MPD The Beat Issue 6 | February 2018

Making Mobile the safest city in EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER America with respect for everyone. Issue 6MPDTheBeat February 2018Proud of your ability to execute flawlessly A message from CHIEF OF POLICE Lawrence L. Battiste, IVThe end of January and the beginning of February has been an little time to exhale and clear our minds of the fast pace of theexhausting time. There was a lot going on. We began with the past events. But don’t get too relaxed. Just on the horizon weSenior Bowl and Mardi Gras all on the same weekend. There need to start thinking hurricane preparation. Precincts need towas much coordination and man hours put into making these conduct needed inventories and perform needed maintenancetwo events take place without a problem. We did not get any checks on equipment that may be needed in critical situations.help from the weather either. Make a Difference. “Do not let any unwholesome talk comeYet, I must say that the men and women of the Mobile Police out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building othersDepartment showed up and showed out in every aspect of up according to their needs, that it may benefit those whopreparation and executions of assigned task. Nothing makes listen.” Ephesians 4:29a leader more proud than to see those individuals that he is Once again, I remind you that it is an honor for me to serve asassigned to lead execute flawlessly. your Chief of Police. I will never forget that I work for you. StayAs we move on through the month of February, let’s take a safe as you represent the Mobile Police Department.Strong community of law enforcement supports hometown heroAmong all the cities in America, U.S. Attorney said in his closing remarks. U.S. Attorney Richard Moore speaks at theRichard Moore recognizes Mobile as a city with a Every year, to show prayful support Annual Law Enforcement Prayer Luncheonstrong community of law enforcement. to those who serve, especially to Thursday, Jan. 11 at Cottage Hill Baptist Church.Moore addressed more than 270 the Hometown Hero of the Year, the Tucker were Mayor Sandy Stimpson,federal, state, county and local law Chaplain’s Offices of the Mobile Police Public Safety Director James Barber,enforcement officers who gathered for Department and Mobile County Sheriff’s Chief Battiste, Sheriff Sam Cochran,the 20th Annual Law Enforcement Prayer Office sponsor a prayer luncheon. and members of the Saraland PoliceLuncheon. He spoke about how the law Chaplain Ed Connick and Chaplain Ron Department. A total of $4,175 was raisedenforcement community exists together Pierce serve as the hosts for the event. at the event to be donated to Jackie.presently, and shared what is expected This year’s event honored hometown Officer Tucker expressed his thanks toto come on the horizon to drive down hero Jackie Tucker of the Saraland Police the law enforcement community for theviolent crime in America. Department, who was wounded while on prayers and thoughtfulness. Although“Before we begin any strategy, we must duty responding to a domestic call. Jackie is still in rehab, Tucker said he waspray,” Moore said. “We cannot arrest our During the luncheon, the Mayor of grateful for the progress his wife hasway out of the problem.” Saraland, Howard Rubenstein, presented made during the course of the past year.Moore said what U.S. attorneys will begin Officer Aaron Tucker with the Hometownto do across the nation is unprecedented. Hero award plaque for his wife, Jackie. Watch this video to learn how Jackie“We will fight violent crime on the Surrounding the stage with Officer Tucker received care at USA Health fromstreets with other law enforcement her loved ones and healthcare providers.— with understanding of the mutual Officer Aaron Tucker on stage honoring his wife,goal, with mutual respect, and mutual Jackie Tucker, as the Hometown Hero.accountability.”He explained that although we maybe competent in our duty, beingtrustworthy and having character are fargreater. With humility, he added, listento the people in the community to buildtrust.“Treasure what you have here andprotect it, lets be a strong team,” Moore January 2013 - Newsletter Template

Community garden built for Harmon Officer of the Month forRecreation Center December 2017Officer George Tolbert and family intervention specialist Ronwick Thomas assist with Officer Charles Dewberrybuilding a community garden for Harmon Recreation Center. Read about Dewberry’sWith the assistance of the Office of Strategic Initiatives, the Mayesville accomplishments during the month.Community will now have a community garden at its Harmon Recreation Center.The garden is being constructed on the property of New Bayside Baptist Church You’re Invitedwhere Reverend Ledell Cleveland is the pastor. EVENT CALENDARKatrina Frazier, recreation program supervisor, secured the funding for thegarden. The community garden will serve as a new activity for the park. The Friday, March 2nd, 7PM - 10PMOffice of Strategic Initiatives collaborates with Parks and Recreation to giveopportunity for creative ways to engage with community residents. Blues, Brews, Burgers EventHere’s what not to do to your city vehicle Azalea Manor, 751 Dauphin Street Live Music, Cold Beer, Burgers and BratsPersonnel shall not repair, replace or alter equipment assigned to city vehicles, with all the Trimmings, Grilled Chicken,such as emergency lights, sirens and radios, without first requesting permission Fish Fillet, Wine & Cash Bar.to do so through the commander of the Planning and Research Unit and Cost $25 per persongaining approval of the chief of police. Proceeds to benefit the Mobile Law Enforcement Foundation.All repair, replacement or alteration shall be done by authorized personnel To purchase tickets or make a donation,assigned to those duties or a contracted vendor or repair center. MO 2015-01 call Mr. John Weichman at 208-1947 or 401-7246, or email john.weichman@ MPD Praise & Recognition cityofmobile.org. from the Community If you know of companies that would like to become an event sponsor, have them My husband and I took our two young grandchildren to Mardi Gras on contact Mr. Weichman for additional Monday, Feb. 5. We stood near several policemen, not only on foot but also on information. The ticket order deadline is motorcycles. These officers interacted with the crowd in a very positive manner. Wednesday, February 28th. There were high fives given and conversation took place. Officers Black, EDITORIAL CONTACT Reyes and Blakely were all on motorcycles. My oldest grandson, age 3, was PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE excited about seeing their motorcycles. Officer Atkins drove up and seeing my grandson’s enthusiasm picked him up to get a better look at the motorcycle. Charlette Solis ext. 1918 This was the highlight of my grandson’s night. You are doing a wonderful job and knowing that you have such great officers who still have time for the small THIS ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS things give me great confidence in your department. -Melissa Greer, Semmes, Major Kara Rose2 Sergeant Chris Levy Linda Pitts Leah Modelski Submit ideas and info for the next issue! EMAIL: [email protected] JanuFaerbyru2a0r1y32-0N18ew| MslePttDerTTehmeBpleaatet

“You Still Have a Choice” program offered at two parksThe relationships Corporal Joshua Jones plans tobuild through outreach at two local recreationalcenters may start off as a game playing hoopstogether, but he has a bigger goal. Jones will helpteach youth how to make good life choices andavoid the dangers of crime, drugs, guns and otherbehaviors that could negatively affect their lives.The Office of Strategic Initiatives collaborated withParks and Recreation to have a presence wherekids typically hang out. By offering the programYou Still Have a Choice, the kids will learn whathappens if they do make the choice to commit acrime and the consequences that could follow.The first parks to offer the program are the Thomas Corporal Joshua Jones talks to one of the kids who spends his free time at the ThomasSullivan Community Center and Harmon Recreation Sullivan Recreation Center playing basketball. Watch full news story.Center.Membership has benefits: Municipal Education ProgramIf you are considering advancing your education, consider for tuition and covered expenses for the approved coursesaccessing your eligible benefits through the Municipal taken.Education Program. This program provides reimbursement for 50 percent ofIf you have been employed as a permanent full-time employee appropriate costs, which include application, admission,for more than one year you may be eligible for tuition registration, tuition, laboratory, textbook fees and graduation.reimbursement through the Municipal Education Program. The maximum reimbursement is $14,000 for an undergraduateThe purpose of this benefit is to encourage employees to degree and $5,000 for a graduate degree.undertake education programs to improve job performance, The review board meets quarterly. All applications submittedenhance potential for advancement, and augment personal before each quarterly board meeting are reviewed anddevelopment. considered at the meetings. The next scheduled meeting willEligibility determination begins with the employee submitting be in March.a Career Profile to the Educational Review Board for review. To request forms and detailed information, call Tiffany Hollins atOnce approved, the employee may begin submitting receipts 208-7188 or email [email protected] officers named Police Training OfficersA program to train new police officers in the field once theygraduate from the Mobile Police Academy has been implemented.Through the Police Training Officers (PTO) Program, 25 policeofficers are designated to train new police officers.These police officers were selected through an interview andapplication process. They were specifically chosen by thedepartment to take on the task of being the first training officersfor the 24-week PTO program under the instruction of LieutenantTravis Dannelley and Corporal Allison Garafola.Our police training officers are Corporals Michael Motykiewiczand Clarence Robinson, and Officers Margo Andrews, Walter Ayer,Justin Billa, Brittany Black, Engi Botros, Matthew Calhoun, KyleCarag, Logan Davis, Talon Edwards, Brennon Garcia, Steven Guidry,Robert Harris, Brian Heathco, Alex Jones, Jerry Lewis, KendrickLigon, Alex Lott, David McCullough, Ryan McEllenney, TiffanyMonte, Brian Rivers, Jesse Sluder and Justin Washam.JanuFaerbyru2a0r1y32-0N18ew| MslePttDerTTehmeBpleaatet 3

Officer David Conditt writes back to 18 kindergarten studentsEver met a kindergartener who was curious toknow about things - like everything? GilliardElementary School students had their curiousityabout police officers. They pondered about whatthey do and why.Teacher Robin Dunnam thought it would be greatto have her students write down their questions sothat she could submit them to the Mobile PoliceDepartment to get answered.Each of her 18 students submitted one question,from how to become a police officer to what kindof equipment a police officer has to wear and whatprotects a police officer from being shot.Officer David Conditt sat down to write back toeach of the 18 students. When received by theteacher, she displayed the responses in the school’s hall display on a bulletin board. Dunnam said the project would promoteinformation, unity and trust between the little ones and the police.Third graders honor three MPD officers as community heroesIn a Super Citizen Program, more than 650 third graders gathered to honor local heroes from the stage at W.P. DavidsonHigh School. The students chose heroes who embodied the traits of amazing citizens and presented them with AuthenicLiberty Replicas.Pictured below from left, Corporal Jennings Powell (TFO), Detective Jermaine Rogers (Homicide Unit) and Sergeant JeremyMarch (Internal Affairs) were selected by a third grade class as a Liberty Learning hero. The event was held Thursday, Feb. 1.Wishing a Happy Retirement JanuaFreybr2u0a1ry3 2-0N1e8w|sMletPteDr TTemhepBlaetaetMajor Baroneise Dixon, commander of theSpecial Operations Division, and Corproal John“Pete” Rhames in the Wrecker/Taxi ComplianceDetail have retired.Major Dixon served on the force from August1989 to February 2018. And, Corporal Rhamesserved from December 1989 to January 2018.The MPD family wishes them a blessed andhappy retirement!4

“Best Chili 4 You” wins overall and “Drop Dead Chili” gets People’s ChoiceAward at Chili Cook-OffNine teams of police officers competingfor the best tasting chili set up tent atCathedral Square for the 3rd AnnualChili Cook-Off. The event was heldSaturday, Jan. 20, with the publicarriving at 10 a.m. to decide whose chilitheir taste buds loved the most.The overall winner was Best Chili 4 You,the team from Precinct 4. The HomicideUnit’s team, Drop Dead Chili, receivedthe People’s Choice Award. Best Chili 4 You team pictured receiving the Chili Cook-Off overall winner trophy. From left, Sergeant Charles Lott, Assistant Chief Godwin, Chief Battiste, Officer Deron McMichael, Ashley Prestenbach, Captain Randy Jackson and Officer Blakely Miles.Sergeant Charles Lott kisses the trophy. 5Because of the number of teamsparticipating, Crime Prevention wasable to donate $3,000 to the Mobile LawEnforcement Foundation. More than400 tickets were sold.Other teams supporting the fundraiserincluded Chiligan, Chili Boyz, ChiliNelson, Chili Chili Bang Bangers, Not theAverage Chili, The Briar Batch, and JumpOut Chili. View photos.A special thanks to Jack Dove’s bandfor providing the music and theMobile Citizen Police Academy AlumniAssociation for assisting to make theevent a success.Each year, the Chili Cook-Off allows thepublic to get to know our police officersin an environment that is family fun.Watch WKRG coverage of the event.Pictured right, Drop Dead Chili teammembers Sergeant Scott Hanks, SergeantJohn Angle, Corporal Kenneth Gillespie,Detective Julius Nettles, Detective GlennBarton, and Detective Jermaine Rogers. JanuaFreybr2u0a1ry3 2-0N1e8w|sMletPteDr TTemhepBlaetaet

WE’RE PEOPLE TOOLearn about what our police officers do out of uniform. Get to know them ona more personal level including their interests and many hidden talents.Community Resource Officer (CRO) Ray Hamilton, otherwise known asDonnie, works by day in the Identification Unit, but not many people knowthat he has an exceptional talent in the art of glassblowing.He first started out taking an Introduction to Glassblowing Class while firstattending the University of South Alabama. He quickly realized that this wasnot just another mandatory Art elective class for him but it brought out hiscreative side. After numerous years of intensive training, Donnie can now beconsidered an artisan in his own right.Donnie would like to first point out that glassblowing is not the same thing aslampworking. Glassblowing is a glass-forming technique that involves inflatingmolten glass into a bubble with the aid of a blowpipe. Lampworking, on theother hand, manipulates glass with the use of a torch on a smaller scale, likethose glass-blown animals you see for sale in many amusement parks.Glassblowing, specifically free-blowing, originated back in the 1st century BCand became very popular in the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages and isstill used today for artistic purposes. CRO Ray Hamilton is skilled in the art of glassblowing.The transformation of raw materials into glass takes place at around 2400degrees Fahrenheit where the glass emits enough heat to appear almost white hot. The glass is then left to fine out, whichallows the bubbles to rise out of the mass. Then the working temperature is reduced in the furnace in order for the glassblowingprocess to begin. Glassblowing involves three furnaces. The first which contains the crucible of molten glass is called thefurnace. The second, called the glory hole, is used to reheat a piece in between steps of working with it. The final furnace is called the lehr or annealer and is used to slowly cool the glass over a period of a few hours to days. This keeps the glass from cracking or shattering due to thermal stress.The glassblowing process starts with the blowpipe beingpreheated and then dipped in the molten glass in thefurnace. The molten glass is then gathered onto the end ofthe blowpipe and can be compared to picking up honeyon a honey dipper. This glass is then rolled on the marver,which is a thick flat sheet of steel. This process is calledmarvering and forms a cool skin on the exterior of themolten glass blob and shapes it. Then air is blown into thepipe, creating a bubble. Next, the glassworker can gathermore glass over that bubble to create a larger piece. Oncea piece has been blown to its approximate final size, thebottom is finalized. Then the molten glass is attached toa stainless tell or iron rod called a punty for shaping andtransferring the hollow piece from the blowpipe to providean opening or to finalize the top.Donnie has made multiple different types of basic glass art such as glassware,vases and animals. However, many of Donnie’s glass pieces use differenttechniques which apply patterns and color to blown glass using pieces ofcolored glass called frit or cane rods of colored glass. One of the most difficultcaneworking techniques is called reticello, which involves creating two bubblesfrom cane, each twisted in a different direction and combining them andblowing out the final form.If interested in learning more about glassblowing, the University of SouthAlabama, Department of Visual Arst holds tours at their Glass Shop. For moreinformation, call 251-461-1438.--Spotlight somone for this column! Email Linda Pitts, [email protected] JanuaFreybr2u0a1ry3 2-0N1e8w|sMletPteDr TTemhepBlaetaet

Serving the community in many ways, recruits making a differencePictured to the right, recruit Derrick Robbins with fellowclassmates preparing to help serve at Bread of Life Cafe.The Mobile Police Academy added a community Corporal Allison Garafola and Class #59 take a moment for a group photo.engagement component to its curriculum last year. Fromwhat Class #59 have said it gives them much gratification police, but we’re stepping up to make change.” Robbins, whoto take part in a serving role beyond the norm of how most majored in sociology with a concentration in criminologypeople view the job of a police officer. at Spring Hill College, explained that the driving force in his life is to help bring about change for the good of all. With his servant’s heart, he said serving people just comes easy forThroughout their training at the academy, Class #59 served him.at several MPD-sponsored community events. They alsospent time at the Bread of Life Cafe serving food to peoplefrom all walks of life. We want people to know that we genuinely care about them and that we are not the enemy, Robbins added, speaking on behalf of his class. He said they will keep being involved in“We want our first interaction to be kindness, not enforcing the community so more Mobilians can see that the policethe law,” recruit Derrick Robbins said in a blog post with Our are on their side.Southern Souls. “I got frustrated with people who hated theHaving Tyler Blues? Data Systems Unit to the rescue!JanuaFreybr2u0a1ry3 2-0N1e8w|sMletPteDr TTemhepBlaetaet 7

Sergeant Trey Davis enters with Academy Class #59 at their graduation ceremony held at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Feb. 2. View more photos.Graduating Academy Class #59 trained as “One Team, One Family”The City of Mobile has 18 new police officers to serve and accomplishment and welcomed them to the force. Keynoteprotect its communities. Holding fast to their belief of Speaker Assistant U. S. Attorney George May provided wordsOne Team, One Family, the recuits survived together and of wisdom to guide their law enforcement career.successfully finished the high level of training at the Mobile After taking the oath of office, awards were presented to TroyPolice Academy. They earned the right to be honored as and Harrrison (Academic Award), Jonathan Kriss (Driving Award),called a Mobile police officer. Tyleem Watson (Firearms Award), Justin Bellew (PhysicalMayor Sandy Stimpson, Public Safety Director Barber and Fitness Award), Antione Stewart (Chief’s Award), and RoddrexChief Battiste congratulated the recruits on their bold Shelton (Community Service Award).Jennifer Chisholm salutes Chief Battiste as she gets ready to receive Class Leader Antione Stewart shakes hands with Mayor Stimpson.her diploma and badge.Academy Class #59 Class President Troy Harrison addresses his fellow Rashad Cunningman gets his badge pinned on by a family memberpolice officers one final time. after the graduation ceremony.8 JanuFaerbyru2a0r1y32-0N18ew| MslePttDerTTehmeBpleaatet