Captain Corner By Captain Scott Henriod WPCSO

(week of 12/25/17)

Owning and caring for a dog is a great responsibility.  Making sure they have food, water, shelter, vet care, exercise and positive human interaction is very important. The Sheriff’s Office gets quite a few calls over the year about people who let their dogs bark constantly, let them run at large, don’t license them and are not providing them with adequate care. Here are just a few reminders to all those that have dogs. First, all dogs in the city or county must be licensed every year. So with the New Year fast approaching make sure you get your dog license. For city residence you can do that at City Hall and for County residence you can do that at the Public Safety Building. Second make sure that your dog isn’t the one that your neighbors complain about. Don’t let your dog bark continually. All dogs bark and sometimes it’s a good thing. They warn us about people coming to our homes or maybe warn us about something dangerous that is taking place. But no one likes it when there trying to sleep, or enjoy just being outside. Third keep your dog contained. Allowing your dog to run at large is a public nuisance. They chase cars, get into people’s garbage, bite people and chase them. The ordinances for both city and county don’t allow your dog to run at large. All these violations lead to citations which means if found guilty of the violation is money out of your pocket. Fourth know the laws on how many dogs you can have. For most residence in the city and county you can only have two dogs. There are exceptions for puppies, ranchers with working dogs, kennel operators, caring for a friend’s dog for a few days and a few others. So if you have taken upon yourself to be a pet owner, be a good one. Remember to follow the ordinances that the city and county have put into place.

Captain Corner By Captain Scott Henriod WPCSO

(week of 12/11/17)

Well the holiday season is upon us. This is a time for celebrating with friends and family and reconnecting with those that live far away that we don’t get to see very often. It’s also a time for office or work parties or maybe even a personal gathering or celebration. No matter how or why you are celebrating this season let’s make it a safe one. If your plan for celebrating includes a few alcoholic drinks make sure that you have selected a designated driver. Don’t fool yourself that you are sober and able to drive. Being arrested for DUI is embarrassing, costly and not worth taking the chance. And yes you have to stay in jail until you’re sober. Another word of caution is always monitor your drink. Never leave your drink unattended or have someone go and get you a drink. There is a scary trend across the nation which is where someone slips some type of controlled substance into your drink which could cause you to pass out or act differently leading to some serious consequences. Enjoy this holiday season, remember to make good decisions and make it a safe one.

Captain Corner By Captain Scott Henriod WPCSO

(week of 12/04/17)

   The Sheriff’s Office recently received information about a new scam that is gaining popularity across the nation. It has even been given a name, which is the Grandparent Scam. The caller claims to be the grandchild of the victim and states that they have been arrested and requests money to get out of jail. The victims or recipients of the call will be advised by the caller to overnight large amounts of cash to multiple residential locations or pay through an internet site, so the caller can pay his fines and get out of jail. The suspects track the packages that arrive at the delivery locations in time to retrieve it from the front door of the selected residence or collect the funds that have been sent through the internet site. The callers are very convincing and play on the emotions of the victims. If you receive one of these calls discontinue the conversation immediately. If you are concerned that the caller has been arrested get the telephone number which they are calling from and verify that it is actually the number of a police station or sheriff’s office where the person is supposed to be detained at.  You can also call your local law enforcement agency to verify the arrest. I personally have received this call and listened to the caller as she explained how desperately she needed the money to get out of jail. The conversation ended with me enjoying a good laugh and hanging up on the caller. Be smart and always error on the side of caution.