Leave water balloons at home this Fourth of July

Hello ladies and gentlemen. In less then two months we will be celebrating the birthday of this great nation. First, as Americans we have much to be thankful for. Second, as Boulder City residents we are blessed, still maintaining the true essence of small town America.

Boulder City’s Fourth of July parade is a time to show our patriotism, and respect for our county’s birthday.

We all love BC’s parade as its one of the best. However, over the last couple of years a few over exuberant parade attendee s jeopardized the parade. A couple of people have been injured and a juvenile was run over by a parade driver who attempted to avoid being struck by water balloons. People are getting hurt.

The problem is, water balloons or objects filled with water are being thrown at vehicles, from vehicles, at parade participants and parade onlookers. The “soak zone” or “water zone” permits water squirt devices, and water squirt devices may be found along other areas of the parade route. These Super Soakers are OK, but the water balloons or water filled devices being thrown or tossed are against the law.

We truly try not to be the letter-of-the-law type of police officers, but we may no longer have the option. Under Nevada law regarding throwing a missile, anyone who “... throws any deadly missile in a public place or in any place where any person might be endangered thereby, although no injury results, is guilty of a misdemeanor.” Furthermore, a peace officer who “... neglects his or her duty in the arrest of any such offender is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.”

In addition, a Boulder City ordinance says: “No person shall throw or shoot any object, arrow, stone, snowball or other missile or projectile, by hand or by any other means at any other person or at, in, or into any building, street, sidewalk, alley, highway or other public place, or property of another within the city.”

So, please, we love our job, but don’t make us have to enforce the statue or ordinance above. Remember, no water balloons, throwing anything to or from cars, at people or drivers. We really don’t want to spoil the fun, but we will do our job, if we have to .

Let’s get rolling. “Control, 269, we’re 10-8, en-route to the first call.

On May 5, officers see a subject running from Albertsons. It may be an early morning jog, but this guy is fully dressed and is running with a duffle bag. Officers make contact with “Mr. Jogger.” It seems the nine bottles of booze in the bag slowed the subject down. Now they’ll have time to take a breather in Henderson City Jail.

May 6, officers responded to a local motel regarding a person with mental health concerns. The partner reports the bipolar subject has been acting loopy. The fire department comes and evaluates, but the subject refuses medical treatment. The subject is not a threat to anyone, so there’s not much we can do. Just hope the sheep counting works.

On May 7, officers respond to the area of Dream Catcher Drive regarding an occupied vehicle fire. As officers arrive with lights and siren, a vehicle pulls out of the way and strikes the median on Adams Boulevard. Officers continue to the fire, then they see the car that struck the median driving by with a flat tire. An officer stops that driver who was unaware of the flat. Well, you won’t believe it, but the driver is DUI. I guess that’s why they were unaware of the flat.

May 8, K-9 Charlie is good! Officers stop a speeder coming from Lake Mead. The five occupants are acting funny. Charlie’s keen sense of smell provides a positive response. Officers locate approximately 1 gram of methamphetamine, 5 grams of Ecstasy and drug paraphernalia. Two admitted the drug was theirs. Make room for two more at the jail’s dinner table.

On May 9, a report was called in for a suspicious male walking toward Lake Mead. Officers arrive and make contact with the male across from St. Jude’s. The subject explains he is homeless and used his disability check to fly from Oahu, Hawaii, to Las Vegas. We asked why? Better to be homeless in Hawaii than Nevada. The subject agreed and admitted he made a mistake. A courtesy transport to get closer to the airport was provided.

May 11, a local motel calls about a subject refusing to leave who owes money to the motel. The cowboy hat wearing, philanthropist, architect who lives in Irvine, Calif., advises he will not leave and wants to go to jail. No worries. Officers oblige his request and arrest the subject for defrauding an innkeeper.

Well the end is here. I had a blast, until next week! Don’t forget, leave the water balloons at home during the Fourth of July parade.

Officer Jeffrey Grasso is a 10-year veteran of the Boulder City Police Department. He previously served as a police officer in south Florida for four years.