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Police Crime
Alert Community Services Section CHARLES T. CRAFTChief of
Police 500
West Big troypdcrimealert@ci.troy.mi.us |
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Crime
Alert for period ending May 11, 2007 Altercations/Disorderly Conduct: Assaults: Rainbow Store, 412 W. 14 Mile, 5/4, 1629 hrs. Store employee explained two females and a male approached with some
merchandise that they wanted to return without receipts. When she explained store policy that
without a receipt they would have to provide identification, the females
became upset and words were exchanged.
One of the females eventually threw a piece of ID at her. She refused to process the
transaction due to their behavior.
At that point the two females walked around her counter and began
assaulting her. She eventually
fell to the floor, where the male reportedly held her down and the females
continued assaulting her.
Complainant stated she has seen the subjects in the store before and
they are suspected of committing retail frauds. No medical treatment was necessary. Suspects: B/M, in his 20’s, wearing a blue hat, plaid shirt and
denim pants; B/F approximately 14, braided/curly hair; B/F, in her 20’s, braided/curly
hair. Red Roof Inn, 2350 Rochester Court, 5/6, 0105 hrs. A 47-year-old male apparently from Ohio reported a 45-year-old male,
possibly from Georgia, broke into the room and struck him in the head with a
baseball bat, apparently in retaliation for victim seeing suspect’s wife
while he was in prison. Victim was transported to the hospital for
evaluation. Suspect was not
located. Assist Other Department/Law Enforcement: Auto/Vehicle Thefts: Somerset, 5/7, 1220-1430 hrs. ’99 Dodge Caravan stolen from apartment complex lot. Charter, 5/6-5/7, 2330-1200 hrs. ’96 Plymouth Breeze stolen from apartment complex lot. Breaking and
Entries: Crash Investigations: Long Lake and Carlson
Park, 5/3, 1750 hrs. Officers were dispatched
on a report of a pedestrian accident.
Upon arrival officers located a vacuum truck and a 21-year-old female
from Troy lying in the roadway in front of it. She told officers she deliberately walked into the roadway
in front of the vehicle in an attempt to commit suicide. She was transported to the hospital
for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, as well as psychological
evaluation. An employee from a
nearby group home was located just east of the incident that was in the
process of looking for her. She
advised she had transported the female and two other members of the group
home to a nearby restaurant to pick-up food, when the female became upset and
walked away from the group. She
was briefed on the situation. Thunderbird Lanes Lot,
400 W. Maple, 5/4, 2320 hrs. Complainant reported a
16-18-year-old male had been acting disorderly inside the business. Complainant stated when she tried to
approach him in the lot to discuss his behavior he entered into a ‘04 Dodge
Stratus and put it in reverse nearly striking two co-workers who had
accompanied her outside. The
Stratus suddenly pulled forward, nearly striking the complainant. As it did, the vehicle crashed into a
parked Jeep Liberty and then fled the area. The vehicle registers to a male from Beverly Hills. Credit, Check, Identity Theft, and other Fraud: Complainant reported
her credit card was stolen in Southfield and then shortly thereafter someone
unsuccessfully tried to use it to make a fraudulent purchase at a store in
Troy. Complainant stated her
credit card statement did not come in the mail as expected in April. She has recently discovered several
attempts to open fraudulent accounts using her information. Clawson investigators
reported discovering a suspect in one of their fraud cases also is suspected
of passing three stolen/forged checks in Troy. Complainant reported
she was contacted by a credit company’s fraud department regarding a suspect
using her information in an unsuccessful on-line attempt to obtain a loan for
$7500.00. Complainant was
contacted by a different credit company reporting two additional/failed
attempts to obtain loans using her information. Complainant reported
someone used his personal information to rent an apartment in new York and to
file income tax returns in his name, now IRS is reportedly seeking repayment
of overpaid tax refunds from complainant as a result. Complainant reported
being contacted by a mortgage company trying to verify employment from an
individual applying for a loan claiming to be employed by complainant’s
company. The applicant
apparently provided two W-2’s as proof of employment. Complainant had no such employee. Complainant reported
receiving three checks for purchases at his business. Upon closer inspection, they appeared
homemade. Some time later a
different subject presented the merchandise that had been purchased with the
questionable checks for a cash refund.
The transaction was refused.
One of the checks has since come back from the bank as an invalid
account. Businesses
representative from Troy with headquarters out of Canada, reported receiving
several calls from all over the U.S. as a result of someone using the
company’s name and address on a mailing that informed receivers they had “won
$47,000.00 in unclaimed prize money.”
The announcements also contained a check with the business name for
$2994.40 that was supposed to cover
processing fees. The receiver is
instructed to call a phone number for “further direction on
processing.” The phone number
provided is out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The account number on the checks belongs to the Troy
business and is against one of their banks, which is out of Montreal. So far no funds have come up missing
from their account. Complainant received a
call from his credit card company trying to confirm if he requested a credit
card merchant machine to be billed against his account. He confirmed he hadn’t. The order was scheduled to go to a
dry cleaner in Detroit. Complainant reported he
bid for and won auto parts on an Internet website totaling $361.50. Complainant sent a check to a P.O.
Box in Illinois, which was cashed, however complainant never received the
merchandise. He has been unable
to contact the seller since. The
Internet site advised complainant the seller’s site was closed and they have
no way of knowing who the seller is or how to locate him. Complainant reported
someone has been making fraudulent withdrawals from her bank account for
almost $900.00 in total. Jaguar Dealership, 1815
Maplelawn, 5/9, 1145 hrs. Complainant reported
receiving a phoned-in parts order from a male claiming to be from a collision
shop in Warren. Later, two male
subjects entered requesting the part.
One provided a personal check signed by a female for $284.75 as
payment. Complainant ran it
through their check screening system and the check was declined. Another check was provided, which was
also declined by their system.
The subject then asked if he could check to see if the part fit his
car and left with it and the second check. Shortly thereafter the second subject also left. Complainant exited the store to
observe the suspects leaving in a red, older model hatchback, with no
plate. A check with the bank on
the first check revealed there was no such account. The phone number the subject originally called on claiming
to be that of a collision shop came back to a female in Detroit. Officers could not locate a collision
shop under the name provided by the subject when he originally called. Suspect: B/M, 35-40 years, medium build, ball cap, dark colored
shirt. Domestics/Family Troubles: Officers responded to
one report of a domestic assault wherein the suspect had fled the scene prior
to officers’ arrival.
Investigation continues. BP Gas Station, Big
Beaver and Crooks, 5/7, 2100 hrs. A 34-year-old female
complainant from Detroit called and reported her 42-year-old boyfriend from
Detroit took her ’95 GMC van without her permission. She suspected he sold or traded it
for crack cocaine. When she
called his cell, she was advised this by an unknown male who answered. When she asked the subject about her
van, he replied that her “boyfriend owed him $450.00 and if she paid him, she
could get her van back, as well as her boyfriend’s cell phone.” When she told him she was going to
make a police report, he indicated he’d burn the van if he didn’t get the
$450.00. She arranged for the
exchange. When officers arrived
they located her van unoccupied in the gas station lot. She got a call on her
cell from the suspect who wanted to know why she called the police. Officers located him watching from
across the street. He tried to
flee on foot, but was caught. He
advised officers the complainant’s boyfriend owed him $450.00 for “the stuff
he smoked of mine.” He was found
in possession of a marijuana cigarette.
He had several arrest warrants from other jurisdictions, as well as
was found to be a parole absconder.
He was arrested on those issues.
The complainant’s van was returned to her. Her boyfriend’s cell phone was also recovered. A 55-year-old male from Pontiac was
located in the vicinity who advised the suspect offered him $20.00 to follow
him and apparently drive him home after the van was returned and the debt
collected. He was released on
the scene. Troy Officers responded
to eight incidents involving family troubles/domestic disputes where
investigation revealed no assaults or other crimes occurred, therefore no
formal enforcement action taken/required. Drugs/Narcotics: Industrial Subdivision
near Naughton and Acacia, 5/9, 2254 hrs. Officer observed a
silver ’99 Ford F150 pickup behind a building with its headlights out. Two males from the vehicle were
observed out on foot near a dumpster.
The gate to the dumpster area was posted no trespassing. There were eight aluminum doors in
the back of the truck. The two
subjects claimed they had permission from the business owner to pick up scrap
metal, however were unable to provide the name of the person who had
reportedly given them permission to do so. An open beer was observed on the front passenger side
floor area. A pill bottle
containing a rock of crack cocaine and a crack pipe were recovered from the
front passenger side door pocket.
The passenger, a 56-year-old male from Detroit claimed, “he uses crack
and had drunk some of the beer.”
He was arrested. It was
later discovered that he had overstayed his VISA after arriving from Cuba in
1980 and was in the U.S. illegally.
A baggie of marijuana was found in the pants pocket of the 46-year-old
driver from Detroit, for which he was arrested. A business representative could not be contacted at the
time to check on the status of the aluminum doors in the truck. Drunk/Intoxicated Driving Incidents of Interest: S/B I-75 S/O Long Lake,
5/6, 2309 hrs. Officer stopped a
vehicle for speeding. As the car
was slowing, what appeared to be two lit marijuana “blunt” cigarettes were
thrown from the vehicle’s window and sunroof. One struck the patrol car’s windshield. Upon approaching the vehicle,
officers could smell the odor of burning marijuana. The 20-year-old male driver from Warren failed sobriety
tests and was arrested for “Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana.” Marijuana and an open bottle of
whiskey were confiscated from the vehicle for which he was also charged. His 19-year-old passenger from Warren
was released at the scene. Lamb Street, 5/4, 2309
hrs. Officers were
dispatched to Lamb Street on a report of a suspicious white van. Upon arrival, it was gone, however
the caller reported last seeing it enter the shopping plaza lot on the N/E
corner of Rochester and Wattles.
Officers located it parked behind a business in that plaza. It was not occupied, however officers
could see two unopened beers in the cup holders inside. When it pulled out, officers stopped
it. Three cans of beer
were observed inside the car.
The 16-year-old male driver from Troy indicated he left the rest by a
dumpster in the parking lot.
Officers responded and recovered six cans of beer there. All the beer was cold. Unknown where it was obtained. The 16-year-old male passenger blew
0.00 on a PBT and he was transported to the station where he was turned over
to his parents with no prosecution.
The driver was arrested for “Minor in Possession of Alcohol.” He was transported to the station
where juvenile petitions were initiated against him and he was turned over to
his mother. Embezzlements: Home Invasions: Apartment, 1000 block
of Kirts, 3/26-5/7 Complainant stated someone has been entering his
apartment and stealing loose change, small quantities of currency and some
personal checks. There was no
sign of forced entry and the locks have been changed at least once since the
first incident. Larcenies: Nordstrom, 2850 W. Big Beaver,
5/3, 1915 hrs. Complainant stated she
bought a bracelet for $37.10 and placed the bag on the floor while trying on
shoes. When she returned it was
gone. Complainant stated she
brought her car to a local business for detailing. She picked it up, drove it home and then later drove out
of town where she noticed $400.00 worth of computer software missing from the
trunk. Business representatives
advised no employee had entered the trunk, per company policy, however
complainant stated she found two cleaned floor mats inside the trunk and
believes someone from the business was inside the trunk. Titan Insurance, 901
Wilshire, 5/3-5/4, 2100-0645 hrs. Laptop stolen from an
office. Complainant believes the
office was left locked. No signs
of forced entry discovered. Field of Dreams, 1090
Rochester, 5/4, 0702 hrs. A 24’ aluminum ladder
was stolen from rear of building.
A blue Ford F-150 pickup was observed driving away with it. Wal-Mart Lot, 2001 W.
Maple, 5/4, 1630 hrs. Complainant left her
purse in her shopping cart. When
she returned it was gone. She
was later contacted by someone who had found it discarded in the lot and
returned it to her. $25.00
in cash was missing. Troy Union Elementary
School, 4/26-4/30 Complainant reported
someone stole $120.00 from her purse, which was stored in a file cabinet on
4/26. On 4/30, her credit cards
and a check from her checkbook were stolen from her desk. Office, 500 W. Long
Lake, 1500 hrs. Complainant stated she
filled a prescription for Vicodin, placed it in her purse, and returned to
work. She stated she briefly
left her purse on her desk in her office and when she returned discovered the
purse unzipped and the bag containing her Rx missing. Chili’s, 402 W. 14
Mile, 5/7, 1945 hrs. Complainant reported a
male and female entered the restaurant and ordered drinks. Identification was obtained and the
male, who was 18, was denied alcohol.
The 23-year-old female ordered drinks and was later observed giving
one of them to the male. When
complainant approached and removed the drinks, both got up and left without
paying the $26.47 tab. Hooters, 2950
Rochester, 5/9, 1100-1730 hrs. Wallet stolen from a
purse in women’s locker/dressing room. Larcenies from Autos: Flynn Park, 5/5,
0930-1200 hrs. ’01 Chrysler van
entered apparently by forcing driver’s side door handle and a purse stolen
from inside. Emerald Lake Drive, 5/5 Passenger side door
locks on a ’00 Dodge Caravan punched, however no entry gained. Highmount, 5/6-5/7,
2200-0630 hrs. Cell phone and hand
held GPS stolen from unlocked ’06 Jeep. Kinder-Care, 5480
Rochester, 5/9, 1640-1650 hrs. ’07 Ford Escape had
front passenger side window smashed out and purse stolen. Malicious Destruction of Property: Pond Ridge, 4/25-4/26,
2000-0500 hrs. ’06 Pontiac G6 parked
in apartment lot keyed all over. Pond Ridge, 5/2-5/3,
1500-1100 hrs. ’04 Ford Expedition
parked in apartment lot had rear hatch keyed. Crooks and Square Lake,
1745 hrs. Complainant stated that
while driving on N/B Crooks just S/O Square Lake, she was in the right lane
in the construction zone attempting to merge into the left lane. When she began her merge, she stated
the driver of a ’98 Chrysler Town and Country van already in the left lane
sped up to block her merge and then swerved his vehicle to the right,
sideswiping her ’07 Chrysler van.
When she pulled up to advise him he had struck her vehicle and asked
him to pull over, he denied hitting her and drove off. The plate registers to a business in
Royal Oak. The complainant’s van
has a two foot long black scratch under the rear driver side window. Investigation continues. Highmount, 5/6-5/7,
2200-0630 hrs. Cell phone and hand
held GPS stolen from unlocked ’06 Jeep. Minors and Alcohol: Riverchase, 5/5, 0013
hrs. Complainant called from
an address where her son was supposed to be reporting the occupants wouldn’t
let her in. Upon officers’
arrival, she came to the door and stated her 15-year-old son from Troy was
extremely intoxicated. Officers spoke to another 15-year-old who stated: “his parents were out of town.” He had some friends over and he, as
well as three others admitted, “drinking alcohol.” PBT’s (Preliminary Breath Test) were given to the five
subjects. The complainant’s son
blew 0.12, the resident blew 0.11, and another 15-year-old male from Macomb
Township blew 0.06. The other
two males, 14 and 15-years-old respectively, blew 0.00. The three 15-year-olds were
transported to the station, juvenile petitions for MIP (Minor in Possession)
were initiated against them and they were turned over to their parents. The two who had not been
drinking had their parents called to retrieve them. Isabell, 5/6, 2355 hrs. Officers responded to a
report of a disturbance. Upon
arrival they spoke with a 39-year-old male who identified himself as a
relative living at the address in question. He stated he drank a case of beer at the residence over a
six-hour period. He had slurred
speech and an odor of intoxicants emanating from his person. He claimed his
19-year-old niece and some “under-aged” friends of hers had been drinking
alcohol in the garage for the past three hours. He denied supplying the alcohol, but admitted joining them
in a drinking game called “beer pong.”
He was cited for “Furnishing Alcohol to a Person Under 21” and
released at the scene. The
19-year-old female resident blew 0.15 on a PBT and was cited for MIP and
released at the scene. Her
mother told officers she allowed her daughter to drink alcohol today and has
done so previously. She stated
she hides the car keys when she allows her daughter to consume alcohol. She was cited and released for
“Furnishing Alcohol to a Person Under 21.” Neighbor Troubles: Peace Officer/Civil: Business representative
reported he allowed a terminated employee to use a ’08 Chevy Astro van
belonging to the company to remove his personal property. The van has not been returned. Church representative
reported they terminated the 48-year-old male minister from Troy and he
failed to return a computer, software, an iPod and voice recorder that belong
to the church. He reportedly has
not responded to contact attempts by church representatives to return the
property. The ex-minister filed a statement at the PD detailing a dispute
over his final paycheck, as well as indicating an agreement with the church
that if he left he could continue the lease payments on the computer himself
and purchase the other equipment in question. He claims he has been trying to resolve the matter with
negative results. Incident
appears civil. Phone Calls/Harassment/Threats: One threatening telephone call report taken. Two threats reports taken. Retail Fraud: Hollister Store, 2800
W. Big beaver, 5/4 Store representative
reported discovering 30 sweaters worth $1485.00 stolen from the display. Gucci, 2800 W. Big
beaver, 5/6, 1430-1500 hrs. Complainant reported
7-8 purses were missing/stolen from the display. Total approximately $6000.00. Express, 412 W. 14
Mile, 5/7, 1905 hrs. Manager reported two males
and a female entered the store, with one of the males carrying an empty
shopping bag. Shortly
thereafter, one of the males exited and the alarms sounded. The female represented to the
complainant that she set the alarms off by accident by getting too close with
a shirt she was holding. When
complainant checked a nearby display table, she discovered 18 pair of
Producer Pants missing - total value $1080.00. She was unable to re-locate the suspects. Suspects: Hispanic male, approximately
40-years-old, 5’-5,” 140, black hair, blue jeans, green or blue polo
shirt. Hispanic female,
approximately 50-years-old, 5’-1,” 175, black hair in a ponytail, wearing a
white shirt with a blue pattern.
Hispanic male, 5’-9,” 175. Robberies: Suspicious Incidents: Westmoreland, 5/6, 1846
hrs. Complainant reported
while digging in his yard in the course of a landscaping project, he
unearthed a bag that contained an old rusty handgun wrapped in an old
cloth. There was what appeared
to be a pair of dish type gloves in the bag. Wass Elementary School,
2340 Willard, 5/9, 1546 hrs. Officers responded to a
report of a disorderly parent. A
school representative advised officers that the 34-year-old female from Troy
drove in a reckless manner in the lot, with elementary school children out on
foot in the area. She reportedly
disobeyed verbal requests and orange cones and drove into an area designated
for busses only. She then went
into the office and yelled at and threatened employees. When officers went to her residence
to discuss the matter, she became irate and began yelling, causing neighbors
to come outside. She was warned
about disorderly conduct and advised not to return to school property Traffic Altercations: Square Lake and
Rochester, 5/9, 0826 hrs. Complainant, a
32-year-old female from Shelby Twp., stated she was traveling slowly in the
thru lane in heavy traffic on W/B Square Lake E/O Rochester. She stated she stopped for a squirrel
to cross the road, at which point the driver of a gray ’95 Chevy Suburban passed
her and three other cars on the right.
Square Lake has one thru lane at that location. She was the last car
in the line of four he passed.
As he did, she stated he nearly struck the squirrel, so she sounded
her horn. She ended up stopped
behind him in the center left turn lane at Rochester Road. At that point, the 30-year-old male
from Detroit who was driving the Suburban exited, approached complainant’s
vehicle and began screaming and swearing at her. She stated at one point he attempted to get into her
car. He apparently returned to
his car and both vehicles eventually completed left turns. She entered the
left thru lane and he came up along side her in the right lane, still
swearing at her and driving in such a manner that it appeared to complainant
that he was trying to force her into on-coming N/B traffic. She called 911 via her cell phone and
a responding officer located the suspect vehicle in the lot of Wendy’s at
Rochester and Wattles.
The driver admitted swearing at complainant, but initially denied
exiting his car. He eventually
admitted exiting his car, but denied trying to enter complainant’s car. His license was suspended for which
he was arrested. Vandalism: Weapons Offenses: Welfare Checks: Kohl’s, 1265 Coolidge,
5/4, 1700-2100 hrs. LPO (Loss Prevention
Officer) observed two10-year-old males from Detroit selling candy bars
outside the store. Seeing no
adult with them, the LPO escorted them inside. One of the youths stated they were dropped off by an
18-year-old cousin to sell the candy for their baseball team. The youth
contacted his sister who told him the subject in question was coming to pick
them up. Shortly thereafter, he
arrived in the company of several other friends/relatives. He stated they brought the boys to the
plaza to sell candy bars for their team. He indicated the group went to Farmer Jack’s, which is in
the same plaza, and were coming back to get the boys. He claimed an adult had been with
them, but then said they had been looking for the boys for about a half
hour. Neither of the boy’s
mothers could be contacted, but an aunt of one of the boys was and she was
briefed on the situation. She
stated the one mom was at work, but she had no work number for her. A message was left on the other
youth’s moms phone. Both youths
stated their respective moms knew where they were and what they were
doing. They were driven home by
the 18-year-old. Troy Officers responded
to an incident involving a 44-year-old male who was intoxicated and required
transport to the hospital for detox. Troy Officers responded
to two incidents involving individuals experiencing
emotional/psychological difficulties and assisted with transport to the
hospital for evaluation/commitment. Special Events Information: May 11,
2007 Troy
Police Department Memorial Day and Awards Ceremonies The
City of Troy Police Department will host its annual Police Memorial Day and
Awards Ceremonies on Thursday, May 17, 2007. The Memorial Day Ceremony will
take place in front of City Hall at 10:00 a.m. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be
conducted inside the City Council Chambers. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the San Marino
Club at 11:00 a.m. The San
Marino Club is located on the north side of Big Beaver, just east of Rochester
Road in Troy. The
Troy Police Department cordially invites all members of the media and
community to gather with us for a day of remembrance and tribute. Through our
Memorial Ceremony, we come together annually to not only honor those from
this department who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this community, but
also our brothers and sisters who have fallen in the line of duty throughout
the law enforcement family. The Awards Ceremony provides an opportunity to
pay tribute not only to acts of courage, but also acts of compassion,
dedication, and service by both citizens and department personnel that took
place over the preceding year. Troy
Police Officer Charles C. Smetana died on December 11, 1969. While responding to an injury
accident, he himself became involved in a crash. Officer Smetana was only 33 when he gave his life trying
to help others in need. His
sacrifice will always be remembered and is humbly carried forward each and
every day by the members of this organization. Officer
Martin D. Chivas was shot and killed on April 22, 1974 while investigating a
burglary in progress. The
suspects were prison escapees and were in the midst of a multi-state crime
spree. Officer Chivas was only
24 years old when he laid down his life. His sacrifice, like that of so many, stands as a
lasting tribute to the honor and dedication inherent in those called to this
profession. Officer
Charles T. Mulvihill died on September 11, 2001. He was responding to a call for service when he suffered
apparent heart failure. Officer
Mulvihill was a mentor and a friend to so many during his 10 years of service
with the Troy Police Department.
The character and integrity that he possessed, along with the
dedication to his family and service to this community is a legacy that will
always remain in the heart of this organization Miscellaneous
Information: Case Updates: Arrest Summary: In addition to those
outlined above, the following arrests were also made during the period: Domestic Assault: 1 Drunk Driving: 12 Retail Fraud: 14 Warrants: 12 Drove While License
Suspended: 3 Other Miscellaneous Information and Special
Events
__________________________________________________________________________ Rescuers Often Can't Find 911 Callers
(Copied from
WWW.Officer.Com Website) By
JOHN DUNBAR WASHINGTON -- A new report by a public
safety group throws into question the ability of police and firefighters to
locate people through their cell phones when they dial 911 in an emergency. The study is believed to
be the first independent evaluation of wireless location technology and sends
a clear message: Do not assume rescuers will know
where you are if you call 911 from a cell phone. The report was
commissioned by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials
International (APCO), a group that has long been concerned about the
limitations of the technology and the public's unrealistic expectations of
what it can deliver. The Associated Press was
given an advance copy of the study, which will be officially released in May. Carriers are required to
test their location systems and to be able to pinpoint callers within certain
distances. But they are not required to share their test results with 911 dispatchers,
police and firefighters. And the Federal Communications Commission does no
testing of its own. So
using a grant from the Public Safety Foundation of America, APCO began work
in August of 2005 on Project LOCATE, to find out on its own how well the
systems were working. The
answer? Not very well. "We were hopeful
that the information that they were seeing on a wireless call would be closer
to the location than it was," said project chairwoman Nancy Pollock.
"We were very disappointed." Tests were conducted in
seven different communities across the country - Palo Alto, Calif.; Marion
County, Fla.; Jasper County, Mo.; Onondaga County, N.Y.; Rowan County, N.C.;
Bexar County, Texas; and Laramie, Wyo. The cities were selected based on
topography, demographics, existing technology and other factors. APCO declined to identify
the cell phone companies in its report and was careful in its criticism of
the industry. But the details tell the story. The
FCC requires companies that use "network" technology - triangulating
among cell towers to determine the caller's location - to come within 300
meters of the caller 95 percent of the time. The company identified
as "carrier No. 001" in the testing was unable to come within 300
meters of the 911 caller 73 percent of the time in Onondaga County; 64
percent of the time in Marion County; and 61 percent of the time in Jasper
County. Two companies tested
used network technology primarily while five used "handset"
technology, meaning they use global positioning system satellites to locate callers. Federal
rules require companies using satellites to come within 150 meters for 95
percent of calls. Carrier No. 002 was able
to hit inside the target area 90 percent of the time in Bexar County; 89
percent of the time In Laramie; 87 percent of the time in Onondaga County and
80 percent of the time in Palo Alto. In the vast majority of
cases, people who call 911 from their cell phone are able to provide their
location. But sometimes they cannot. William A. Cade Jr.,
project coordinator with APCO, recalls a one-car accident in Missouri where the caller was unable to
provide a location and a young person "died by the side of the
road" before help could arrive. Location information can
determine "which side of the mountain in West Virginia do I go up to get to the
accident" or which fire company and ambulance company gets dispatched,
he said. Results varied based on
carriers and geography. A few communities, however, stood out for poor
performance, among them Marion County, Fla., which includes the city of
Ocala; Onondaga County in New York
and Jasper County, Mo. If accuracy were
measured at the community level, according to APCO's results, 71 percent of
the tests would get a failing grade. But companies are allowed to measure
their accuracy over a much larger area - an entire state, for example. That
means highly accurate results in one area may drive up the average overall. FCC Chairman Kevin
Martin told the AP earlier this month that he will recommend to the
commission that it order companies to begin testing at the community, or
"public safety answering point" level. Joe Farren, spokesman
for CTIA, the wireless industry's lobbying association, said when customers call 911 that "the first
thing you should do if you can, is to provide your location." Farren said the
technology is "certainly not perfect" and it was "was never
envisioned to be perfect," but that it is "as good as today's
technology allows it to be." Each of the wireless
companies tested provided service in at least two of the test markets. A
total of 203 telephone calls per carrier were made from randomly selected
areas within the sample communities. Testers calculated the
distance between the actual origination point of the call and the displayed
location to determine accuracy. The report didn't name
carriers, but it is well known what kind of location technologies they use. Cingular Wireless, now
wholly owned by AT&T Inc., uses network-based technology. The company is
the largest cell phone provider with 61 million subscribers. T-Mobile USA,
with about 25 million subscribers, also uses network technology. Verizon
Wireless, with 59 million subscribers, and Sprint Nextel use satellite
technology. Generally speaking, the
network solution works better in urban areas where it may be difficult for a
satellite signal to penetrate buildings, but not so well in rural areas
because of a lack of towers. Phones that use satellite technology are
excellent in rural areas where there is little overhead interference. While the report pointed
out the generally poor performance of the wireless industry in locating 911
callers, it also pointed out a need for 911 call centers to work closely with
providers and the importance of public education. A new generation of
telephone customers is being raised without using land-based telephone lines.
But they still expect rescuers to be able to find them. The issue has become
more critical as the number of 911 calls from cell phones exceeds those
coming from landlines, public safety experts say. CTIA reports that
230,000 calls to 911 are made from cell phones each day. The group also
estimates that 8.4 percent of households are "wireless only." |
Events & Programs
Please click or go to the below
link for community events for the coming May 11th – May 18th Week!
http://www.ci.troy.mi.us/calendar/
The Troy Community Coalition is a
non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all
who live or work in Troy, by promoting a lifestyle free from the abuse of
alcohol and drugs. Please feel free to
contact any staff member
for additional information or contact our office at (248) 823-5088 Troy Community Coalition 4420
Livernois Rd. Troy, MI 48098 We urge
you to join us for one of our many exciting upcoming community events. __________________________________
Gordy’s
Pizza fundraiser for Troy
Families for Safe Homes
10% of all sales will be donated to
Troy Families for SAFE HOMES Monday, May
21, 2007 5 - 9 p.m. YOU
CHOOSE: Dine-In, Carry Out or
Delivery Gordy’s Hotline (248) 680-8830 Located in the Long Lake Plaza 1057 E. Long
Lake Rd. (just east of Rochester Rd) Troy, MI
48085 The Troy Police Department offers the
following free talks/seminars:
* Alcohol abuse and prevention * Safety with Strangers * Home Security Audit * Personal Security * Got Caught (Shoplifting talk for
teens) * Choose Wisely (Right choices for
teens) * Home alone (home personal safety for
teens and children) * Drug and drug paraphernalia talk for
adults and also teens * Identity Theft * Internet Safety for adults and also
teens * Harassing and Bullying Prevention for
children * Retail Fraud Prevention * In addition, if you or your
organization has a program/discussion idea or need that a police officer can
deliver please call! For more information or to
schedule an officer to present a program please call: (248) 524-3464 or e-mail the
crime alert at: troypdcrimealert@ci.troy.mi.us
______________________________ Crime Prevention Tips
Fraud Prevention: Ø
Remember
that nothing that is worth anything is free. Ø
If someone
that you do not know offers to do you a favor, they probably have an ulterior
motive. Ø
Never give
any personal information out to an unknown source over the phone or Internet. (If someone asks for
personal information, ask to speak to his or her supervisor and inform him or
her you will be calling the Police to make a fraud report.) No reputable business will call you or email you for this
information!!! Ø
If you
receive a phone call or email telling you that you have won something that
you did not apply for, it is more than likely a fraud. Ø
No
legitimate organization will ask for any money or a Credit Card number in
order to claim a prize Ø
Protect
yourself against identity theft by shredding all documents and safe guarding
your account numbers, social security numbers and credit card numbers. Ø
Always
maintain your credit cards and secure the credit card numbers. Ø
If you
suspect that you have been the victim of credit fraud, call your credit card
company and have them run a query of your charges. Ø
Never give
your bank account numbers over the phone. Especially if unsolicited!
Identity theft continues to be
the fastest growing crime in the world, and the city of Troy is no exception.
We continually get reports of identity theft and fraud on a regular basis. While it may not be totally avoidable,
detecting the early signs of identity theft is one of the best ways to avoid
extensive losses and damage to your credit history. If your wallet/purse etc. gets stolen,
cancel all stolen credit and ATM cards immediately. Checking your credit history regularly is
a great way to keep appraised on the status of your credit. Here are three sources for checking your
credit history: (The
titles are links to the webpages) 1-800-525-6282 1-888-397-3742 1-800-680-7289 Larceny Ø
Always keep
control of all your property. Ø
Your
belongings are not safe while you are playing sports or at work unless you
have them properly locked or are in possession of them. Ø
Thieves wait
for the right time and will take property quickly. Ø
Unfortunately
you cannot always trust co-workers or other business associates. Ø
Do not rely
on others to watch your belongings.
If they fail, you will be the victim, not them. Ø
Be cautious
of who you allow into your home. If you invite guests that you really do not
know into your home you are inviting trouble. Vandalism Prevention
The best way to protect yourself from this crime, or from being held financially responsible for the acts of your kids, is to know where your children are, what they are doing, and whom their f | ||
