Thursday, March 1, 2007
As spring weather nears and students begin to move parties outside, two additional officers will be around to make sure excess noise doesn’t become a problem.
Lawrence Police Department’s Neighborhood Resource Officer program was announced in August and officially began Jan. 1.
The two officers — Tina Shambaugh and Trent McKinley — work full-time to “improve the quality of life in Lawrence’s neighborhoods.”
pullquote
They should realize the officer has no option but to issue a citation if there has been an earlier warning issued at that address.
- Sgt. Dan Ward
The officers’ duties include reviewing noise complaints, municipal court convictions for noise violations and grafitti reports. The officers also attend all city commission meetings and several neighborhood association meetings.
“It’s an effort to open up the lines of communication between the police department and the citizens of Lawrence,” said Sgt. Dan Ward, who oversees the program.
The city took a harsher stance on noise violations at the beginning of 2006, including the creation of a stricter “nuisance” ordinance that punished repeat offenders. Ward said the increase in enforcement led to a 12 percent decrease in the amount of reported violations in 2006, and that the resource officer program was the next logical step. Ward said the officers would review convictions on a monthly basis and send violators to City Hall for possible additional penalties.
Ward said the easiest way for students to keep the officers off their porches was to develop relationships with their neighbors and to be cognizant of their schedules. In the instance of an officer being called to a house, Ward said students should cooperate.
“They should realize the officer has no option but to issue a citation if there has been an earlier warning issued at that address,” Ward said.
While officers in attendance of city commission meetings has not been ordinary in the past, Mayor Mike Amyx said he enjoyed having the officers present.
“I think it’s gone very well. I feel very comfortable with them there,” Amyx said. “I think folks are getting the opportunity to talk to them, and that’s a good thing to have.”
Ward said the program had been well-received in its initial months of existence.
Not all duties of the resource officers are focused on noise complaints. When the city saw a trend of vehicle burglaries outside of workout facilities in January, the officers provided all gyms with fliers. Ward said they hadn’t seen any related problems since then.
“People are happy to have a person within the police department they can contact with a problem,” Ward said. “Before, they had problems they thought maybe were too small. Now no problem is too small.”
Kansan staff writer Erick R. Schmidt can be contacted at eschmidt@kansan.com.
— Edited by Mark Vierthaler
Students beware: city ordinances can lead to ...
Ordinance proposal would place marijuana possession on ...
New procedure helps police respond to noise ...
Compliance checks help curb alcohol violations
The Lawrence Police Department has been using random compliance checks in order ...
KU professor fights speeding ticket
Patrol targeting underage drinking issues many citations ...
The Fake ID 101 Task Force also issued a citation to a ...
Occupy Lawrence optimistic after citations
With threat of citations realized, demonstrators were eager to refocus on their ...
Patrols for fake IDs continue
After three patrols already this semester, the Fake ID 101 task force ...
Mass. Street Dillons to undergo makeover
The Lawrence City Commission approved the construction plans with a few stipulations ...
Police patrol checkpoints for drunk drivers
Ordinance has unclear effects on downtown
City looks into fatal accident
Oread Neighborhood safety in question
Lawrence police try to monitor the area, commonly known as the “student ...
Lawrence police ask for more funding as ...
Police base request for money on recent survey.
Downtown residents and employees face parking woes
In March, the city began re-enforcing a $50 fine for habitual parking ...
A sobering conversation
University struggles to address the complexities of alcohol policy in the wake ...
Extra police on their way to Lawrence ...
Lawrence Police are calling in officers from five agencies to keep Lawrence ...
Student reports stolen marijuana
Left turns prohibited on 23rd Street
Police arrest man at McCollum Hall
Lawrence authorities still targeting Fake IDs
Fake ID 101 campaign shows bars, restaurants, and liquor stores how to ...
Police deter underage drinking
Lawrence police are stepping up enforcement of alcohol consumption laws during on-campus ...
City discusses student housing issues
City commissioners and members of the Oread Neighborhood Association met Wednesday to ...
Bars’ owner contests ban
Underage drinking easy for many students
Sherrif’s office says it will hire more officers to enforce laws at ...
Commission candidates focus on student life
Candidates answer questions on issues affecting students’ lives downtown, on campus and ...
City Commission candidates speak out
Lawrence City Commission hopefuls talk about their opinions on the transit systems, ...
Rental property licensing may expand
Members of the community came out in both support and rejection of ...
Police issue warnings to texting drivers
A law will go into effect next year to make texting while ...
Police catch early-morning drinkers
Student surprised by power of campus police
A non-KU student was shocked to find out a KU police officer ...
City discusses new goals for 'student ghetto'
The proposed plan would diversify types of housing in the area.
Police chief to improve education, communication with ...
Lawrence Police Department shares information through Facebook to educate younger citizens.
Amyx suggests jail time to curb violence
Mayor wants there to be a ban on guns not just in ...
City debates new business ordinance
Commissioner Mike Amyx proposed a disorderly business ordinance in order to improve ...
City passes stricter house party regulations
The new ordinance holds party hosts accountable for minors caught drinking.
Saturation patrols focus on drunk, aggressive drivers
Saturation patrols will take place in Douglas County March 16 and April ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID