LPD Online News

Lakeland Police Captain Randy Harrison Retires After 34 Years of Service

Lakeland Police Captain Randy Harrison retired on Thursday, August 5, 2010, after 34 years of service.  Captain Harrison began his career with the Lakeland Police Department on September 27, 1976.  He moved through the ranks and was promoted Captain in 2003.>

 

Captain Harrison was named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 1988, and was the recipient of the Chief’s Award in 2000.  Captain Harrison accumulated several awards throughout his career, and spent the majority of his tenure in the Criminal Investigation Section.>

 

Captain Harrison has overseen many very difficult and sensitive cases during his career where he has earned the respect and loyalty of those he works with.  Those who know him believe he will be a tough act to follow.

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917. 

 

Sergeant Terri Smith

Lakeland Police Announce Promotional Ceremony

Lakeland Police will be holding a promotion ceremony on Friday, August 13, 2010.  The promotions will be held at the Lakeland Police Department, Room 2A, 219 N Massachusetts Av., Lakeland, FL, at 2:00 PM. 

To Be Promoted:

Lieutenant Mike Link to Captain  

Sergeant Shawn Collins to Lieutenant

Officer William Schrader to Sergeant   

   

The media and the public are invited to attend.

All media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, at 863-834-6917.  This information is also available at www.lpdonlinenews.com

 

Sergeant Terri Smith

Dinner and Silent Auction Scheduled to Honor Heroes

Lakeland Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association together with the City of Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the “2^nd Annual Honoring Heroes” Barbeque Dinner and Silent Auction.  This event will be from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Lake Mirror Complex on Saturday, September 11, 2010.  The silent auction will close at 8:00 pm.  Guests at this event will have the opportunity to have their photograph taken with Lakeland Police Officers and their K9 partners as a free souvenir.  

Media and the public are invited to attend this event.  Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door.  Tickets will be on sale at the Downtown First Friday on August 6, 2010.  Future ticket sale locations and times are available at www.lcpaaahome.org. 

Donated items are needed for the silent auction.  Those who donate items will have their name displayed at the silent auction and posted on the LCPAAA website.  Donors will be notified of the selling price of donated items for tax purposes.  Limited table sponsorships are also available. 

100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Lakeland Police Department’s K9 unit and the LCPAAA scholarship fund. 

The Lakeland Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association is a volunteer 501©(3) non-profit organization that focuses on developing and maintaining a good relationship between local law enforcement and the community. 

This information is also posted on www.lpdonlinenews.com.

 

Download Poster of this Event 

Sergeant Terri Smith

Lakeland Police Investigate Shooting

8/5/2010, 2:00 PM:  Police continue to investigate the shooting of two men that occurred yesterday. (see release below) There is no update on suspect information.  We are now releasing that there was a quantity of drugs found in the residence, but at this time it has not been determined that this was the motive for the shooting.  Victims Deandrae Lamar Russell and James Saul Fullwood remain in Lakeland Regional Medical Center.  Russell’s condition is still critical at this time, Fullwood is stable but serious.

 

Lakeland Police responded to 620 West 7^th Street in Lakeland at approximately 5:45 PM on August 4, 2010, after reports of a shooting.  Three men were inside the residence.  One of the men inside answered the door and was shot by a man who fired upon the occupants of the house.  Another man inside the house was also shot.  Both men were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where their condition is unknown at this time.  The shooter fled the scene.

Police established a perimeter and K9’s tracked the suspect.  PCSO helicopter also responded to the scene.  Police continue to canvas the neighborhood, interview witnesses, and follow leads as they attempt to identify and apprehend the shooter and establish the motive for this incident. 

The two men have been identified as Deandrae Lamar Russell, age 19, and James Saul Fullwood, age 20, both of Lakeland. 

The description of the suspect is a black male, approximately 5’10” to 6’03” tall, weighing between 180 and 205 pounds.  The suspect was last seen wearing a black t-shirt. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to contact police.  This suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. 

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917. 

Lakeland Police Arrest Man for Showing Obscene Image to Child

Lakeland Police arrested Jerry Lee Davis, age 49, for showing minors obscene images of himself taken with a cell phone in Barnett Park, 121 South Lake Avenue.  The investigation indicated that Davis had taken pictures of himself engaged in a sex act and showed the images to a minor child who was at the park.  This incident occurred on July 27, 2010.  The mother of the victim called police.  Police responded, made contact with Davis and found the images still on Davis’ cell phone. 

 

Davis was arrested on August 3, 2010, and charged with Protection of Minors/Obscene Material (F3). 

 

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917. 

Sergeant Terri Smith

Lakeland Police Officer Witnesses Crime Against Handicapped Person

Lakeland Police Officer Adam Williams was jogging northbound on Success Avenue at approximately 3:00 PM on July 29, 2010, when he observed several young males crouched and hiding behind a brick wall at Lake Morton.  As he got closer, he could hear the suspects counting down.  As Officer Willams got even closer, he heard one of the suspects say, “here he comes”, and then “three, two, one, get him!”  At this time four young males jumped out from behind the wall and ambushed the victim, Richard Werner (age 20), an adult handicapped person, as he rode his bicycle westbound past their location. 

 

Werner yelled for help and tried to escape as the four young males attacked him.  Werner was holding a backpack, and one of the suspects grabbed the backpack and attempted to pull Werner from the bike as the other three were swinging and grabbing at his arms, head and body.  Somehow, Werner managed to stay on his bike and continued to try to escape all the while calling for help.

 

Officer Williams continued running after the group, but before he could catch up to them, a good samaritan, Monica Gonzalez, intervened and placed her vehicle between the suspects and Werner and called police for help.  The suspects then fled on foot as Officer Williams continued to monitor their movement and location. Officer Williams located Officer Bart Butler in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Lake Morton.  Together they located the four suspects and placed them under arrest.

 

All four suspects were charged with Abuse of a Handicapped Person (F3), Battery (M1), and Disorderly Conduct (M2).  Those arrested are:  Kevonta Isaac (DOB:  6/8/85),  Iquan Isaac (DOB: 4/1/94), Kamion Matos (DOB: 9/25/94), Timothy Scott (DOB:  9/22/91.

 

Werner received minor, non life threatening injuries.

 

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917.  This information is also posted on www.lpdonlinenews.com.

Lakeland Police Place First in Click it or Ticket Challenge

The Florida Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition between agencies of similar size and rewards the best overall traffic safety programs that are conducted by agencies in the State of Florida.  The areas of concentration include efforts to enforce laws and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving, speeding, and other areas of traffic safety.  Departments submit an application that documents their agency’s efforts and effectiveness in these areas.  The winning programs are those that combine officer safety, public information, and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within respective jurisdictions. 

The program is financed through grants from the Florida Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The Florida Law Enforcement Challenge provides a way for departments to share traffic safety tactics and to recognize those that have exemplary programs.

There are several challenges an agency can apply for, such as the 2010 DUI Challenge, the Law Enforcement Challenge, Click it or Ticket Challenge, Motor Carrier Compliance Challenge, or Florida Motor Unit Challenge.

The Lakeland Police Department placed first in the Click It or Ticket Challenge.  During the first wave that ended in May, 2010, Lakeland Police Officers wrote 1,227 safety belt violation tickets, and 55 child restraint violations. Officers were awarded points for winning first place that can be exchanged for items that further promote this cause.

You can obtain more information on The Florida Law Enforcement Challenge at: http://www.challengerewards.com/About

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917. 

Lakeland Police Partner with PCSO and Community for Anti-Crime Rally

Lakeland Police are partnering with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Lakeland Community to send the message to all that “Enough is Enough”.  This anti-crime rally is in response to the escalation of gun related crime in the community among young adults.  Last year in Lakeland violent crime was down, yet the percentage of violent crime occurring where firearms were used was up. This is not just a crime issue, this is also a social issue.  While conflicts between people remain the same, the manner of settling these conflicts is changing.  Member of the community are fed up with escalating gun violence and are beginning a movement to get the community involved to seek a solution to change this trend that appears to be emerging within our community.

Please join community members, together with the Lakeland Police Department and Polk County Sheriff’s Office for the Anti-Crime Rally and March on Saturday, July 31^st, 2010, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, at Simpson Park, 1725 Martin Luther King Avenue, in Lakeland.  The march will take place from Simpson Park, through the surrounding neighborhood, and back to Simpson Park. The purpose of this march is to get the attention of community members and demonstrate the commitment of police and citizens to this cause.   

 

There will be guest speakers at Simpson Park, free t-shirts for those participating in the march, door prizes, food vendors, and opportunities for adults and children to learn about the dangers of gangs and gun violence, and other crime prevention information.  There will also be equipment on display at the rally.   

 

The community and the media are invited and encouraged to attend.

 

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917. 

Lakeland Police Investigate Traffic Fatality

Lakeland Police responded to 2100 Griffin Road on July 24, 2010, after reports of a traffic crash that occurred at approximately 2:01 am.  The investigation indicated that a 2004 Nissen and 2004 Honda motorcycle were both travelling eastbound on Griffin Road in the outside lane.  The vehicle struck the motorcycle from behind.  It appeared the vehicle was travelling at a high rate of speed.  The driver of the motorcycle, Kenneth B. Spooner, age 67, was pronounced dead on the scene by EMS.

 

The vehicle flipped and came to final rest on the roof after travelling approximately ¼ of a mile from the scene of the accident.  The driver of the vehicle, Damian Kyle Hernandez, DOB:  11/9/87,  fled on foot and was apprehended by Officer Aaron Peterman and his K9.  Hernandez was arrested for Leaving the Scene of a Fatality Without Rendering Aid (F3), Battery on a Police Dog (M1), and Resisting Arrest Without Violence. (M1).   Hernandez was treated at LRMC for minor, non-life threatening injuries, and then transported to Polk County Jail. 

 

The passenger of the vehicle, Jeremy Andrew Edinger, age 24, received minor, non life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash. 

 

 

This investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.  Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917. 

Lakeland Police Investigate High School Teacher

A press conference is scheduled for July 23, 2010, 3:00 PM, at the Lakeland Police Department.  Sergeant Gary Gross, Supervisor of the Crime Against Children Unit, will be answering questions from the media.

 

Lakeland Police began an investigation of a Lakeland High School Teacher in April, 2010, after receiving a complaint from parents of a student that there was inappropriate behavior occurring between the student and teacher, Greg A Madsen.  The parents of the student had become alarmed after intercepting facebook postings between the student and Madsen that appeared to be highly inappropriate.   In the exchange between Madsen and the student, there was conversation that was sexual in nature.  In addition, there was conversation of involving words such as “trust” and “love”.  At one point the student tells Madsen, “I love you too much” and Madsen replies, “I love u too buddy”.  Madsen had also attempted to arrange a meeting with the student at a public location.

 

As this investigation continued, detectives gathered text messages and emails from the student’s cell phone and computer.  Detectives executed a search warrant at Madsen’s   residence on April 26, 2010.  Madsen’s cell phone and two computers were seized and later forensically examined.  Madsen had approximately 700 facebook friends, and detectives found facebook chats on Madsen’s computer that were sexual in nature that had occurred with several minors that attended Lakeland High School where Madsen is employed as a teacher. 

 

The information was referred to the State Attorney’s Office.  On July 7, 2010, Madsen entered into a Pre-Trial Intervention Contract Settlement Agreement where he agreed to surrender his teaching certificate to the State of Florida Department of Education, resign from his position at Lakeland High School, and not work or volunteer in any capacity where he would be in a position of trust involving children whether it be a school, church, club, or any other institution.

 

Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, 863.834.6917.