City Manager Robert E. Cervenka recently audited several city services and has discovered that there is over a million dollars in outstanding local warrants for citations issued by our police officers. In an effort to resolve these outstanding warrants, the Robinson Police Department is now actively trying to locate these offenders in an effort to have the warrants properly addressed.
In the past the Robinson Police Department has had officers attempt to serve local warrants but no money was allocated to the overtime required to make this happen on a regular basis. Under the direction of Chief Rusty Smith, Robinson Police Department officers are once again attempting to actively bring offenders to justice. This time the money collected from the offenders should offset the money it takes to operate the project.
When someone is issued a citation and the person fails to properly address the matter with the court, they, in essence, are disrespecting the criminal justice system. “The only recourse for holding them accountable is for the court to issue a warrant for their arrest and for police officers to actively serve these warrants, “ Chief Smith commented.
While this may appear to be a tough approach to the problem of people having warrants issued for their arrest, Chief Smith said the problem was magnified because the violator failed to take care of their responsibility. “What we’d like to see is for violators to take care of their citations in a mature and prompt manner. Having to locate and apprehend people with warrants is time consuming and a drain of the tax dollars the public has entrusted to us.”
Most local warrants can be handled by the municipal court before an officer attempts to serve a warrant. However, if a person receives a citation and doesn’t take care of the citation and if a warrant was later issued for the violator because they did not properly handle the process through the court system, police officers are then commanded through a court ordered warrant to apprehend the person.
To help prevent from being arrested, citizens who have previously received a citation, have failed to take care of the citation, and have had a warrant issued for their arrest should contact the Robinson Municipal Court immediately. They can reach the municipal court by calling (254) 662-1415 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. The municipal court is open two Saturdays a month between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. To find out if the court will be open on any specific Saturday, citizens should contact the court during regular business hours.
ROBINSON -
When police burst into a home in
Robinson, in search of drugs,
the owner wasn't home, but his
dogs were. Robinson is about ten
miles southeast of Waco.
According to
police, that's when "Sissy," an
adult pit bull, attacked an
officer participating in the
search, giving him no choice but
to defend himself.
"He actually
backed off a little bit and gave
that dog the opportunity to come
outside the house and didn't
happen," said Chief Rusty Smith,
of Robinson Police. "The dog
charged him again and at that
time he had to take the dog
down."
Wanted for
months on various charges by at
least four local law enforcement
agencies, 42-year-old Kelley
Wood was arrested for possession
of methamphetamine and evading
arrest by Bellmead
police Wednesday night.
But before
he was arrested he erected a
sign on the roof of his Robinson
home admonishing police for
killing his dog during their
search. The four-foot sign was
made from a bed cloth, with the
spray painted words, "Robinson
Police killed our Sissy for
weed? Bet yall's mamas real
proud."
Up for less
than a day, neighbors like Karen
Cromer have already taken
notice.
"Well, I
think that's kind of
ridiculous. I mean that just
brings attention to the fact
that if they did have drugs in
the house, that just lets the
whole neighborhood know."
Cromer also
sides with police regarding the
incident with Wood's dog.
"I feel sorry
that the dog was killed, but if
the police officers were doing
their job, I mean police can't
stand by and have the dog attack
them."
A driver who
slowed to check out the strange
sign said he agreed.
"If it's like
a Chihuahua or something then,
you know that's no need to kill
the dog. But if the dog was
trying to attack the officer and
he feared for his life I think
it's probably the right thing to
do."
Robinson
police say the amount of drugs
they discovered during the raid
will be more than enough to add
even more charges for Wood.
Despite
that, Chief Smith says nobody
wanted to have to take a pet's
life, especially the officer who
pulled the trigger.
"The officer
likes dogs. [He's] very
sympathetic towards dogs'
concerns, and the fact that he
had to put the dog down was very
traumatic for him, and it's
still bothering him today that
he had to do that."
Wood remains
behind bars in the McLennan
County Jail while further
charges are pending.
Robinson Police Welcomes
K-9 to Force
(Robinson) -
To most Robinson residents, it is
probably a little known fact that
the Robinson Police Department has
its own canine unit. So this
Friday’s short ceremony to swear in
their newest patrol dog is very
special.
For several years the Agroplex
Narcotics Task Force arrested an
untold number of drug abusers and
illegal drug suppliers. Detective
Gary Young was assigned to the drug
task force as a K-9 handler and when
the task force was disbanded Det.
Young was allowed to bring Blaze,
one of the canines assigned to the
unit, with him to the Robinson
Police Department.
Det. Young was Blaze’s fifth
handler, a stretch for any dog.
Blaze served the department well
during his four additional years
with the department. Now over 10
years of age, Blaze came to the
place where he needed to retire. In
Blaze’s shadow of excellence comes
the Department’s newest dog, Rocky.
Rocky, a young Belgian Malimois,
joins the department this Friday
when he is sworn in at the Robinson
Police Department.
Rocky’s handler, Officer Craig
Tusa, has been training Rocky since
Rocky was just a pup. “I love dogs
and Rocky is an excellent dog and
friend. I’ve really enjoyed watching
him grow and teaching him to excel
as a police dog,” Officer Tusa
commented.
Working on his own, as well as
with the San Marcos and Waco Police
Departments, Officer Tusa has
trained Rocky to be an excellent
narcotics and patrol dog. A
narcotics dog works narcotics
detection while a patrol dog is
capable of protecting the handler
and other officers.
“In the local law enforcement
community, it is well known that a
substantial amount of illegal
narcotics travel through Robinson,”
said Robinson Chief of Police Rusty
Smith.
Chief Smith went on to explain
that both Texas Highway 77 and
Interstate Highway 35 serve as
pipelines for narcotics to travels
from Houston and the southern border
areas to Dallas and then on through
the nation.
“A certain amount of the
narcotics that travels through this
area stays in this area. It is our
job to find the drugs, arrest the
criminals, and keep Robinson as safe
as possible,” Chief Smith stated.
Officer Tusa and Rocky will work
various patrol shifts in an effort
to give all patrol officers the
opportunity to work with them. All
officers of the department will soon
attend training on how to best
interact with Rocky when he is
actively working.
The public is invited to meet
Rocky and Officer Tusa when Rocky is
sworn in at the Robinson Police
Department this Friday, February 5,
2010 at 11:00 a.m.
Robinson Police
Department
(254) 662-0525
www. robinsonpd.org
02/03/2010
Robinson Police Department
Takes
Another Professional Step
Forward
The largest
number of
unsolved crimes
in Robinson is
the theft of
property. In an
active step
toward locating
stolen property
and bringing
thieves to
justice, the
Robinson Police
Department has
turned to
LeadsOnline.
LeadsOnline is
the nation's
largest online
investigation
system for law
enforcement,
providing rapid
electronic
access to
transactions
from thousands
of reporting
businesses
including scrap
metal
processors,
secondhand
stores, Internet
drop-off stores,
and pawnshops
across the
country, as well
as critical
information from
eBay listings
for criminal
investigations.
LeadsOnline’s
cross-jurisdictional
reporting and
investigation
system solves
cases in
literally
seconds – from
burglary to
homicide.
LeadsOnline is
the versatile
state-of-the-art
crime fighting
tool preferred
by thousands of
law enforcement
agencies across
the country.
These agencies
use LeadsOnline
to automatically
collect
transaction
records from
reporting
businesses,
enabling
criminal
investigators to
instantly access
cross-jurisdictional
information to
clear countless
cases each year.
Agencies small
and large choose
LeadsOnline
because the
secure,
easy-to-use
service greatly
enhances the
effectiveness of
investigations,
saving staff
hours and tax
dollars. Several
local law
enforcement
agencies use
LeadsOnline
successfully.
There is more
good news for
tax payers.
LeadsOnline
subscription
costs are being
paid from
restitution
funds held by
the police
department. In
other words,
money previously
awarded by
district and
federal courts
to the Robinson
Police
Department as a
result of
recovered cash
and property
owned by
criminals is
paying for this
year’s
LeadsOnline
usage.
“I just love it
when the bad
guys help the
guy guys catch
more bad guys,”
said Chief
Rusty Smith
of the Robinson
Police
Department.
Restitution
funds cannot be
used for
budgeted items
and using these
funds to
subscribe to
programs such as
LeadsOnline is
why courts
designed the
restitution
program.
Last year Chief
Smith used
restitution
funds to
purchase more
secure weapon
holsters for
officers of the
department.
“While we do not
often receive
restitution
funds, I’m very
glad when we can
purchase better
police equipment
without using
tax dollars,”
Chief Smith
commented.
While
LeadsOnline is
an excellent
investigation
tool, it can
only succeed
when citizens
report property
theft. And
perhaps as
important as
reporting
property theft
is recording
serial numbers.
Criminal
Investigation
Division Lt.
Jeff Lewellen
says, “We often
have stolen
property
reported but the
owner has no
idea what the
serial number
is.” The police
department asks
that everyone
record the
serial number
from all
property that
has one and then
store this
record in a safe
place.
The Robinson
Police
Department ask
that citizens
call them any
time something
is stolen.
Reports can be
made 24/7 by
calling (254)
662-0525
.
Robinson
Police Department
(254) 662-0525
www. robinsonpd.org
01/29/2010
September 1, 2009
Driver
Responsibility
Law
Points
system
The
Driver
Responsibility
law (TRC
§ 708;
Article
10,
House
Bill
3588,
78th
Legislative
Session)
establishes
a system
which
assigns
points
to
moving
violations
classified
as Class
C
misdemeanors
and
applies
surcharges
to
offenders,
based
upon the
type of
offense
and the
time
period
in which
the
citation
was
received.
For each
conviction,
DPS will
assign
points
to a
person’s
driver
record
as
follows:
Two
points
for
a
moving
violation
conviction
in
Texas
or
that
of
another
state.
Moving
violations
are
defined
by
37
TEX.
ADMIN.
CODE
§15.89,
which
includes
a
list
of
those
violations
that
will
be
assigned
points.
Points
will
not
be
assigned
for
speeding
less
than
10%
over
the
posted
limit
or
for
seat
belt
convictions.
Child
Safety
Seat
Violations
will
accrue
two
points.
Three
points
for
a
moving
violation
conviction
in
Texas
that
resulted
in a
vehicle
crash.
Points
accrued
remain
on the
driver
record
for a
period
of three
years
from
conviction
date. An
offense
committed
prior to
September
1, 2003
will not
apply to
the
assessment
of
points
under
the
program.
Points
surcharge
DPS will
assess a
surcharge
when the
driver
accumulates
a total
of six
points
or more
on their
record
during a
three-year
period.
The
surcharge
assessment
will be
reviewed
annually.
If
driver
record
continues
to
reflect
six or
more
points
during
the
prior
three-year
period,
the
surcharge
will be
assessed.
Therefore,
drivers
may be
required
to pay
for
one or
more
years if
six or
more
points
continue
to
accumulate
on the
driver
record.
The
driver
is
required
to pay a
$100
surcharge
for the
first
six
points
and $25
for each
additional
point.
Point
surcharges
are
cumulative
and may
vary
with
each
annual
assessment
if
convictions
are
added or
removed
from the
driver
record.
Annual
surcharge
for
certain
convictions
Drivers
who
receive
a
conviction
for any
of the
following
offenses
that
occur on
or after
September
1, 2003
are
required
to pay
an
annual
surcharge
for
three
years
from the
date of
conviction.
Driving
While
Intoxicated
(DWI),
or a
DWI-related
offense
First Conviction - $1,000 annual surcharge
Second or subsequent Conviction - $1,500 annual surcharge
DWI with Blood Alcohol Content .16 or greater - $2,000 annual surcharge
Failure
to
Maintain
Financial
Responsibility
$250 annual surcharge
Driving
While
License
Invalid
$250 annual surcharge
Driving
without
a
Valid
License
(i.e.;
No
Driver
License,
No
Commercial
Driver
License,
No
Endorsement
Violation,
No
Motorcycle
License,
Operate
with
License
for
other
Class
Vehicle).
$100 annual surcharge
Surcharges,
which
are
cumulative,
are
automatically
assessed
for
these
convictions
and do
not
accrue
points.
Therefore,
an
initial
conviction
for DWI
will be
assessed
$1000
annually,
and a
subsequent
DWI
conviction
within
the same
three-year
period
will be
assessed
an
additional
$1500
annually.
All
surcharges
assessed
for this
program
are in
addition
to all
other
reinstatement
fees
required
for
other
administrative
actions
and do
not
replace
any
administrative
suspension,
revocation,
disqualification
or
cancellation
action
that
results
from
these
same
convictions.
Driver
notification
of
surcharge
and
driver
license
suspension
The
driver
will be
notified
by mail
to the
address
on
record
with DPS
of the
assessment
of a
surcharge.
The
notice
will
state
the
surcharge
must be
paid
within
30 days
to
prevent
the
suspension
of
driving
privileges.
Upon
suspension
for
failure
to
comply
with the
surcharge
requirements,
driving
privileges
remain
suspended
until
the
person
establishes
an
installment
agreement,
or pays
in full
all
surcharges
and
related
costs,
such as
service/collection
fees.
As a
courtesy,
individual's
establishing
an
installment
agreement
will
receive
monthly
reminders
with a
payment
coupon
indicating
the
amount
due and
the
remaining
balance.
Should a
monthly
reminder
not be
received,
the
driver
is still
responsible
for
making
timely
payments
to
prevent
suspension
of
driving
privileges.
Who
receives
the
money
collected
Each
surcharge
collected
by the
Department
under
this law
will be
remitted
to the
Texas
State
Comptroller's
office
on a
monthly
basis.
The
Trauma
Center
and
Texas
General
Revenue
Funds
receive
99% of
the
revenue
collected,
while
DPS
receives
the
remaining
one
percent
for the
administration
of the
Driver
Responsibility
Program.
Contact
Information:
To
obtain
information
regarding
your
convictions,
a copy
of your
driving
record
may be
purchased
by
completing
the
application
form and
mailing
to the
Department
with the
appropriate
fee, or
visiting
the
online
service.
For full
payment
of a
surcharge
or to
establish
an
installment
agreement,
please
contact
the
Municipal
Services
Bureau
at
1-(800)-688-6882.
The
Municipal
Services
Bureau
is the
vendor
responsible
for the
mailing
of
surcharge
notices
and
collection
of all
fees.
We work for
you. Please work
with us.
Burglars Working
Overtime
Summertime burglars are
putting in extra time
depriving citizens of
Robinson of their hard
eared personal property.
Unfortunately, most of
these burglaries could
have easily been
prevented.
Within the past week
several burglaries of
motor vehicles occurred
during the night. In
each case items were
left in open view,
providing burglars the
opportunity to “shop”
for items of their
choice. And, owners of
each vehicle burglarized
left their vehicles
unlocked.
Some of the items stolen
from vehicles include
tools, IPods, a radar
detector, a small
television, a digital
camera, a carton of
cigarettes, purses,
wallets, and cash.
In a burglary of a
residence, a television
and jewelry were taken.
The residence was left
unlocked while the
resident left for only a
few minutes.
“Burglars are
opportunist,” stated
Chief Smith of the
Robinson Police
Department. “If people
continue to leave
valuables in open view
inside their cars and
leave their vehicles and
homes unlocked, burglars
are going to take
advantage of the
situation.”
The Robinson Police
Department’s, with its
motto of “We work for
you, please work with
us,” implores citizens
to work in cooperation
with police officers and
take precautions from
becoming a crime victim.
Removing valuable items
from vehicles and
locking the door of
vehicles and residences
will impede most
burglars. While police
officers patrol the city
all day and night trying
to catch these thieves,
there is nothing that
will help stop these
crimes more than
citizens taking charge
of their own property.
Joining or attending an
existing Neighborhood
Crime Watch program is
another step in stopping
crime in neighborhoods.
For more information
regarding crime
prevention techniques
and organizations,
please call Officer Brad
Richardson of the
Robinson Police
Department at
662-0525
.
Robinson Robber Caught
Eleven days after the Subway Sandwich Shop in
Robinson was robbed at gunpoint the Robinson Police
Department knows who robbed the store and where he
is.
Wednesday afternoon,
July 2, 2008 , a white male robbed a pizza
restaurant in Bellmead. A vehicle description was
quickly given out by the Bellmead Police Department
and soon thereafter units from the Bellmead Police
Department and Lacy Lakeview Police Department
stopped the vehicle on IH-35 near mile marker 350.
Two people were taken into custody by the Bellmead
Police Department for the pizza restaurant robbery,
including a 25 year old white male.
The 25 year old male was later interviewed by Lt.
Tracy O’Connor of the Robinson Police Department
confessed to having also committed the robbery in
Robinson on June 21.
The man is reported to live in the Garland
area and was familiar with Robinson from a previous visit to the
community. The suspect admitted to using a 9mm
semi-automatic handgun in the Robinson robbery and
said he committed the armed robbery because of his
desperate financial situation.
The Robinson Police Department will obtain warrants
for the suspect first thing Thursday morning.
Because this is an ongoing investigation, the amount
of money taken in the Robinson robbery has not been
release, although the amount taken was relatively
small.
Chief Rusty Smith of the Robinson Police Department
said that interagency cooperation is responsible for
this capture. “Seeing Bellmead, Lacy Lakeview, and
the Robinson Police Department’s all work together
is what professional law enforcement is all about.
Everyone did a great job in jointly bring these
cases to a close,” commented Chief Smith.
Health alert:
Rabies vaccines running short
The United States is currently
experiencing a severe shortage of human rabies vaccine,
according to the Texas Department of State Health
Services.
Pre-exposure vaccinations of
veterinary, animal control, game wardens, laboratory and
other high-risk personnel are “on hold” until the
vaccine shortage is resolved.
Encounters, especially bites or
scratches from bats, skunks, coyotes, foxes, bobcats and
raccoons are considered very high risk for rabies
infection. However, bites or scratches from dogs or cats
also can be dangerous as unvaccinated pets are often the
most common link between wildlife rabies and humans.
The biggest thing you can do to avoid
exposure is to make sure that people have their pets
vaccinated against rabies. Do your best to counsel your
children not to pet strange dogs and cats under any
circumstances.
Symptoms of rabies can vary. Watch for
signs that may include:
• Abnormal behavior or confusion. For
example, nocturnal animals such as coyotes or raccoons
should not be seen during daylight hours.
• Excessive salivation and aggression.
However, not all animals with rabies will foam at the
mouth. In some cases, animals will become lethargic.
If you or a loved one is bitten or
scratched by an animal follow these steps:
• Wash the wounds thoroughly with
plenty of soap and water and consult a physician as soon
as possible.
• Secure the animal for observation or
testing if possible.
• If an animal is killed, get it
processed for shipment as soon as possible to reduce the
chances of a “decomposed” test result.
• To reduce the chance of a
“destroyed” test result, do not damage the animal’s
brain.
• If an animal cannot be captured, but
it remains in the area and can be observed for a 10-day
period, that is an acceptable alternative to treatment.
“The treatment for rabies is expensive
and long. Once a patient receiving treatment is given
Rabies Immune Globulin Human (RIGH), a series of 5 shots
is administered. Once rabies is diagnosed in a human,
the results is almost always fatal.
Robinson – Saturday afternoon was just
another hot sultry day for most people in Robinson. But for
the store clerk and witness at the Subway sandwich store on
North Robinson Drive, this Saturday afternoon would turn
down right dangerous.
At about June 21, 2008 , an armed man entered the
Subway and took a small amount of cash from the store clerk. A
witness inside the store offered his wallet to the robber but
the robber was interested in a bigger haul.
Chief Rusty Smith said that the
man entered the store and walked toward the witness first.
“After telling the witness he wasn’t interested in the witness’
wallet, the robber walked toward the checkout area of the store
and demanded all their cash,” said Chief Smith.
The robber then raised what
appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol toward the ceiling of the
store and fired one round. “The spend cartridge fell to the
ground but no bullet hole was located inside the store. It is
our belief that the robber must have shot a blank round from the
pistol,” noted Chief Smith.
The robber was described as a
white male with a dark tan who is about 5’09” to 5’10” tall,
weighs about 160 pounds, and was wearing a dark baseball cap,
dark cargo pants, and a short sleeve tan colored shirt covered
by what appeared to be a bullet resistant vest.
A K-9 unit from the Lorena Police
Department was able to locate a scent leading from the front
door where the robber entered and exited the business and toward
the rear for the business, where witnesses last saw the robber
walking. The K-9 tracked the scent about a half a block to a
parking area where the scent abruptly ended, leading Chief Smith
to speculate that the robber may have left the area in an
unknown vehicle.
This is the second time Subway
has been robbed in Robinson. The first time this occurred was
when the business was first established but that was in another
location.
Anyone with information regarding
the identification of this robber is asked to contact the
Robinson Police Department by calling (254) 662-0525. Caller
wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (254)
753-HELP.
Twenty-six (26) vehicle burglaries and several home burglaries
have occurred in Robinson between April 1 and
June 18, 2008. This
is a disturbing trend that most communities experience every
summer.
“I have seen this summertime burglary trend
occur in every community I have served in my 33 years as a
police officer,” stated Chief Rusty Smith
of the Robinson Police Department. He went on to say that there
is one common factor regarding this trend, that being young
people having too much unsupervised time when they are not
attending school.
“There will be a certain number of students from
all schools who will find themselves tempted to get into
trouble. This is especially true when children are not held
accountable for their time and actions,” stated Chief Smith, a
parent of three sons himself. Chief Smith said that it can be a
daunting task for parents to keep up with and hold their
children accountable; however this is one of the major
responsibilities of being a parent.
“I am a long time believer that children want
and need boundaries and, as parents, we must show them where
these boundaries lie. “I would much rather have parents holding
their children accountable for their actions than my police
officers having to do it,” commented Chief Smith. He went on to
say that the consequences children experience through parental
action and intervention often does more good that the more
severe consequences they may experience through the criminal
justice system.
Chief Smith asks that the community help remove
the temptation for burglars to prey on citizens by removing
valuable items from sight in vehicles. He also asks that
residents make sure their doors and windows are closed and
locked on their homes and to remove valuable items from the view
of passersby.
The 26 burglaries reported to the Robinson
Police Department occurred on West Billington,
South Cedar
Ridge, East Dawn, Emberwood,
Falcon Drive, Headrick, Kettler,
Kim Lane, Lux, East Lyndale,
Meadowbrook, Riggins, Rio
Benito, Ruidoso Downs, East
San Benito, Springwood, Saratoga, and East Ward.
Anyone with information regarding the identity
of the person(s) involved in any of the burglaries is encouraged
to call the Robinson Police Department at 662-0525. Callers
wanting to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at
753-HELP (4357).
The Robinson Police Department honored several
officers, staff, and local citizens at its second
annual awards program on Tuesday,
May 27.
As with the
first awards program, this year’s awards honored both police
officers and citizens. Throughout the year, police department
employees and local citizens go the extra mile to serve the
citizens of Robinson by providing exceptional service to and
through the Robinson Police Department. The awards program is
designed to bring community awareness of those exhibiting
exemplary service and to honor the recipients.
A
committee from within the Robinson Police Department continues
to develop Chief Rusty Smith’s idea of acknowledging excellent
police service through this awards program.
Telecommunicator Jessica Dumesnil, Officer Patrick
Carey, and Lt. Jeff Lewellen were all honored with
the Life Saving Award for their participation in the
life saving event of a Robinson man in January 2007.
Cpl. Brent Ewing was honored with the Distinguished
Service Award for his outstanding service to the
community in such programs as the Citizen Police
Academy Coordinator, as the organizer of several
Neighborhood Watch programs, for organizing
the local National Night Out program, for his
initiating the Shattered Dreams program, and for his
example of professionalism as a police officer.
Junior High School Principal Barry Gann was honored
with the
Distinguished Service Award for his efforts that led
to his finding a lost citizen that had been missing
for 16 hours in temperatures that were dangerous to
him and the lost person.
Thirty students, a school sponsor, several corporate
sponsors, and a citizen were al honored with the
Community Service Award for their assitance in the
Shattered Dreams project.
Vehicle Burglars Hit Robinson
Hard
Ten vehicle burglaries have occurred in the first
two and a half weeks of April in Robinson and the
Robinson Police Department needs your help in
solving these crimes. Street where these
burglaries occurred are
West Billington,
East San Benito,
Dawn, East Ward, Meadowbrook, Kim Lane, Springwood,
Saratoga,
and Rio Benito.
In
each case items left in the vehicles were valuable
to the thieves. Some of these items include CD
players, firearms, a dashboard with a
GPS
device installed, and assorted tools.
The Robinson Police Department is seeking any
information that leads to the arrest of these
burglars and recovery of property taken from these
vehicles. Anyone with information about any of these
cases is encouraged to call the Robinson Police
Department's Criminal Investigations Division at
662-0525or
contact Crime Stoppers at 753-HELP (4357) to remain
anonymous.
The Robinson Police Department asks citizens to
remove all valuable items from view in their parked
vehicles, lock the vehicle's doors, and park in a
lighted location when available.
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Laura White, Animal Control Officer since 2003, was
named City of Robinson Employee of the Year for 2007 at
the annual Employee Appreciation Banquet. Ms. White was
cited for her hard work, cheerful attitude and
dedication to duty. Ms. White is the first police
department employee to be awarded the Employee of the
Year title. The award is voted on by all city employees.
City employees and their families were
treated to a catered dinner that included a surprise
visit from Santa Claus. Entertainment was furnished by
the Robinson High School Show Choir conducted by Stacy
Porter.
Mayor Bryan Ferguson presented five year
service awards to Kevin Vranich, Melissa Leavelle, David
Myers and Rebecca Merchant. City Secretary Linda Vranich
received a 20 year service recognition.
More Rabid Animals Found in Robinson In early September a rabid skunk was discovered
at a residence on Lux Street in Robinson. Not long after
this report, another rabid skunk was discovered on East
Rocket Road. Now comes a report of yet another rabid
animal in Robinson.
In
early October, a possum (opossum) that was acting
strange was found on Lux Street. Robinson Police Department Animal
Control Officer Laura White believed there was a strong
suspicion that the possum might be rabid and had the
animal tested. Sure enough, the possum was rabid,
bringing to three the number of animals found in
Robinson to be rabid this summer.
What
makes the possum discovery so important is that possums
are toward the end of the scale for contracting rabies.
This is a sign that the rabies disease is starting to
spread more than usual and citizens need to be aware of
this situation.
Citizens can help protect
their pets from rabies by having them vaccinated
regularly, maintain control of their pets, keep cats
indoors and keep dogs under direct supervision, and by
having their pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the
number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared
for, or vaccinated regularly.
If someone should be
bitten by a dog or cat they should seek medical
evaluation for the animal bite and if their unvaccinated
pet is bitten by a wild animal they should contact their
local law enforcement agency.
Area residents are asked
to remain watchful for animals that have a change in
behavior, a friendly dog might want to be alone, or a
shy dog might want attention. Rabid dogs often become
mean, roam, make strange noises and attack people and
other animals.
Rabid animals may drool,
and they sometimes swallow stones, sticks and other
things. Watch for wild animals that seem to be friendly
or tame and wild animals (coyotes, foxes, bats, skunks,
and raccoons) which you do not usually see in the
daytime.
Watch for animals that
have a hard time walking, eating, or drinking or animals
that bite or scratch at an old wound until it bleeds.
Citizens can report any
of these observations to the Robinson Police Department
by calling 662-0525. For Additional Information you can
access the CDC website at
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies
The dog that bit the
skunk has been placed into isolation for observation.
Two
assaulted in home in Robinson
Just before 5:00 a.m. Friday, September 28, the Robinson
Police Department received a telephone call from a
resident in the 3100 block of South Robinson Drive. The
caller said they had been attacked inside their home.
Police officers arrived at the residence
a few minutes later to discover two people had been
assaulted by an unknown male. Both victims were
transported to Providence Hospital where they were
treated for undetermined injuries that are believed to
be serious but not life threatening.
The suspect entered the residence
through a window and attacked a female before turning to
a male resident and attacking him. While it is believed
that the suspect is a male, no other identification is
available.
Robinson Police officers called in a
tracking dog but were unable to find a scent of the
suspect. DNA samples believed to be from the suspect
were taken from the victims and will be compared to DNA
samples in CODIS (COmbined DNA Index System).
There is no indication of the suspect’s
motive and there is no indication that this was or was
not directed toward the victims through a prior
acquaintance.
Robinson Police Department is asking
anyone with information that would identify the suspect
in this case to call the Criminal Investigations
Division at 662-0525. Caller who wish to remain
anonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (254)
753-HELP (4357).
09-27-07
Lien resulting from damage to a
fence
Effective September 1, 2007, landowners experiencing fence
damage caused by a motor vehicle may place a lien against
the motor vehicle of a person who caused the damage, if that
person is the vehicle owner, or has consented for someone to
drive their motor vehicle which caused the damage.
HB 2931
requires a peace officer who investigates or responds to an
incident in which a motor vehicle damages a property owner's
fence, to determine who the property owner is and to
immediately notify the owner about the damage to the fence,
provided that the officer reasonably believes the fence is
intended to contain livestock or other animals.
In
addition, a landowner must provide the police department
with contact information if the landowner would like to
receive notification of damage.
09-10-2007
Rabid Skunk found
in Robinson
On Sunday, September 2,
2007, a Robinson resident noticed a skunk in their back
yard in the 700 block of Lux. When the resident opened
the back door of the residence, their two dogs ran into
the back yard to explore the fascination of the skunk.
One of the dogs picked the skunk up in its mouth and
brought it to the back porch.
An officer of the
Robinson Police Department was called to the residence
and took control of the skunk. The skunk was tested for
rabies and the results of the testing showed the skunk
was rabid.
The Robinson Police
Department wants citizens to be aware of this rabies
case to help prevent people and their pets from become
victims of this disease.
Citizens can help protect
their pets from rabies by having them vaccinated
regularly, maintain control of their pets, keep cats
indoors and keep dogs under direct supervision, and by
having their pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the
number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared
for, or vaccinated regularly.
If someone should be
bitten by a dog or cat they should seek medical
evaluation for the animal bite and if their unvaccinated
pet is bitten by a wild animal they should contact their
local law enforcement agency.
Area residents are asked
to remain watchful for animals that have a change in
behavior, a friendly dog might want to be alone, or a
shy dog might want attention. Rabid dogs often become
mean, roam, make strange noises and attack people and
other animals.
Rabid animals may drool,
and they sometimes swallow stones, sticks and other
things. Watch for wild animals that seem to be friendly
or tame and wild animals (coyotes, foxes, bats, skunks,
and raccoons) which you do not usually see in the
daytime.
Watch for animals that
have a hard time walking, eating, or drinking or animals
that bite or scratch at an old wound until it bleeds.
Citizens can report any
of these observations to the Robinson Police Department
by calling 662-0525. For Additional Information you can
access the CDC website at
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies
The dog that bit the
skunk has been placed into isolation for observation.
09-07-2007
Robinson Police fill vacant police
officer position
Andrew Rudkin was sworn in at the newest
Robinson Police officer on Wednesday, August 15, 2007.
Officer Rudkin brings the number of police officers with the
Robinson Police Department to an even 20.
The city council approved three new
positions to be filled in fiscal year 2006-2007. Staffing
issues have been a problem with all police agencies across
the nation and Robinson has had it problems too.
Officer Rudkins is a welcomed addition to
the department. As soon as Officer Rudkin successfully
completes his field training he will be assigned to a patrol
position.
08-15-2007
BURGLARIES CONTINUE TO HIT CENTRAL
TEXAS/ROBINSON Central Texas residents have seen an increase in the
number of reported burglaries throughout the summer and
Robinson residents were not left out.
As many as 20 vehicles were burglarized this
summer in Robinson. Fortunately, several people have been
arrested in connection with many of these vehicle
burglaries.
Several houses were also burglarized.
Unfortunately, most of these burglaries remain unsolved.
In other reported crimes, sexual assault
reports were up more than 100% from this time last year.
Anyone with information about any unsolved
crime is encouraged to contact the Robinson Police
Department. Anyone wanting to remain anonymous may contact
Crime Stoppers by calling 254-753-HELP (4357). If a caller's
information results in the arrest of an offender or the
apprehension of a fugitive, the caller will be eligible for
a cash reward. The caller must maintain contact with Crime
Stoppers so arrangement may be made for the caller to
receive their reward in cash and preserve his anonymity.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (ENS) TO BE
IMPLEMENTED IN THE HEART
OF TEXAS REGION
The Emergency Notification System (ENS)
project was selected by the Heart of Texas Council of
Government (HOTCOG) Emergency Preparedness Advisory
Committee to enhance preparedness in the Heart of Texas
six-county region. The project is funded through a Homeland
Security grant from the Governor’s Division of Emergency
Management.
ENS, a combination of database and
Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping technologies,
delivers emergency notifications to citizens via telephone.
This system enables the user to select a precise geographic
area to notify residents of potential danger.
ENS aids in emergency response by providing
an immediate method of communication with the intended
recipients. Examples of when this system would be utilized
are for extreme weather conditions, an evacuation, a
chemical spill, an amber alert or a water boil order.
The vendor selected by the HOTCOG will work
with each of the 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points to
install necessary equipment and set up service accounts to
get the project off the ground. The vendor will also work
with 9-1-1 database providers to create a current telephone
network database of Local Area Network (LAN) telephone
numbers.
For residents without a LAN line, an option
will be made available to provide cell phone contact
information via telephone or through a Web site.
The ENS is expected to be implemented
throughout HOTCOG region by the end of the 2007 calendar
year.
NEWS
AND INFORMATION
