Walker, Meeks promoted to captain in Waynesboro PD
The Waynesboro Police Department announced on Monday the promotions of Sgt. Kelly Walker and Sgt. Rebecca Meeks to the rank of captain. Both of these promotions are effective as of July 11, 2011.
Capt. Walker has been with the Waynesboro Police Department for 26 years and will assume command of the Support Services Division. He has served as a patrol officer, patrol corporal, DARE officer, crime prevention corporal, patrol sergeant and support services sergeant. He has been a member of the department’s Negotiations Team since 1999 and currently serves as the team commander. Walker is also an Instructor for the Blue Ridge Crises Intervention Team.
Capt. Meeks has been with the Waynesboro Police Department for 21 years and will assume command of the Criminal Investigations Division. She has served as a patrol officer, DARE officer, crime prevention corporal, patrol sergeant, and investigations sergeant. Meeks has served on the Color Guard and she is a member of the Negotiations Team. Additional duties include being an instructor at both the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Center and the Blue Ridge Crisis Intervention Team.
Waynesboro PD honors officers for hard work
The Waynesboro Police Department held its Second Quarter Awards Ceremony on June 22, and Chief Michael Wilhelm awarded four Departmental Commendations to individual officers for exceptional performance as indicated below.
Officer Robert Dean and Officer Vincent Donald
These two officers were awarded Departmental Commendations for their exceptional work in planning, implementation and utilization of the department’s complex multi-unit license plate reader technology program. This program was recently recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police for Excellence in Technology and much of the credit for this honor is attributable to Officers Dean and Donald.
Animal Control Officer Darlene Price
Officer Price was awarded the Departmental Commendation for exceptional service during the course of a recent animal cruelty case in which she demonstrated a high degree of dedication and expertise. Her skill and knowledge were instrumental in bringing the case to a successful conclusion resulting in a conviction and significant jail sentence for the accused.
Officer Jesse Feazell
Officer Feazell was awarded the Departmental Commendation for exceptional performance while attending the 123rd Basic Law Enforcement Class at the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Academy. Upon graduation he was designated as a Distinguished Honor Graduate for attaining the highest overall average in all categories of training.
Waynesboro PD honored for technology efforts
Waynesboro Police Chief Michael Wilhelm accepted the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police-iXP Excellence in Technology Award at a ceremony held June 14 in San Diego.
The IACP award program recognizes law enforcement agencies’ superior achievement and innovation in the field of communication and information technology. This highly competitive international award program is designed to recognize exceptional, innovative, and extraordinary achievement in law enforcement technology-based programs, efforts, or initiatives that benefit law enforcement as a profession.
The Waynesboro Police Department was recognized for the effective deployment of a complex multi-unit license plate reader technology program that serves as an example for other law enforcement agencies to follow. The federal grant funded project was coordinated by Waynesboro’s Computer User’s Group. This group of sworn and civilian personnel insured that policy, privacy, and training issues were effectively addressed before deploying the cutting edge technology.
The National Institute of Justice (Office of Science and Technology) and SPAWAR’s Advanced Law Enforcement Technology Branch provided operational, research, and technical expertise that allowed Waynesboro Police Department to apply the findings of numerous LPR research projects from around the country within a single LPR program. The expertise developed among WPD’s officers and IT support staff has already been called on by other police and sheriff’s departments in the region, state, and nationwide.
Wilhelm was invited by IACP and the National Institute of Justice to present an overview of the award winning project at the IACP’s Law Enforcement Information Management (LEIM) Section Conference in San Diego. His travel-related expenses were reimbursed by the U.S. Justice Department. The IACP LEIM conference had over 600 law enforcement executives and technologists in attendance. Chief Wilhelm was able to take advantage of the no cost training opportunity to bring technology related ideas and resources back to the department.
City police joining Click It or Ticket patrols
Waynesboro Police will join local and national law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates all across Virginia and the country for the 2011 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization that begins Sunday, May 22.
During the mobilization, which runs through June 6, law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth will be cracking down on motorists who fail to obey all traffic laws – including seat belt and child safety seat use.
Virginia has seen a steady decline in traffic related fatalities in recent years, but even with the decline, preliminary data from 2010 indicates that there were a total of 740 fatalities, and of those, 314 were not restrained at the time of the crash. Two of the three fatalities occurring in the city of Waynesboro during 2010 were unrestrained and at least partially ejected during rollovers.
Pickup truck occupants have been proven to be less likely to buckle up than any other class of vehicle. In a 2010 Seat Belt Use Observational Survey conducted by Old Dominion University, the average seat belt use rate of pickup truck occupants was 71.4 percent as compared to the state use rate of 80.5 percent
“We need to continue to make the case that seat belts really do work,” said Waynesboro Police Sgt. Kelly Walker.”We will do that by hitting the roads and enforcing all traffic laws 24/7, no excuses, no warnings, and we will be paying particular attention to unrestrained drivers, passengers and children.
City names new police chief
Waynesboro Police Sgt. Michael Wilhelm was promoted to police chief, City Manager Mike Hamp announced on Monday.
Wilhelm has served in the Waynesboro Police Department since 1995. He was promoted to corporal in 2000 and to sergeant in 2004.
“I have confidence in Chief Wilhelm’s leadership abilities, critical thinking skills and expressed desire to maximize available departmental resources for the benefit of the community,” Hamp said. “Mike is eager to establish a unifying vision for the department, and establish a proactive approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and overall service delivery to the community. He is a goal-oriented individual and will apply that commitment in his leadership and management style.”
Wilhelm succeeds Doug Davis, who retired in March after serving as chief for seven years. The recruitment for the position drew nearly 80 applications from more than 21 states. Nine candidates were selected for interviews, and four individuals were identified as finalists for the position.
Waynesboro Police investigating armed robbery
The Waynesboro Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that occurred early Sunday morning, March 27,at the Shell Station located at 301 E. Broad St.
An unknown black male wearing a black toboggan pulled over his face entered the store and approached the 26-year-old female clerk demanding money. He was displaying a gray-colored semi-automatic handgun, and the victim complied with his demands handing him an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then left the store traveling in an unknown direction on foot.
The store surveillance system captured video of crime.
The case remains under investigation, and the department requests anyone who may be able to identify the suspect or who has information about the crime to contact police at 540.942.6543 or Crime Stoppers at 800.322.2017.
Waynesboro Police investigate smash-and-grabs
The Waynesboro Police Department is investigating a series of thefts from parked vehicles that have occurred over the last two weeks, including this past weekend.
The thefts have been reported in various parts of the city, but most have involved forced entry by breaking side window glass and grabbing a visible item such as a purse or wallet. All have occurred after dark.
The following are the reported dates and locations of the incidents as known.
1/11/2011: 600 block South Wayne – window broken purse and contents stolen
1/11/2011: 500 block South Wayne (Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church) – window broken, nothing taken.
1/16/2011: 1400 block Monroe – window broken purse stolen from passenger seat.
1/18/2011: 300 block South Wayne (First Baptist Church) – two vehicles, windows broken on both and purses removed from both.
1/22/2011: 700 block of Highland – window broken, went through old purse nothing taken.
1/22/2011: 800 block of Highland – window broken, went through purse, nothing taken
1/22/2011: 500 block of Sherwood – window broken, ransacked glove box, nothing taken.
1/22/2011: 1106 West Broad (Tailgate Grill) -window broken, purse stolen.
1/23/2011: 400 block South Wayne – window broken, nothing taken.
The department requests anyone with any Information about these crimes to contact the department at 540.942.6675 or Crime Stoppers at 800.322.2017.
The PD would like to remind citizens that the best way to prevent this type of crime is to remove any item such as purses, wallets and pocketbooks that are likely to be targeted from their vehicle prior to leaving it unattended.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
