Plentiful activities keep officers busy

Holy cow! Did you see that? Where are the cops?

Contrary to popular belief, we’re not eating doughnuts. In a town that stretches more than 200 square miles, it’s tough to be everywhere. By no means is this an excuse; it’s simply a fact.

Officers sometimes handle mundane calls and other times we handle perilous situations. No two calls are the same and no traffic stop is “routine.” These abundant contacts never lose their curious appeal.

When we pull someone over, it’s not because we’re bored or have nothing better to do. Ninety-nine times out of 100 the violator’s conscious choice to commit an unlawful infraction must be addressed. It may not seem like a big deal, but when a driver’s velocity is 65 mph on U.S. Highway 93 to and from Lake Mead with a Nevada Department of Transportation posted maximum speed limit sign of 45 mph, let’s just say that catches our attention. We really try not to sweat a couple of miles per hour.

In the course of a day we see voluminous transgressions. However, we also have the responsibility to keep our neighborhoods safe. We can’t always be writing tickets or offering warnings. Between family disturbances, drug dealing and thievery, we stay busy. Boulder City is not immune from people’s poor decision making.

I’ll let you in on a little secret; there’s a reason Boulder City is one of the safest communities in Clark County: the residents and Boulder City Police Department. Interestingly, I had an attorney tell me the reason for living in Boulder City. I was told, “You guys take care of the issues that bigger police agencies don’t have the time for.” Thanks for the support Boulder City!

“Control, 269, I’ll be 10-8.”

May 11. A known alcoholic/drug user calls to report a bicycle had been stolen from that person’s weekly abode. The victim reports the bicycle had been given to him by a now-deceased subject. As the officer begins to take the report, another caller near Elm Street says a bicycle was found that matches the description of the stolen bicycle. Maybe our victim just forgot where the bicycle was parked.

May 12. An officer spots a car going through the light at Buchanan Boulevard. First clue: no turn signal. Second clue: expired registration. The officer makes contact with the driver who appears to have fallen into a briar patch of poison ivy, from the way the driver was scratching. Call that clue number three. After the K-9 sniff and methamphetamine being taken from the door panel, the driver heads off to jail. They may have calamine lotion at jail; I’m not sure it’ll help.

May 13. A caller reports a man is walking in the downtown area. The long-bearded subject is eating unfinished pizza from plates on tables that haven’t been cleared off yet. The caller reports the notable character is now staring at his young daughter. We arrive and discover it’s not ol’ St. Nick. A check of the subject provides an expedited trip to Henderson Detention Center for the outstanding warrants.

May 14. Within the same moment in time we had an episode of bumper fist and bumper cars. First, a caller reports a group of people fighting behind Southwest Diner. We arrive and trespass a few people. As that was going on, a drunk driver decides to crash into a parked car off Wyoming Street. The suspected drunk is taken into custody. I wonder which incident’s alcohol content was higher.

May 15. Officers get dispatched to Ash Street regarding a burglary. We make contact with the victim who advises her home was ransacked and the thief stole her keys and cellphone, and locked her out of the house. The officer locates the keys in her purse and escorts her into the home. The cellphone could not be found and the home wasn’t ransacked; it’s normally this way. A check of the subject reveals she has Metropolitan Police Department warrants for parking violations. We transport her down to Clark County Detention Center.

May 16. The narcotics unit is working and asks patrol to stop a subject on a bicycle. Officers catch up to the subject and discover Mr. Boulder City Visitor has a narcotics warrant. Metropolitan Police Department advises us to release the subject. A couple of hours later we’re back out with the subject. This time we just take him straight to jail, and he doesn’t get to collect the Monopoly money.

May 17. A mother who’s house-sitting comes by to check her daughter’s home. When she unlocks the door and walks in, she find an unknown male inside the house wearing boxer shorts. The subject assaults her and she runs from the house. The subject barricades himself in the house. We arrive, making entry through the front window. We find Mr. Squatter in the garage doing laundry. What? The belligerent subject refuses our verbal commands and attempts to punch an officer. The subject didn’t know he tried to hit an officer who’s a defensive tactics instructor. We take the subject to the ground, handcuff, and book him into the big house, with his boxer shorts.

Thanks for coming out and riding along. We all made it home safe! Home, what a beautiful word. Glad we get to serve you guys and gals, enjoy the glorious week ahead.

One more thing, keep it real Boulder City.

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.