News Alerts
On Saturday, June 5, 2010, the Port Washington Police Department was advised by Ozaukee Dispatch that a black bear had been sighted near High Point Beach Road which is approximately two miles north of the City of Port Washington.
Shortly before 10 a.m. the bear was spotted on E. Norport Drive in the area of Noridge Trail. Officers responded to the area of E. Norport Drive and Noridge Trail where they were advised that the bear was heading south toward the City of Port Washington. Officers proceeded to Spinnaker Drive and observed the black bear at that time making its way southbound. Unsuccessful attempts were made to turn the bear around and out of the residential area. The bear made it as far south as Crestview Drive and Sunrise Drive. It then headed east, eventually entering the yard at 906 Noridge Trail, the Rudolph residence, where it climbed a large tree in the backyard.
While officers kept the bear up in the tree behind the residence on Noridge Trail, Fire Department personnel were called to assist at the scene. Reserve Officers were also called in due to a large crowd that had gathered in front of the residence. Eventually, with the joint assistance of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources personnel and the personnel from the US Department of Wildlife, the bear was successfully tranquilized while in the tree. Efforts were made to protect the bear and once it had fallen out of the tree it was placed into a cage designed for that purpose and safely removed from the scene.
Present at the residence on Noridge Trail were Joe Jerich who is the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Warden Supervisor; Robert Lee, a Washington County Department of Natural Resources Warden; Dale Katsma, the Wildlife Supervisor for Ozaukee County; and Tom Issac, a Wildlife Biologist out of Hartford.
Following the incident the bear was reported to be doing well and was to be released back into the wild by wildlife officials.
Chief Richard Thomas announced today that a team of assessors from the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG) will arrive on Tuesday, June 8, 2010, to examine all aspects of the Port Washington Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operation, and support service.
Verification by the team that the Port Washington Police Department meets the Board’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation - a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, he said.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on June 9, 2010 starting at 5:00 pm. The session will be conducted in the Port Washington Police Department’s Community Room located at 365 N. Wisconsin Street, Port Washington, WI.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call (262) 268-7677 on June 9, 2010, between the hours of 2:30 pm and 4:00 pm.
Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public information session, are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with WILEAG’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Port Washington Police Department, 365 N. Wisconsin Street. The Department contact for further information is Chief Richard Thomas, (262)284-7670.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Port Washington Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write to Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group, 2720 Boles Circle, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495.
“The Port Washington Police Department has to comply with 238 standards in order to gain accredited status,” Chief Thomas said. “The journey to become accredited has taken five years. It was one of our seven goals, developed in our 2005 strategic plan. It has been a very beneficial undertaking for our Department and the right thing to do.”
The Accreditation Manager for the Port Washington Police Department is Captain Michael Keller. He said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar agencies. The assessors will review written material, interview individuals, and visit offices and the places where compliance can be witnessed. The lead assessor is Captain Terry Hanson of the Menomonee Falls Police Department.
Once the WILEAG Board’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Board, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status, Chief Thomas stated.
Accreditation status is granted for three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
For more information regarding the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group, please write to WILEAG at 2720 Boles Circle, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495.
The City has been receiving complaints from our citizens regarding animal violations. To help prevent these violations, the following Directed Patrol program has been developed by the Port Washington Police Department.
Regulation of Dogs and Cats
Keeping pets is becoming increasingly popular in households across the country. Recent studies estimate that around 63 percent of all U.S. households (71.1 million) are pet owners, and more than half of those households have more than one animal. The two most popular pets are dogs and cats. People keep pets for a variety of reasons including companionship, home security, teaching responsibility and enhancing behavior among children. However, being a pet owner carries with it certain obligations and responsibilities.
Assumptions and misunderstanding of City ordinances surrounding the keeping and maintenance of pets in the City and particularly dogs in public areas, including parks and beaches has prompted this guide.
The Port Washington Police Department and the Park and Recreation Department would like to make it very clear that we encourage and welcome dog owners and their dogs in our City parks and public ways, as long as they abide by the regulations set forth governing their behavior.
To help in understanding what is expected of pet owners when they walk a dog, visit a park, beach or other public area, we have included in this guide a summary of the Port Washington “Animal Regulation” ordinances.
Please protect yourself, your neighbors and your community by being a considerate and responsible pet owner.
The City will take appropriate actions, including the issuance of citations, if necessary, against individuals who do not abide by the regulations governing the keeping of pets within the City.
For more information regarding the city ordinances governing the regulation of dogs and cats, please visit the City of Port Washington Municipal Codes web page at
http://www.ci.port-washington.wi.us/MunicipalCodes/Index.htm.
No parking on any street within the city limits between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., December 1st through April 1st inclusive.
The Port Washington Police Department and the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau are again warning senior citizens to be aware of an ongoing telephone scam that is preying on grandparents nationwide. As recently as this past weekend a savvy, Port Washington grandparent was contacted by a scammer posing as her grandson, reporting that he had been involved in a motor vehicle accident and asking for money to help cover expenses. Fortunately, the grandparent recognized the scam for what it was, contacted the police department and didn’t become another scam victim.
Generally, the scam works like this – the grandparent receives a distressed phone call from a person who they believe is their grandchild. The supposed grandchild typically explains that they are traveling in Canada or some other locale and have been arrested or involved in an auto accident and need the grandparent to wire money to post bail or pay for damages—usually amounting to a few thousand dollars. While many seniors have reported the scam without falling prey to it, unfortunately, many others have been victimized. One well-meaning metro-Milwaukee grandmother sent $15,000 to scammers, thinking she was helping a grandchild who had been in an auto accident. She obtained the money by receiving two cash advances on her credit card, and borrowing money from a family friend.
Law enforcement officials are not certain how perpetrators are obtaining phone numbers for so many senior citizens across the U.S. However, it is believed that scammers are most likely calling random numbers until they happen to reach a senior citizen. The scammers’ basic tactic is to pose as a grandchild and let the unsuspecting grandparent fill in the blanks. For example, the scam caller might say, “It’s me, your favorite grandchild,” to which the grandparent will guess the name of the grandchild it sounds the most like, and then the call proceeds from there.
To protect themselves from this scam, and other scams that may use a distressed loved-one tactic, the Better Business Bureau is advising seniors to confirm the status of the individual by calling them directly or verifying the story with other family members before taking any further action.
The Better Business Bureau also advises that any request to wire money through Western Union or Money Gram should be seen as a “red flag” and an immediate tip-off that the call may be part of a scam. Funds sent via wire transfer are hard to track once received by scammers and are usually not recoverable by law enforcement or banking officials.
For anyone victimized by this type of distressed loved-one call, the Better Business Bureau and the Port Washington Police Department recommend reporting the incident immediately to your local police department and state Attorneys General offices. If there is a request to wire money to Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre has established the “Phone Busters” hotline and Web site to report such fraud. Reports can be filed easily online through The Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre (formerly “Phone Busters”) site at: www.phonebusters.com, or by phone, toll free at, 1-888-495-8501.
The Port Washington City Council has set the date and hours for Trick-Or-Treat as October 31, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
The Port Washington Police Department reminds you that you and your family can prepare now for the possibility of an influenza pandemic. You should know both the magnitude of what can happen during a pandemic outbreak and what actions you can take to help lessen the impact of an influenza pandemic on you and your family.
Please click here to view a checklist that will help you gather the information and resources you may need in the event of a local flu pandemic. Copies of the checklist along with additional information are also available in the Port Washington Police Department lobby.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY
There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy:
Try to avoid close contact with sick people:
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_internal_001
Ozaukee County Public Health Department
http://www.co.ozaukee.wi.us/./PublicHealth/index.html
Wisconsin's Pandemic Flu Resource
http://www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov/
The Port Washington Police Department would like to warn residents of yet another Internet scam in which residents receive an email informing them of a tax refund due. The email which claims to be from the IRS, directs the recipient to a link that requests personal information, such as a Social Security number and/or credit card information.
The scheme is an attempt to trick the email recipient into disclosing their personal and financial data, a practice commonly known as “phishing” for information.
The information fraudulently obtained, is then used to steal the taxpayer’s identity and financial assets. Generally, identity thieves use someone’s personal data to steal his or her financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim’s name and even file fraudulent tax returns.
The bogus email, which claims to come from service@irs-usa.com tells the recipient that he or she is eligible to receive a tax refund for a specified amount. It then directs the recipient to use an internet link, contained in the email to access a form to request the tax refund. The link takes the recipient to an official looking electronic form, complete with an Internal Revenue Service banner. The form at the link then asks for the personal and financial information of the recipient.
The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through e-mail.
If you receive an unsolicited email purporting to be from the IRS, take the following steps:
The Port Washington Police Department is warning citizens to be aware of an emerging mail scam that is preying on unemployed and recently unemployed individuals and others. As recently as last week a savvy, Port Washington resident received a mailing from a scammer operating under the name of UBI Payment Services. Fortunately, the recently unemployed homeowner recognized the scam for what it was, contacted the police department and didn’t become another scam victim.
Generally, the scam works like this – the potential victim receives a very official looking mailing from UBI Payment Services which is labeled as a “Guaranteed Delivery Statement.” The mailing is in the form of an official looking letter addressed to the resident. The letter “guarantees” the recipient $5,000 for completing the included release form and fulfilling the contest requirements, one of which is to complete a simple puzzle.
The sponsor of the contest is listed as Windsor-Morgan & Parker, P.O. Box 4805 Robina Town Centre QLD 4230, Australia. In the fine print located on the back of the document is a clause which states, “The winner will be required to send a copy of their passport or identification to the Sponsor to confirm their age and identity.“ This appears to be an attempt to collect personal identification information which could easily be used for identity theft purposes. The Port Washington Police Department strongly warns against ever mailing or providing anyone with a copy of your passport and safeguarding all forms of personal identification.
For anyone victimized by this type of mailing please report the incident immediately to your local police department and your state Attorneys General offices.
The Ozaukee County Anti-Drug Task Force is alerting residents that the Cedarburg and Grafton Police Departments have recently received reports of possible drink tampering at area taverns.
The information indicates that women have suspected that someone has added substances to their drinks, causing them to become highly disoriented, have great difficulty walking, talking and unable to recall the events of an evening. The speculations offered in these reports causes concern that in such a vulnerable state a sexual assault may be attempted or occur.
If this has happened to you or someone you know, please call your local law enforcement agency.
The Ozaukee County Anti-Drug Task Force offers the following guidelines to help protect you, especially during the upcoming holiday season: