on....get real.
Councilman Stipes,
I think you are doing an excellent job with your advance christiansburg website. It is nice to know that there is someone who cares enough about the townspeople to take time out of his busy day to post a blog for the advantages of people! Thank you!
RE: The town employee killed while weed eating.
Has the woman who did this been charged?
Is her husband a town employee also? If so, is this
why she has not been charged? Any of the rest of us would have been.
Justice is hard to find here.....some are exempt from
the law depending on who they are. ( Gary Brumfield,
Pam Semones....both should have been fired, tried in court, for obstruction of justice...but our tax dollars
paid the bill and retired Chief Brumfield without question. This is a cover up. He had relatives working
with the town council.....Right.?
Of course, the Hornes can drive over bodies and get by
with it, judges can drive drunk and on pot, evidence
goes missing, ( drugs ), when people go to court.
So...I guess this lady is just innocent because her husband works for the town.
Naturally, all the information is squelched.
What a crooked , corrupt, small minded, unjust, waste
of our money.
What would you do to "reform" the police department? Does it need "Reform?" I can tell you that as far as cars with bad stickers goes I have one that sits down the street from my home. It has a flat tire and has not moved in a year. In my eyes its junk and an eye sore. Why shouldnt the police do their job and get the owners to fix the problem. If the car belongs to a 16 yr old or a 100 yr old I dont care. It looks bad and there are laws that protect citizens like me who do not want this parked on their streets!