Littlestown Police Officers' Association Blog

New post to the Crime Prevention Link

2006-10-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to the Adams County 911 Center for providing some great information on how the Adams County 911 Center operates and how to use 911 in an emergency.

Also, thanks to Dispatcher Brandon Blevins who took the time to prepare this information.

Find this new information on the Crime Prevention link on the left side of this page

New post added to The Crime Prevention Link

2006-09-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

Information for victims of crime

Click here!

Crime Prevention link has been updated

2006-08-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

Please visit the LPD Crime Prevention link to find recently added information regarding Juvenile Offenders and the Juvenile Justice System.

Blog site article

2006-08-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

Evening Sun, 08/27/06

Littlestown police launch blog
The Evening Sun
By Kristen Milton
Evening Sun Correspondent
Littlestown police officers say their new blog is a way of reaching the public. But they have thus far failed to reach local police officials, who say they have not read the Internet postings.
The blog (short for "web log") is the work of the Littlestown Borough Police Officers' Association. Contributors have been working off duty to set up the site, which offers a report of a recent burglary and a link to a state assessment of the department as well as biographies of all six officers. Much more is planned, including "tip forms" where the public can anonymously notify officers of problems, crime prevention advice and comments on community trends.
Calling himself "a lone ranger" in the department, Police Chief Donald Baker said Thursday that he had not been consulted about the site, which debuted earlier this month, and did not intend to read its postings.
"I don't know what it is or what's the reason for it," Baker said. "To me it's just another thing out there – another person's opinion."
Mayor Donna Shadle, who is responsible for supervising the department, had also not seen the site this week. "I know nothing about it," she said. "I don't use computers."
Officer Joseph Henry, who authored the Aug. 13 burglary piece, said he and his colleagues set up the site as a way of beginning a dialogue with Littlestown residents, especially in the wake of a review by the Governor's Center for Local Government Services. The evaluation, issued in May, called for hiring an additional full time officer and creating a detective position as well as recommending management training for Baker and improved prisoner holding and evidence storage facilities, though it said the department provided "fundamentally sound crime control and public safety services." According to a blog posting by an unnamed officer, the association supports the review's findings.
The report is available in the library and through the borough offices but Henry said officers have heard little feedback.
"We just want to create a two-way communication forum," Henry said. "People can be hesitant to approach an officer in uniform but if they can write a little form and send it in (perhaps they will). In the computer age, this is a socially acceptable way of communication."
Thus far the conversation has been one-sided. As of Thursday evening, there was only one non-police posting to the site.
However the single civilian poster was complimentary of the police association's effort.
"Thank You for this forum," the anonymous poster wrote, "so that citizens of the boro may have the opportunity to be 'another set of eyes' to help the department keep the community safe and as crime free as possible."
Councilman Ben Ricci, who suggested the formation of a "Police Planning Committee" in part to respond to the state review and who maintains his own blog, was hesitant to say much about the new addition to Littlestown's Internet offerings, as were other government officials.
"I think its value is yet to be seen; it's really in its infancy," Ricci said Tuesday. "(The officers) have the right to do it and it may be helpful as far as community feedback. I will say if you look at other police association Web sites, this doesn't seem to be in the same spirit."
Ricci did not elaborate.
Henry said officers would allow the site to speak for itself as they continue to add to its offerings.
"The position of the association is that police work is not a position of privilege but a position of service," he said. "This is another way of trying to communicate with the community."
To read the Littlestown Borough Police Officers' Association blog go to lbpoa.blogspot.com.

A Management Review of the Littlestown Police Department

2006-08-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

Click here to access The Pennsylvania Governor's Center For Local Services " A Management Review of the Littlestown Borough Police Department" completed May 2006.

http://s3.quicksharing.com/v/8786720/review.pdf.html

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Burglary in Progress

2006-08-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Written by Officer Joseph Henry

Tuesday, August 8th, 2006

Alert neighbors are key to burglary arrests

This morning you may have noticed increased police activity in Littlestown-numerous police cars, even the police helicopter flying at treetop level-right here in Littlestown.
Briefly, this is what happened. At about 10:30 in the morning an alert neighbor noticed three suspicious young males loitering in a cul-de-sac, then approach a unoccupied house. The neighbor called the homeowner, who was at work, and not expecting company. The homeowner immediately notified the police station, who dispatched Officer Doug Hilyard. Officer Hilyard arrived within moments of the call, and saw the three subjects jumping a privacy fence-he immediately caught one of the subjects, arrested him, and placed him the patrol car. He immediately returned to the pursuit, and within moments located a second subject who was trying to hide under a neighbor's deck, and arrested him. He provided assistance in coordinating the response of officers responding from other jurisdictions, and the immediate removal of the getaway car. Because of Officer Hilyard's immediate and responsive actions, the third subject was unable to leave the area, and was arrested later that afternoon, about three blocks from the scene. All of the homeowner's property was recovered, and all three subjects are in custody. Given the fact that these subjects are from Baltimore, if they had been able to flee the scene, the chances of apprehension and prosecution are greatly reduced. If you talk to Officer Hilyard, he will tell you was just doing his job-that's OK-give him an "atta boy" anyway.

FYI-In March of this year, there was a very similar situation right here in Littlestown-at mid-morning an alert neighbor noticed two teenagers loitering at an unoccupied residence, then saw them carrying property from the home. She immediately called 911, and provided responding officers with descriptions of the people involved, the property they were carrying away, the get away car and the direction of travel. They were immediately arrested and all of the homeowner's property was recovered.

The lesson is obvious-if you see something amiss in your neighborhood, call 911 immediately. In both cases, the speed with which the patrol officers receive information was critical to a successful resolution of the incident-i.e. locking up the bad guys. And we really like catching bad guys. Just ask Officer Hilyard.

Thank you for your support.

Comments Welcome

2006-08-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Please post questions or concerns. We will attempt to answer your post as soon as possible.

Welcome

2006-08-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

Recently, information was published regarding the operation of the Littlestown Police Department. This information was in the form of a 52 page report prepared by The Department of Community and Economic Development and the Governor's Center for Local Government Services. This "review" of the Littlestown Police Department, evaluated the entire department and made recommendations as to how to improve the service that is provided to the community of Littlestown Borough. This site was developed to answer questions and provide a link between the community and the Littlestown Borough Police Officers, regarding not only this report but any questions or concerns that you may like to have answered. We hope to provide an in-depth "look" at the actual problems and address a solution that will benefit all.

2006-08-03T12:36:00.000-07:00