Monthly Archives: November 2014

Leon County Sheriff Deputy Ambushed Tallahassee, FL

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On November 22nd, 2014, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office lost a respected member of its family.   Deputy Chris Smith was killed in the line of duty while responding to a house fire where he was ambushed by an armed suspect shortly after arriving on scene. Our community and families are in mourning for this loss. Deputy Christopher L. Smith was 47 years old.  He was a loving Christian man who loved his wife and his children most of all.   Deputy Smith began his law enforcement career as a Dispatcher with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in 1989.   From 1991 through January 2009, Deputy Smith served as a Correctional Officer and then a Deputy Sheriff with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.   He was hired as a Deputy Sheriff by Sheriff Campbell January 20, 2009 and was assigned to Uniform Patrol Bureau where he served until his death. Deputy Smith will be greatly missed by his co-workers and all of the LCSO family. We will be posting Information here concerning arrangements as it becomes available.  Please keep Deputy Smith’s family in your thoughts and prayers as we join them in this time of mourning.  Leon County Sheriff Press Release 

 

Press Release: Leon County Sheriff’s Office

November 22, 2014 – 4:15pm

At 10:15 a.m. on November 22, 2014, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Tallahassee Police Department and the Tallahassee Fire Department responded to a house fire at 3722 Caracus Court. As the deputies arrived on scene first, the suspect launched an armed ambush attack. One deputy was immediately shot and killed. The other deputy engaged the suspect and was shot also. The suspect took the fallen deputy’s firearm and began walking North on Caracus Court actively shooting at the first responders as they arrived on the scene.

Responders from the Tallahassee Fire Department were also shot at by the suspect as they arrived to fight the fire. Tallahassee Police Officers responded to the area and engaged the suspect, shooting him and killing him.

Multiple agencies have responded to the scene and are assisting with this investigation as it continues to unfold. Members of the Tallahassee Police Department, the Tallahassee Fire Department, Leon County Emergency Medical Services, the State Attorney’s Office, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

This incident is still active and on-going.

 

Press Release: City of Tallahassee
November 22, 2014 – 4:35pm

Tallahassee Fire and Police this morning, November 22, responded to an incident where a Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy was killed in the Plantation Woods Subdivision in Leon County. Another deputy was wounded and the suspect was also killed. Details are still unfolding with City emergency responders assisting the Sheriff’s Office, which is the lead agency on the incident.

“Our fire and law enforcement officers put the safety of others above all else,” said Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. “It is almost unimaginable that a call for help turned into the ambush of a Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy and the shooting of another deputy by the assailant. Every one of these first responders is a hero and our hearts go out to them and their families.”

“As a community, the events of this week – that I can only describe as senseless violence – are troublesome and weigh heavy on our hearts,” he added. “Yet, how we come together as a community will make us stronger and bring us closer together. I know the people of Tallahassee will remain united as we pull together to support the victims, law enforcement and each other.”

Tallahassee Fire and Police will work closely in partnership with the Leon County Sheriff’s Department as more information becomes available.

 

FD & PD ambushed in Tallahassee FL Fire Audio

THANKSGIVING SAFETY

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This Thanksgiving holiday, more than 46.3 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving weekend to spend the holiday with their family and friends. Here are some travel and kitchen safety tips to remember this holiday.

Travel Safety Tips

– Buckle seat belts – All drivers and passengers should wear seat belts every time when traveling in a vehicle. Wearing a seat belt is one of the best defenses to prevent injury and death in a crash.

– Protect child passengers – If you’re traveling with children, remember the best way to protect them in the car is to put them in the right child safety seat, and use it the right way. All children 13 and younger should ride in the back seat.

– Don’t drink and drive – Every 45 minutes someone in the United States dies in an alcohol-impaired-driving crash. Be responsible and don’t drink and drive. If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.

– Avoid Distraction – According to NHTSA data from 2012, 10 percent of fatal crashes and 18 percent of injury crashes were distraction-related. Distracted driving can be anything that pulls your attention away from driving, including cell phone use, texting while driving, eating, drinking, and using in-vehicle technologies and portable electronic devices.

– Avoid the “No Zone” – The area around large trucks and buses where crashes are more likely to occur. It is critical that all motorists share the road safely with large trucks and buses by giving them plenty of space to maneuver. Avoid lingering in blind spots where you can’t be seen, following too closely or making sudden or erratic lane changes. Safety, literally, is in the hands of every driver.

– Additional Safety Tips – Weather-related crashes accounted for four percent of fatalities on Thanksgiving last year.

 

 

When deep frying a turkey, make sure you do it as safely as possible. The Illinois Fire Service Institute and State Farm teamed up to illustrate the fiery dangers associated with common deep frying mistakes.

http://youtu.be/hQYTMFCLy5E

THANKSGIVING DAY FIRES

• Cooking is the leading cause of home fires on
Thanksgiving Day.
• Cooking fires nearly double on Thanksgiving
Day, occurring more than twice as often than
on another day.
• Cooking fires are the number one cause of
home fires and home fire injuries.
• Thanksgiving Day home fires cause more
property damage and claim more lives than
home fires on other days.
• Eighty percent of Americans don’t realize that
home fires are the single most common
disaster across the nation.
• The number of home fires the American Red
Cross has responded to has risen 10% since
2000.
• Every two and a half hours someone is killed
in a home fire. In a typical year, 20,000
people are injured in home fires.
• Having a working smoke alarm reduces one’s
chances of dying in a fire by nearly half.

Safety tips

  • Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
  • Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
  • Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
  • Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
  • Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
  • Keep knives out of the reach of children.
  • Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
  • Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
  • Never leave children alone in room with a lit a candle.
  • Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

 

Got Your 6 Communications wishes everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving. And remember, the only belt you should unbuckle this, and every Thanksgiving, is the one at the dinner table, not the one in your car

Winter Weather Safety Tips

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Winter Safety Review

• Knowledge: Before leaving home, find out about the driving conditions. Safe drivers know the weather, and their limits. If the weather is bad remember, Ice and Snow, Take it slow, or just don’t go.
• Clear: Remove any snow on your vehicle’s windows, lights, brake lights and signals. Make sure you can see and be seen.
• Inspect: Check your vehicle’s tires, wiper blades, fluids, lights, belts and hoses. A breakdown is bad on a good day and dangerous on a bad-weather day.
• Time: Leave plenty of time to reach your destination safely. It’s not worth putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation just to be on time.
• First Snow or Ice: Drivers often aren’t prepared for winter driving and forget to take it slow. Remember to drive well below the posted speed limit and leave plenty of room between cars.
• Black Ice: Roads that seem dry may actually be slippery – and dangerous. Take it slow when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady areas – all are hot spots for black ice. Remember, Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
• Limited Visibility: Stay attentive and reduce speed. Know what’s going on around you.
• Four-Wheel Drive: On snow and ice, go slowly, no matter what type of vehicle you drive. Even if you have an SUV with four-wheel drive you may not be able to stop any faster, or maintain control any better, once you lose traction. Four-wheel drive may get you going faster, but it won’t help you stop sooner.
• Distance: Give snowplows room to work. The plows are wide and can cross the centerline or shoulder. Don’t tailgate and try not to pass. If you must pass, take extreme caution and beware of the snow cloud.
• Speed: Snowplows travel below the posted speed limit. Be patient. Allow plenty of time to slow down. Remember, Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
• Vision: A snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they don’t always see you. Keep your distance and watch for sudden stops or turns
• Speed: The faster you’re going, the longer it will take to stop. When accelerating on snow or ice, take it slow to avoid slipping or sliding. Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
• Distance: Give yourself space. It takes extra time and extra distance to bring your car to a stop on slick and snowy roads. Leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Brake: Brake early, brake slowly, brake correctly and never slam on the brakes. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don’t have anti-lock brakes, gently pump the pedal. Either way, give yourself plenty of room to stop.
• Control: When driving on ice and snow, do not use cruise control and avoid abrupt steering maneuvers. When merging into traffic, take it slow. Sudden movements can cause your vehicle to slide.
• Vision: Be aware of what’s going on well ahead of you. Actions by other vehicles will alert you to problems more quickly, and give you that split-second of extra time to react safely.

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Illinois State Police new fleet of squad cars still sitting

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Row upon row of brand-new squad cars are still sitting in Springfield waiting to be equipped. Most squads still are needing emergency lights, 2-way radios, computer and other electronic equipment installed to be patrol ready for Illinois State Police.  Aging squad cars are a problem for the troopers who drive them and the motorists who count on them to swiftly respond to emergencies. And older cars are a drain on the state police budget because they are less fuel-efficient and often need costly repairs.

News agencies broke the stories about the new sitting squad cars back in April 2014 as of a week ago Got Your 6 Communications obtained information that about 100-150 squad cars are still sitting waiting to be equipped with patrol ready equipment.

Chicago Tribune reports 

State police have five technicians qualified to do the work of making a patrol car functional spread across 21 police districts, and they seldom have an entire day to devote to installing equipment as they struggle to keep up with repairs to radios and computers in older cars and at dispatch centers, police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.

“They can knock one (car) out in a day if they get the time to do it,” said Sgt. Ken Thomas, who oversees the patrol fleet. “But they keep getting pulled into other things.” The state’s ongoing budget problem — a $3 billion shortfall this year and billions in unpaid bills — has meant agencies won’t request funds for new staff, said Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees, the union that represents state police technicians. That means the state pays out more in overtime for short-staffed departments or spends more on repairing squad cars while new ones sit parked, he said.

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My Stateline.com reports

 

 

New marked Illinois State Police squad cars will no longer have a light bar. Squad cars will now be fitted with interior deck dash and rear deck lights.

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Illinois State Police F250 pickup trucks for Semi truck inspectors.

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ILLINOIS STATE TROOPER

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ISP Patch

ILLINOIS STATE TROOPER- Applications now available 2014

Agency Profile – Illinois State Police Merit Board

The mission of the Illinois State Police Merit Board is to remove political influence and provide a fair and equitable merit process for the selection of Illinois State Trooper candidates and the promotion and discipline of Illinois State Police officers.

 

Minimum Requirements for the position of State Trooper:

• $30.00 non-refundable application fee

• U.S. Citizen

• Valid Driver’s License

• Must be at least 21 years of age at time of application. There is no maximum age limit; however, the Illinois

State Police requires mandatory retirement at 60 years of age

• No Felony Convictions

• MUST be willing to accept assignment ANYWHERE in the State

• Military DD-214 form (if applicable)

• Education Requirement – ONE of the following MUST be completed BEFORE the application is completed:

o Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution*;

 OR

o Associate of Arts OR Science degree from a regionally accredited Institution* PLUS meet ONE of the following experience requirements:

• three (3) consecutive years of full-time law enforcement officer experience within the same police agency

OR

• three (3) consecutive years of active military duty;

OR

o Associate of Applied Science degree ONLY if degree is in Criminal Justice or Law Enforcement studies from a regionally accredited institution* PLUS meet ONE of the following experience requirements:

• three (3) consecutive years of full-time law enforcement officer experience within the same police agency

OR

• three (3) consecutive years of active military duty;

OR

o Sixty (60) semester hours from a regionally accredited institution* PLUS meet ONE of the following experience requirements:

• three (3) consecutive years of full-time law enforcement officer experience within the same police agency

OR

• three (3) consecutive years of active military duty.

 

NOTE: Semester hours MUST meet ALL of the following criteria:

9 semester hours in Communications studies ~ 9 semester hours in Social Science studies ~ 6 semester hours in Natural Science studies ~ 3 semester hours in Math studies ~ 9 semester hours in Humanities studies ~ 24 semester hours in other electives

 

* The college or university must be accredited by one of the following associations:
●Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools ●North Central Association of Colleges and Schools ●New England Association of Schools and Colleges●Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges ●Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ●Western Association of Schools and Colleges

 

OR

o Any person who has been honorably discharged by the US Armed Forces, or is an active member of the IL National Guard or a reserve component of the US Armed forces, and who has been awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. You MUST prove you have been awarded a medal by providing a copy of your DD214 before your scheduled testing date. All other Merit Board requirements must be met to be considered an eligible candidate.

 

   Purchase Application  30 dollar non-refundable fee.

http://recruitment.iosolutions.org/ISP-Merit-Board-IL-State-Trooper-Application-2014.html