News

Last week a call for help went out to California law enforcement departments seeking successful strategies other police departments have used to address homelessness, loitering and aggressive panhandling. Fresno, like most California Cities, is seeking alternative solutions to a very complex and on-going problem... (Read more →)

The “Urge to Serve”

Last week, President Obama awarded our nation’s highest honor – the Medal of Honor – to Army Staff Sergeant Ty Carter. Carter received the award for his heroic actions during one of the deadliest battles of the Afghanistan war. He was one of 53 Americans stationed at an Army outpost in Afghanistan’s Nuristan... (Read more →)

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Somewhere in America on a warm August evening a 16-year-old girl backed out of a friend’s driveway, unaware that a car was speeding toward her. The drunk driver, traveling more than 100 mph in a 30 mph zone with a blood alcohol concentration of .12 percent, crashed into the passenger side of the girl’s car.... (Read more →)

Bully-Proofing Your Kids

I have to admit that, like many parents, I love it when it’s time for our kids to go back to school! Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy summer vacation and having quality time with our family, and I know our kids really enjoy being away from school. But as the summer comes to an end, I know that parents – and... (Read more →)

Back to School Safety

With school starting next week, I thought it would be important to re-introduce our School Resource Officer (SRO) and remind everyone about how to keep our kids safe while they travel to and from school. Officer Morse is our current SRO, along with his police dog, Bugsy. Officer Morse has been with the Ukiah Police... (Read more →)

Marijuana

July is ending and autumn is just around the corner. As our days begin to shorten, the number of marijuana-related complaints begins to increase. This year is no exception. At the Ukiah Police Department (UPD), we’ve already started receiving a large number of marijuana-related calls. Some people report relatively... (Read more →)

Rethink Your Drink

On Saturday, July 13, Jill Santos, Katrina Frey, Anne Molgaard, Doug Crane and I, served as “celebrity judges” to pick the best recipe for a yummy, healthy drink as part of Mendocino County Public Health’s Rethink Your Drink campaign. As a judge, I got to taste test many different infused waters (water with... (Read more →)

Going on Vacation?

Summer seems to go by so fast. It’s only four more weeks until we need to begin preparing for a new school year! Along with warm weather and longer days that keep families and children busy, summers are also one of the best times to get away and enjoy a much needed vacation. While we all enjoy a break, those... (Read more →)

Know the Red Flags

Summer can be such a great time of the year. It’s a time for family vacations, barbeques, lazy days by apool, and longer days to spend in one of Ukiah’s parks or participating in one of our city’s greatrecreational programs. It is also a time when kids and teens can be taken advantage of. Last week, the Ukiah... (Read more →)

Keep our kids busy – and reading – this summer

School graduations, Father’s Day, and the beginning of summer are now behind us. Our kids have been out of school for a few weeks, and summer activities are in top gear. By now, the fun of staying at home and playing video games might be losing its appeal. This is when I start to worry about our community’s... (Read more →)

Preventing Gangs

With budget cuts reducing our staff, the Ukiah Police Department (UPD) may not have enough officers to address every single complaint we receive, but one priority we will continue to support is educating kids to keep them out of gangs and the violent life that often accompanies gang membership. Thanks to strict... (Read more →)

Thank You, Engineer Larry Goodman and All Ukiah Area Firefighters

Last week, I had the opportunity to work with police officers on the street. Late in the afternoon, we were called to a terrible injury traffic accident on South State Street near the airport. A distracted driver had collided with another car, and several people were hurt. When I arrived, first responders were... (Read more →)