Oak Ridge Today

ORPD: Junior Police Academy applications now available

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Junior Police Academy Logo

The Third Annual Junior Police Academy is being offered again by the Oak Ridge Police Department.

This year, the ORPD will offer two separate academies. The Junior Class is designed specifically for middle school students, and it’s scheduled from July 14-18. All Oak Ridge middle school students and rising fifth graders may attend. The Senior Class is designed for high school students, and it’s scheduled from July 21-25. All Oak Ridge High School students and rising ninth graders may attend.

Cadets will be given presentations by several Oak Ridge Police Department officers on topics that include K9 and SWAT operations, traffic stops, and much more. Cadets will also visit the prestigious Law Enforcement Innovation Center, Anderson County Detention Facility, and Oak Ridge Police Department, and they will be given a presentation by the Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention in reference to substance abuse through awareness, and education. [Read more…]

After police standoff, woman charged with going armed while intoxicated

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Patsy Lee Oliver

Patsy Lee Oliver

Note: This story was updated at 1:40 p.m.

The 62-year-old woman arrested after a four-hour police standoff on Jellico Lane on Monday morning has been charged with possession of a handgun while intoxicated.

Patsy Lee Oliver, of 123 Jellico Lane, had allegedly approached a neighbor carrying a “small frame small caliber handgun” on Monday morning, according to an affidavit filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. The victim and a witness who lives at the same address as the victim said Oliver appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicant.

Jellico Lane Standoff Police

The Oak Ridge Police Department responds to a Monday morning standoff on Jellico Lane that started after a report of a disturbance involving a gun.

The victim had a cell phone video of Oliver standing at the end of Jellico Lane concealing something behind her back that appeared to be a small black handgun, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer John Thomas said in the affidavit.

“Also in the video, defendant’s actions are as that of an intoxicated person,” Thomas said.

ORPD officers responded to the reported disturbance at about 6:48 a.m. Monday. They eventually made contact with Oliver on her porch and “observed that her speech was slurred and slow,” Thomas said in the affidavit. “Her demeanor was at times erratic, and she was slow and shuffling in her movements.” [Read more…]

Police standoff that starts with report of gun, disturbance ends peacefully

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Jellico Lane Standoff Police

The Oak Ridge Police Department responds to a Monday morning standoff on Jellico Lane that started with a report of a disturbance and a gun.

 

Woman taken into custody after four hours

Note: This story was updated at 4:07 p.m.

A four-hour standoff between the Oak Ridge Police Department and a Jellico Lane resident that started with a report of a disturbance and a gun ended peacefully Monday morning.

The standoff started at about 6:48 a.m. at 123 Jellico Lane, the ORPD said. Initial reports said a firearm was displayed during the neighborhood dispute, according to ORPD Chief Jim Akagi and Lt. John Kelly. Many officers responded, including several from the department’s Crisis Intervention Team, and tactical personnel were called in to help secure the scene, Kelly said.

A CIT officer trained in crisis negotiation was able to talk to the resident, Patsy Oliver, 62, and she was taken into custody at about 10:41 a.m. Oliver was taken to Methodist Medical Center for treatment of an unrelated laceration on her hand and further evaluation, the ORPD said in a Monday afternoon press release.

“Charges against Ms. Oliver are forthcoming,” the press release said. “No further details will be released at this time.” [Read more…]

Student lights desk on fire; RMS bomb threat appears unfounded, ORPD says

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James T. Akagi

James T. Akagi

Note: This story was last updated at 3:58 p.m.

A 16-year-old student at the Alternative School used hand sanitizer and a lighter to ignite another student’s desktop on Wednesday, authorities said.

Students extinguished the fire, and the suspect was arrested at the Alternative School on Thursday. He was processed at the Oak Ridge Police Department on aggravated arson charges and taken to the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Facility in Knoxville, a press release said.

In a separate incident, authorities determined that a report of an alleged bomb threat at Robertsville Middle School on Monday was unfounded, and no criminal charges are expected.

The ORPD said the desk was set on fire just before dismissal at the Alternative School on Wednesday. The Alternative School is next to the Oak Ridge High School and on the same campus. Staff at the Alternative School notified School Resource Office Sherrill Selby about the incident via e-mail. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge man charged with Friday night robbery at Subway

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Matthew Parker

Matthew Parker

An Oak Ridge man has been charged with the Friday night robbery of a Subway restaurant.

Matthew Parker, 25, was initially arrested Monday afternoon for driving on a suspended license, and he was taken to the Oak Ridge Police Department for questioning. After being interviewed by ORPD Detective John Criswell, Parker was charged with the robbery of the Subway, a press release said.

The robbery at the Subway at 1968  Oak Ridge Turnpike on the west end of town occurred at about 8:14 p.m. Friday. A man entered the Subway and gave the clerk a note demanding money, the ORPD said. The clerk gave the man close to $300, and he left in a silver Mazda sedan with a temporary tag, the ORPD said. The vehicle was then involved in a minor collision at the intersection of Louisiana Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike, the press release said. The drivers of both vehicles got out, checked the damage, spoke briefly, and then left. The suspect vehicle was then seen traveling east on the Turnpike. [Read more…]

ORPD officer resigns to focus on campaign for sheriff

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Randy Myers

Randy Myers

Note: This story was updated at 3:48 p.m. April 11.

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Randy Myers is resigning so he can focus on campaigning full-time for sheriff.

His last day on the job will officially be Tuesday, April 15.

“We’re campaigning full-steam,” Myers said Thursday. “We’re fully committed.”

Myers, 48, started with the ORPD in 2007. He is a Republican candidate for Anderson County sheriff in the May 6 primary election, where he has one opponent, Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper Anthony Lay. The primary winner will face the incumbent, Sheriff Paul White, a Democrat, in the Aug. 7 county general election.

[Read more…]

Guest column: School safety update

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Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Oak Ridge Schools and the Oak Ridge Police Department (ORPD) last August, a number of significant safety improvements have occurred within our schools including physical security upgrades, leadership adjustments, and increased police presence.

As you may know, this time last year, we had only one School Resource Officer (SRO) covering our entire school district. Now we have two full time SROs, two Support Services Unit (SSU) officers manning satellite offices, and the Adopt-a-Cop program, which provides officer time in all of our schools via daily check-ins. A third satellite office is in the works as ORPD Chief Jim Akagi and Superintendent Bruce Borchers are presently working on stationing an SSU officer at Robertsville Middle School.

Chief Akagi recently invited me to join our SROs on a walk-along at the high school to personally observe the impact of these changes. He also encouraged me to tag along with our S.W.A.T. team during a threat assessment exercise. I took him up on both offers and, as a result, am sharing what I learned. [Read more…]

More than 400 lose power after car crashes into utility pole on Lafayette

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Lafayette Drive Utility Pole Crash

A car crashed into a utility pole on Lafayette Drive early Monday afternoon, knocking out power to 441 customers.

More than 400 customers lost power early Monday afternoon after a car crashed into a utility pole on Lafayette Drive, officials said.

The driver was reportedly taken to a medical center to be examined but appeared to have escaped major injuries, officials said.

The crash, which snapped a utility pole at an intersection with Midway Lane, was reported to the Oak Ridge Electric Department at about 1:20 p.m.

The Electric Department reported that 441 customers lost power. Most were in the Woodland neighborhood along the so-called “P” streets and Quincy Avenue. [Read more…]

Animal Shelter closure extended as workers battle deadly canine virus

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will remain closed two more days as workers battle an outbreak of deadly canine distemper.

On Wednesday, the Oak Ridge Police Department announced that two cases of canine distemper had been confirmed by an Oak Ridge veterinarian’s office and said a dog adopted in January may have contracted the often-fatal virus—although it wasn’t clear when or where.

The shelter was temporarily closed this past Thursday, and it was expected to re-open on Tuesday. But on Monday, Oak Ridge Police Department Lt. Robin Smith said it will now re-open this coming Thursday, giving the shelter staff more time to clean and disinfect. He said the staff is taking precautions to make sure they have totally eradicated the disease.

Smith said 30 dogs at the shelter had to be euthanized because of the virus. The staff had to assume that all the dogs at the shelter had been exposed, Smith said. He said some shelter dogs that showed symptoms were tested, and some results came back positive. [Read more…]

Neighborhood Watch open house to include tour of renovated ORPD

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Neighborhood Watch Award Carol Barnette

Carol Barnette, Neighborhood Watch District Leader, accepts an award from ORNWP President Brad Stephenson, left, for the Scarboro community’s outstanding community service in supporting neighborhood crime prevention programs. With them are, from left, Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi, Deputy Chief of Police Alan Massengill, and Community Resource Officer Brandan Sharp, at the Neighborhood Watch annual banquet for block captains.

The Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program invites the community to come learn more about the crime prevention program at a Neighborhood Watch Open House from 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at the Municipal Courtroom in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building.

Neighborhood Watch encourages residents to watch for and report suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, in partnership with the local police department. The program also encourages neighbors to get to know each other better. By working together to prevent crime, Neighborhood Watch participants contribute to improved safety and quality of life in their communities.

The open house will feature a presentation by David Gordon, crime analyst with the Oak Ridge Police Department, and tours of the newly renovated Oak Ridge Police Department.

Gordon will explain how residents can track crime in their neighborhood through RAIDS Online, www.raidsonline.com, a Web-based crime mapping program. RAIDS Online offers information about local crime activity and trends. It empowers the public, according to Gordon, by giving them the same technology used by law enforcement to analyze and interpret crime patterns in their area. Anyone may subscribe to customized e-mail alerts about crime in their neighborhood. [Read more…]

Charges pending against juvenile who attacked several officers, police say

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Oak Ridge High School

Oak Ridge High School is pictured above.

Charges are pending against a 17-year-old male student who allegedly created a violent disturbance in an Oak Ridge High School classroom on Thursday morning, fled the campus, and then attacked several officers trying to make contact with him in a parking lot across the street, authorities said.

The high school staff reported the classroom disturbance to Oak Ridge Police Department school resource officers at about 8:01 a.m. Thursday, a press release said. The student was located in a parking lot across the street from the high school. [Read more…]

Animal Shelter closed until Tuesday to prevent spread of canine distemper

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will be closed until Tuesday, March 11, as a precaution to prevent the spread of canine distemper, authorities said.

Several dogs in the shelter are being tested after exhibiting symptoms of the disease, the Oak Ridge Police Department said in a press release. No cats have shown signs of distemper and are not susceptible to canine distemper.  The virus can be passed from dog to dog through sneezing, coughing, and sharing food and water bowls.  Wild animals can also spread the disease.  Pet owners are encouraged to ensure their animals have been vaccinated.

Although all animals recently admitted to the shelter have been vaccinated, this will not benefit those infected prior to arrival, the release said. Pet owners recently adopting dogs from the shelter should contact the shelter if signs of canine distemper appear.  Symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, discharge from the eyes and nose, depression, and loss of appetite. [Read more…]