YPD Recap

This week played out like a series of soap operas. Between Feb. 7 and 13, the Yuma Police Department had 2,230 calls for service, which generated 210 police reports. Here is a list of some of the calls we handled:

• 911 calls — 976

• Alarm calls — 32

• Assaults — 9

• Burglaries — 22

• Criminal damage — 23

• Disorderly conduct/ disturbances — 56

• Domestic disturbances — 35

• Fraud — 14

• Noise disturbance — 21

• Calls for service at our schools — 20

• Shoplifts/Thefts — 37

• Shots fired — 6

• Stolen vehicles — 7

• Suspicious subject / Incident / Vehicle — 153

• Traffic accidents — 57

Animal Control responded to 131 calls for service and made 256 traffic stops, issuing over 95 citations.

Like pebbles pelting your windshield, here are the more humorous crimes of our lives…

On this episode of the “The Drunk and the Careless,” this guy (let’s call him Semi), driving a semitruck, was attempting to back his truck into the loading area. While attempting this feat he took out another truck’s side mirror with the trailer. After Semi exchanged information, he gave it another go. He pulled forward and on try number two, he took out another side mirror with his trailer. Trailer 2, mirrors 0. At this point we are called, his keys are taken and another driver backs the truck and trailer in. Semi has all the signs of intoxication and empty cans in his vehicle. He does try his best to get the officer to just let him sleep it off but that’s just not going to happen. The officer asked Semi about the empty beer cans in his truck. Semi gets into the cab of the truck, picks up the can from the floor, says the beer can is not his and as he is getting ready to throw it out the window, the officer advises him to leave it. After failing the field sobriety tests, he is told he is under arrest for DUI. Not having it, Semi halfheartedly resisted before cooperating. He was placed into the back of the patrol car and seat belted in. Again not having it, Semi got out of the seat belt and struggled with the officers while they were trying to put it back on. The fight was on and the officers got kicked at and one hit his head on the door frame. In the end, Semi was restrained, seat belted and taken in for his orange jammies and flip flops. *** This week on “As the Rim Turns,” a vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, swerving from one lane to another, when it crashed into another vehicle stopped at an intersection. Incredibly, there were no injuries as the suspect car pushed the victim car approximately 20 feet from where it was at impact. The suspect car fled the scene but not without leaving a trail of oozing fluid and a white scrape line from the tireless rim. The officer followed the evidence across town to the final resting place of the vehicle. Of course, the driver fled the scene but the vehicle and all its evidence was left behind. *** On “One Bud to Give,” our main character (let’s call him Bob), known to have warrants, was stopped by an officer. A check through dispatch confirmed the warrants were valid and he was placed in handcuffs. Bob was riding a bicycle and asked if he could give it to his buddy to keep for him. No problem with that request. Maybe thinking that was easy, Bob had another request: Bob asked the officer if he could place his “bud” (marijuana) under a nearby rock so he can get it when he is released. Oh the hopeful look on his face as he nodded his head toward his front pants pocket letting the officer know where his bud was kept. I’m sure the expressionless look on the officer’s face led him to his next question. Bob asked if he could just give it to his friend to keep for him. The officer gave a “no” to both requests and Bob was given orange jammies and flip flops. *** This week on “All My Tantrums” our main character (let’s call him Stan) goes into a local gas station and fills his large plastic bottle with coffee creamer. When asked to pay for the creamer, Stan got mad and swung toward the clerk. He must not have seen the local law enforcement officer in full uniform behind him. The officer, not a YPD officer, tried to calm him down but Stan turned and punched the officer. The officer pulled his Taser and told Stan get on the ground. Stan did as instructed until he was asked to remove his backpack. The fight was on and during the scuffle the officer dropped his Taser. Thank goodness a customer picked up the Taser and returned it to the officer when he got back on his feet. Stan tried to grab the Taser but the officer backed up and deployed it, causing Stan to lie on his stomach, where he was detained. The whole incident was caught on the store’s security camera. Yup, jammies and flip flops followed.

Disclaimer: In no way do we mean any disrespect to anyone named Semi, Bob or Stan. They were just the names that popped out while writing this piece. We are sure everyone named Semi, Bob or Stan are great people and would never do any of these things. Now for a serious note: There have been multiple overdoses involving fentanyl over the past few months. The lucky part is first responders arrived and Narcan was administered. Fentanyl is a prescribed drug but used in the wrong way can and will kill you. Please educate yourself on fentanyl and its hazards. Help educate our kids and let them know how serious this is. Enough is enough!