Monday, December 29, 2008

SCOTTSDALE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICER EARNS HOMELAND SECURITY MASTER’S DEGREE FROM NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

(Scottsdale, Arizona)  E. Lorenzo Jones, Emergency Management Officer with the City of Scottsdale Emergency Management Division, completed a Master of Arts Degree in Homeland Security Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security on Dec.19, 2008, in Monterey, Calif.

 

Mr. Jones joined the City of Scottsdale in April 2006 and manages all of the city's emergency preparedness activities.  Jones also has a Juris Doctor degree from the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

 

During the 18-month online and in-residence program, Jones collaborated with homeland security officials from across the nation on current policy, strategy, and organizational design challenges.  He also completed research papers and wrote a thesis on the need for emergency management standards in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.


January 2008 marked the five-year anniversary of the Center
 for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS).  Since its inception, CHDS has grown to become the nation’s premier provider of homeland security graduate and executive level education.  The Center has developed and delivered a cadre of graduate education programs and resources which have been shared with other academic institutions around the country to facilitate the emerging discipline of homeland security and a national network of related academic programs.  CHDS is nationally recognized for offering the first master’s degree program for homeland security in the country and graduates 90 senior officials every year. The Mobile Education Team (MET) has conducted more than 120 seminars for governors and mayors and their homeland security teams. More than 3,000 senior officials have participated in the MET program.

Photo Enforcement Saving Lives on State Highways

DPS Press Release:

Thanks to the work of the Governor and the Arizona Legislature, the increased number of DPS 

Officers on state highways has resulted in increased enforcement in the last few years.  

Accordingly, DPS has seen a steady decrease in collision numbers statewide.  Since the 

expansion of the Photo Enforcement Program, collisions have been further reduced above the 

trend of the last few years. 

 

Additional reductions occurred during the first 80 days of the expanded photo enforcement 

program.  Property crashes have been reduced by 12%, injury crashes by 17% and fatality 

collisions by 29% 

 

These are preliminary numbers based on a comparison to collisions on the metro Phoenix 

freeway system from September 26th 2007 to December 16th 2007 which takes in approximately 

80 days.  


Explosion Injures Three in Maricopa

Maricopa, Az Monday December 29-  At approximately 9:15 this morning Maricopa Fire Department crews responded to a report of an explosion at Arizona Grain Company located at 38501 W Cowtown Rd. in Maricopa. Numerous other agencies responded as well for automatic aid to the units already on scene. Three workers were treated by Maricopa paramedics on scene and then flown to Maricopa County Medical center with first and second degree burns to their face and hands as a result of the powerful dust explosion.

Fire investigators have determined the origin of the initial explosion was in one of the four vertical grain elevator legs with a secondary explosion reportedly caused by the first and subsequent fireball to the subterranean grain elevator network.

The explosion could be felt and heard throughout the City of Maricopa. The tremendous force of the explosion was such that it sheared six 7/8-inch bolts to a truck scale lifting a semi loaded with grain weighing approximately 80,000 pounds.

According to fire officials on scene it was a miracle the three individuals did not parish in the explosion. They were somewhat shielded from the flying chucks of concrete and metal by a portion of the weigh station. Other employees on scene were obviously shaken by the event but were not injured.

Preliminary fire investigations by Maricopa Fire Investigators indicate at this time the cause to be accidental as a result of routine maintenance being conducted around the time of the explosion. Dust and grain elevator explosions are among the most powerful and dangerous type explosions known to fire service.

As of 1:30 p.m. it was reported two of the three individuals flown to the hospital were in good condition and one remained in critical condition. There were no fire fighter injuries.


Monday, December 22, 2008

Arizona Department of Public Safety Officers to Distribute Christmas Bears to Hospitalized Children

Dec 22, 2008- Phoenix, AZ - For the 15th year in a row, Arizona Department of Public Safety Officers will be handing out Christmas Teddy Bears to hundreds of children statewide who find themselves in the hospital during the holidays.  In the past 15 years DPS Officers have visited over 1600 kids who missed Christmas at home.

Sponsored by the Arizona Highway Patrolman Association, DPS Officers have been fanning out across the state this week bringing joy to thousands of sick kids who can’t be home with their families at Christmas time.  Officers in Tucson visited children in the Pediatric Wards at both the Tucson Medical Center and at University Medical Center.

 In Phoenix DPS Officers armed with Christmas Bears will be visiting kids at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Maricopa Medical Center on Tuesday December 23, 2008.

 

*Sgt. Jimmy Chavez with the Arizona Highway Patrolman’s Association will be available for interviews at the front entrance of Phoenix Children’s Hospital at 10:00 a.m. Dec. 23rd.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Arizona Department of Public Safety Investigates Fatal Collision involving a passenger vehicle and tour bus

On December 20, 2008 at 1:49 a.m. a fatal collision occurred at mile post 13 eastbound on State Route 74 (near Castle Hot Springs Road).  The collision involved a passenger vehicle and a commercial bus.  The lone driver of the passenger vehicle suffered fatal injuries. 13 people on board the bus were injured. All but three passengers have been treated and released from local hospitals. 

The Los Angeles Limousine Express Bus was traveling from Las Vegas to Phoenix and was in the eastbound lanes of SR 74 when for an unknown reason, a passenger vehicle traveling westbound veered into the path of the bus causing the vehicles to collide head-on. 

 The driver of the tour bus managed to maintain control of the bus by keeping it from going off the road and rolling over. His quick action made the difference and kept this collision from causing more serious injury or fatalities.

 Passenger Car 2008 Hyundai Sedan

Driver Deceased: Kathy Wetherell 22, Van Nuys, California

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Arizona Department of Public Safety stops cloned UPS delivery truck and seizes 2,118 pounds of marijuana


On November 14, 2008, Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Detectives assigned to the Pima County Counter Narcotics Alliance (CNA) conducted an investigation which resulted in the seizure of about 2,118 pounds of marijuana from a cloned United Parcel Service (UPS) truck.

 A DPS officer and his narcotics detection canine attempted to stop the cloned UPS truck.  When the truck came to a stop, a suspect fled from the vehicle.  A search of the truck revealed bundles of marijuana which were still attached to the makeshift burlap back straps which human drug carriers, or “mules”, use to facilitate carrying the loads through the desert. 

The suspects painted the truck a shade of brown similar to UPS brown and affixed reflective yellow decals in the same general areas as an authorized UPS vehicle.  The cloned vehicle also displayed a homemade Arizona license plate and the authentic plate number assigned to UPS in Phoenix.  UPS is cooperating with DPS and a search of UPS’s vehicle inventory revealed the vehicle number on the cloned UPS truck was an actual number assigned to an authentic UPS truck servicing the Tucson area.  The investigation is still ongoing.

“The excellent work of our detectives and officers assigned to our Highway Patrol Division is evident when we intercept these drug loads coming through the state.  We hope this seizure will help keep Arizona communities a bit safer,” said Roger Vanderpool, director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

DPS & ADOT/MVD Directors Announce Revision to License Plate Statute

Roger Vanderpool, director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Stacey K. Stanton, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation/ Motor Vehicle Division (ADOT/MVD), want to advise the motoring public of an important change to the requirements for the attachment and display of the Arizona license plate that will affect every motorist or business with a vehicle(s) registered in this state.

 

Effective Jan. 1, 2009, Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) 28-2354, has been amended to state that “a person shall maintain each license plate so it is clearly legible and so that the name of this state at the top of the license plate shall not be obscured.”  The revision was added to the existing requirement for the proper attachment and legible display of the Arizona license plate.

 

An attachment that contains an ADOT/MVD graphic depicting a “good” and “bad” displayed Arizona license plate will be sent in separate e-mail.

 

The actual Arizona law has been copied into this document and can also be found at:

 

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/28/02354.htm&Title=28&DocType=ARS

 

Frequently asked questions to further explain A.R.S. 28-2354B:

            Does the change apply to out of state or foreign license plates?

                        No, the revision only applies to Arizona license plates.

            Can some of the word “Arizona” be covered and not be in violation?

                        No, the requirement is that the name of the state at the top of the license plate not

                        be obscured.

            Does this change help law enforcement?

                        The requirement to have the state name of “Arizona” clearly visible and not

                        obscured provides several benefits.  The most important benefit centers on

                        citizens who witness a crime involving a motor vehicle or otherwise recognizes a

                        license plate from a broadcast for an Amber Alert or other Attempt to Locate will

                        better able the witness to identify the “Arizona” and the characters on the plate.


 

 

 

 

 

            What is the fine for anyone that is cited for violating this law?

                        The fines vary throughout the state according to the traffic court that has

                        jurisdiction.  The fines can range from $110.00 to $200.00 statewide, the average

                        fine appears to be about $136.00 throughout the Valley.

            Is this a primary or secondary enforcement law?

                        Primary enforcement, which means any law enforcement officer can make a

                        traffic stop on the vehicle solely for violation of A.R.S. 28-2354B.  It additionally

                        is classified as a civil sanction offense.

            Was this change requested by the Arizona Department of Public Safety?

                        DPS was not a part of the legislation that created this revision.

            If I attached the license plate frame that covers the name Arizona before the revision

            went into effect, or it was placed on my vehicle by the dealership where it was purchased

            will that exempt my plate from the law?

            On Jan. 1, 2009, when the revision becomes effective, it will apply to

            all Arizona license plates and their proper display, regardless when the license

            plate was first attached or whatever frame was placed on it.

 

DPS and ADOT/MVD are committed to providing information to the public on various Arizona rules, regulations and traffic laws to further insure the safety of all motorists who travel this great this state.

 

To obtain additional information please visit the below Web sites:

 

                        http://www.azdps.gov                                    http://azdot.gov/mvd/