Seldovia Police Blotter – by Chief Shad Haller

February – May 2014

EMS Calls – 4

Fire Calls – 0

Date         Offense            Citation #

02/24/2014     Driving without a License     00304184

02/14/2014     Permitting someone to drive without a license     00304183

05/02/2014     Negligent Driving     00304185

05/02/2014     Speeding     00304186

05/03/2014     Speeding     00304187

05/05/2014     Speeding     00304189

05/05/2014     Speeding     00304188

05/09/2014     Speeding     00304190

05/14/2014     Minor Consuming Alcohol     00304195

Criminal Cases with the Court

4/24/2014 Driving while License Revoked     Misdemeanor   Pending Court Summons

Open Investigations

SPD Case #14-010Theft

SPD Case # 14-006Internet Fraud

Cases involving a juvenile –  6  closed

Chief Haller’s Important Tips of the Month

Calls to 911

While I am very happy that the majority of people in Seldovia feel comfortable contacting me directly for issues, I would like to ask that we as a whole use our 911 system for emergencies.

911 Dispatch is linked to me via radio and phone.  This does two things for me.  Dispatch locates where the call is coming from, so if that information cannot be relayed from the caller it can be given to me when Dispatch calls.  Second, Dispatch notifies the Alaska State Troopers of developing situations so that they are prepared to respond if needed.  So, though I do not want to discourage individuals from calling me,  I do ask that if you are having an emergency, please dial 911 and let them know what’s going on.  In the grand scheme of things, this will help me to better serve you.

911 is for emergencies.  If you have a general question, need some information or a non-critical issue that I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to call me directly at 399-0671.

Phone Scams

One thing that has been happening in our area, as well as all throughout Alaska is the continued phone scams.  If you are receiving phone calls from numbers you don’t know, calls and hang ups, or just a one ring call and no one on the other end, do not return the phone call!   If you don’t recognize the number, the best thing to do is let it go to voicemail.

It is disappointing that citizens are taken advantage of in the worst ways.  Please pay very close attention to your phone bill and if you do not recognize a charge or a fee, call your phone company and ask them to explain it to you.  Some of these scammers get away with adding only a few dollars to a phone bill month after month.  Imagine thousands of people being taken advantage of in this way, and it is a lot of money.  So be ever vigilant with your phone bills.

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 January 2014

This month has been nice and quiet.  No arrests, No fires, No reports of Theft or Burglary.  Thank you Seldovia!

3 Written Warnings for Expired Tags – that have already been corrected!

3 Medevac/EMS calls

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December 2013

3HO-13-00610CR – Assault 3- Cause Injury w/ Weapon – Class C Felony

1 warning vicious dog – State of Alaska law states that if animal unprovoked bites a human it is deemed as vicious and must be on a leash at all times when in the presence of people, and if in a confined space, like a boat, must be wearing a muzzle.

1 warning expired tags  – enough said

6 Medevac/EMS calls

Seldovia Police Department Open cases with the Court

3HO-13-00136CR– AS1141230A1 AS11.41.230(a)(1): Assault In The 4th Degree – Recklessly Injure – Class A Misdemeanor

3HO-12-00505CR – AS2835030A1-V1 AS28.35.030(a)(1): DUI- Alcohol Or Controlled Substance – Class A Misdemeanor

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November 2013

3HO-13-00551CR– AS2835400 AS28.35.400: Reckless; Mandatory Court Appearance.  Reduced to Negligent Driving $310 dollar fine.

Citation Number-00304179  Negligent Driving Nov 2013 Mandatory Court appearance.  Individual missed court date.  Judge maximized fine.

3 warnings for speeding – Just as an FYI.  The posted speed limit is the speed limit.  You are NOT automatically authorized to go 5 miles an hour over.  So no, you can’t go thirty miles an hour through the middle of town which is a posted 25 mph.  ( True conversation! )

4 warnings for equipment violations (tail lights out, head light out etc.)  I know it is hard to always get the right bulbs and tail light covers because we live separate from the rest of the world.  So, I am somewhat understanding.  That being said, it doesn’t take 5 weeks to get a bulb so please maintain your vehicle and lighting.  If I stop you a second time for the same reason it will be with a citation.

2 warning expired vehicle registration –  This is way down from when I took over.  We all have to register our vehicles as well as carry insurance.  If you get pulled over you will be asked for proof of insurance, if  you do not have it in the vehicle or it is not current, it is an automatic $500.00 dollar fine, please keep your insurance cards in your vehicles!

4 Medevac/EMS calls

Letter to the Community – December 2013

Hello all,

I am pleased to announce that today we revive the Seldovia Police Department blotter that Andy Anderson maintained while he was Chief of Police.  This will be a way to keep in touch with everyone and let you know about things that are going on in our community.   This will also be a format to offer some advice as to how to help better protect ourselves and our community.

I would like to start by thanking all of you in our community that continue to give your support, without it my job would be ten times harder.  It was not an easy decision for me to take on this role, as it affected, not just me, but my family and friends.  So, thank you very much!

If you would like to read the rest of my introductory letter, click here to go directly to that posting!

A few things about Seldovia’s Police Department you may not know:

  • The Seldovia Police Department received a brand new DUI breath test machine called a data master and I am fully qualified in its use.
  • The City of Seldovia has a special services contract with the Alaska Department of Public Safety that enabled me to attain my Alaska State Trooper Special Commission.  This commission authorizes me to enforce Alaska Statutes and Alaska Administrative Codes in all areas inside and outside the City of Seldovia.  I will retain this commission for as long as I hold office.
  • The Seldovia Police Department has two holding cells that are fully functional.  So if you get arrested at night I have a warm comfy place for you to put your head.  The blankets are wool so you may be itchy, but you will be warm.

Things to Consider – The Good Old Rumor Mill

While we all enjoy a good story, we know how the Seldovia rumor mill works. (This is one of the reasons that I wanted to start this blotter again.)  To help keep the “rumors” under control I will be posting cases and charges along with other things, however, I will not be using any names.   I ask that we, as a community, try not to add fuel to the fires.  It does no one any good.  So if you don’t know, you just don’t know.   All the details will come out in the end.

The state of Alaska has this wonderful new tool that can be used online to see court cases, charges that have been filed and the disposition of a case.  It can be found at the link below.  All you need to do, is check out the search page and search the person you are looking for by name.

http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/eservices/home.page.2 and click on the search button at the bottom and enter a name.  It is usually updated every 24 hours, so if someone was arrested today, it will be online by tomorrow evening.

Citations, Warnings and Arrests

Most times, if I notice a tail light or head light out,  it is a quick conversation and on your way with an acknowledgment that it will be fixed in the “near” future.  For most people this is all it takes, and I thank you.  If you see someone getting a ticket, it is not the first time that I have had a conversation with that person regarding that issue.

When I arrest someone, it is almost always dictated by State Law.  Do the crime, you’ll have to go see the judge.  Everyone makes mistakes. I’m not a lawyer, judge or jury.  I do not interject my personal opinions or feelings into my investigations or case files.  Just the facts.  Everyone has that “off day” and I understand that.  I get it, I truly do!  Please feel free to say hi the next time you see me on the street, I promise I will say hi back.

Additional Duties – On Duty – On Call

As Andy did before me, I respond to all emergency calls for the Seldovia Fire and EMS department.   I am usually the first responder on scene and assist medical personnel with medevacs, transportation and ensure scene safety.  I have previously been certified as an EMT-1 and I am re-certifying in the next few months with the Department.

I am usually on duty up to 8 hrs. a day/night and on call the other 16.  I split my time up during the day/night between patrolling, running radar, doing paperwork, investigating crimes, and doing more paperwork!  So, even if you don’t see me running around all the time, I am out there.  Most things go wrong at night, when it’s dark, and cold and wet.  Lucky me!

Crimes and Punishment

While I have made several arrests since I was sworn in I don’t want to go that far back so I will start with November and December 2013 and will continue  with monthly updates from there.

Sorry so lengthy, next time it will be just the facts.

Thank you,

Shad Haller, Chief
Seldovia Police Department