Sherburne Sheriff Department

Glen was a friend to one of my early morning students, and I know his death has affected her and her family. It’s always sad to lose someone so young. While I didn’t know him, the fact that so many people have such good things to say about him means a lot.

This article appeared in the Elk River Star News today:

Glen Bye, 17, dies in motor vehicle crash

by Elizabeth Nelson
Staff writer

Glen Bye, a 17-year-old Zimmerman High School student, died this morning at the scene of a motor vehicle crash on the 24400 block of Sherburne County Road 75 in Orrock Township north of Big Lake.

Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott said when deputies responded to the report of an accident at 5:33 a.m. and arrived to find a 1999 black Oldsmobile Alero that had left the roadway and struck a tree.

The juvenile could also be seen pinned inside the car.

The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene, Brott said.

There were no other passengers in the vehicle.

Brott said investigators were called to the scene and believe the teen may have fallen asleep while driving.

He was also not seat belted at the time of the crash, Brott said.

Bye, known as Bubba, would have been a senior in high school and a quarterback for the Zimmerman High School football team. He was reportedly on his way to a leadership class at the time of the accident, according to a school official.

The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office will be mapping and reconstructing the crash.

No drug or alcohol use is suspected and the Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office will conduct an autopsy, Brott said.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Big Lake Fire Department and the New River Ambulance Service.

Source: http://erstarnews.com/content/view/13302/94/

My prayers go out for his family and friends.

There is a Facebook page created in his honor:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Glen-Bubba-Bye/141700769183974

Here is a YouTube tribute:

More News:

Kare11’s story on Glen

Video from WCCO

Dave and I volunteered at the Emergency Services booth at the Sherburne County Fair for four hours on Saturday. There were three displays to look at:

• Sherburne County CERT program
• Sherburne County Sheriff Mounted Patrol
• Sherburne County ARES Amateur Radio group

These are all volunteer programs manned by citizens in the Sherburne area. Protecting our community is vital and these groups work to have contingency plans in place in case of an emergency. They are always looking for volunteers. If you are interested, contact the Jennifer Callahan at the Sheriff’s Department. Her number is: 763-241-4561.

Here are some pictures:

Dave and I went to the Sherburne County Fair for the first time this year. We went on Thursday evening, so attendance was a bit lighter than I expect it will be for the weekend. It’s not as fun without the children, but we still enjoyed ourselves. We will be back on Saturday to volunteer at the Sheriff Department storage building for the Emergency Services display. Stop by and see us!

Here are some pictures:

(Click on each picture for a larger view)

(Click on each picture for a larger view)

Dave and I attended our first CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) meeting at the Sheriff’s Department in Elk River. I was certified as a CERT member in Tennessee in 2005, so I am familiar with the program. Dave is new to everything. The person who leads the group here is Larry Narikawa, who has done a terrific job putting trainings together.

This evening, Larry and John Olsen, the Sherburne Emergency Services Director went over the basics of the program. I saw a couple of the guys from the Citizen’s Academy at the meeting–that was pretty cool.

This is a great program for people in the Sherburne area to get involved with–not only to help neighbors but themselves as well. Here is a description of the program from the Citizen Corp website:

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

Here is a picture of Larry showing us the supplies that CERT members receive after training:

Yesterday was our last Citizen Academy class. I’ve learned a lot about the Sherburne County Sheriff’s department over the last eight weeks.

Deputy Roxanne Schreder, one of the Citizen Academy hosts, told us about the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and how to set up a Neighborhood Watch.

We learned about local fraud schemes that have been committed in Sherburne County. Fraud investigator Pam Weber presented things we should look for so that we can avoid being scammed.

The Sherburne County Drug and Gang Task Force members spoke to us about drug usage. We saw samples are different drugs, including heroine, cocaine, marijuana, khat, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and methamphetamine. Meth labs in the area have been reduced, in large part due to the limits of pseudoephedrine that have been imposed on pharmacies.

We also heard from William Jones, the Reserve Captain for the Sheriff’s department. They are always looking for qualified people to join the reserves and serve the community.

After receiving our graduation certificates and a goody bag with a Sheriff’s mug, we enjoyed a pizza party and had delicious cake. I appreciate all of the efforts that have gone into putting this Citizen’s Academy together, especially by Deputies Roxanne Schreder and Renee Brandt, and I encourage everyone to take the class when it becomes available later this year!

We are getting down to the wire–only one more class to go! The Sheriff’s Department has really done a great job putting this class together. I’ve been very impressed with the diversity of speakers and departments that we’ve been able to learn about.

Now, if I had my druthers (Tennessee term!), we would be able to go on a ride-along with the deputies, but apparently the insurance companies don’t like that idea very much. When I attended the Citizen’s Police Academy in Tennessee, they did do ride-alongs. One of the nights I went, there was a scary domestic violence call. The officer I rode with took off down the city’s main street at 102 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone, and went through the neighborhood at 80 miles per hour in a 20 mph zone. I can see why insurance companies might worry a bit!

This week we started out with Lena Coe and Deanna Thompson from a non-profit organization in Monticello called Rivers of Hope. They spoke to us about domestic violence, including verbal, physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse. Family violence can be defined as “patterns of behavior that maintain power and control over the victim.” Anyone who lives in the same household with an an abuser or is related by blood can be a victim of family violence.

Their program works with victims as they go through the court process. They work with teenagers who struggle with self-mutilation to teach them healthy coping skills. Here are some of the other topics we learned about:

• The cycle of abuse
• Abuse of children
• Dating abuse in teens
• Civil and criminal orders of protection
• How to be a friend to victims of abuse
• Having a domestic violence safety plan
• Summer mentoring program for youth

They also have a volunteer program and welcome applications. Contact them at: http://www.riversofhope.org/General_Info/volunteers.htm for more information.

Lena Coe and Deanna Thompson of Rivers of Hope

Chris Aleshire, Sherburne Sheriff Department Drug Recognition Expert spoke to us next. He is one of several trained experts in the area. In addition to alcohol, prescription medication and illegal drugs are also cause for DWI’s. His job is to identify what type of substance a person arrested for DWI is under if there is no evidence of alcohol.

Drug Recognition Expert Chris Aleshire

We learned how sobriety tests are conducted and what clues law enforcement officials look for. Deputy Renee Brandt was kind enough to demonstrate some of the tests:

Deputy Renee Brandt Passes Sobriety Test

I never knew what whiskey plates were before, and I learned that coffee does not make the alcohol go away. Instead, you just have a wide-awake drunk!

Here is a picture of our class! (Click for a larger view.)

Sherburne Citizen Academy Spring 2009 Class

We started class out today with Sergeant Paul Novotny who taught us about the use of force in law enforcement. He bravely volunteered (read: lost the coin toss) to demonstrate the use of a taser. Now, apparently there is a way to shorten the normal 5-second taser cycle, but unfortunately, Paul was not so lucky! I’ve never seen a taser hit up close, and I hope I never am at the receiving end of one. When the taser if activated, two lines with fishhook-like barbs are shot at the person. The lines carry an electrical current that interferes with the body’s electrical circuit and drops the suspect.

We also learned that while deaths do occur from tasers, generally this happens in cases where there is an underlying medical condition that would have caused the person to die even without the taser shot.  In the case of the Minnesota State Patrolman who tasered a man who died, we never heard any follow up from the media never regarding the autopsy report and laboratory tests that showed the man was whacked out on drugs.

The last speaker of the day was John Olsen, the Sherburne County Emergency Services Director. He has a lot of experience in many diverse areas, including Business Admin and Marketing Degrees, 15 years with the Zimmerman Fire Department, and Sherburne Jail Captain.

We started out with a video of the Hugo tornado. My sister-in-law’s family was affected by that tornado, so the video hit home. Then John Olsen gave us an overview of the Emergency plans and systems of Sherburne County. He actually wasn’t due to speak until May 12. I thought it was ironic that he presented today in light of all of the Swine Flu fears that have arisen over the last couple of days. Sherburne County has many contingency plans in place and that is comforting.

John walked us through an imaginary disaster scenario that might take place in our neighborhoods and we talked about what we would do. All families should have a disaster plan and emergency kit. I am a big believer in this and I will be doing future posts on the topic.

Our class met Tuesday at the Sherburne County Law Enforcement Center and Jail facility in Elk River.

Captain Dan Andren began by giving us an overview of the jail system and procedures. We went on a tour of the various offices and departments and took a close look at the Sgt. Jim Mordal’s firing range, Sgt. Jason Volkers’ training room with a mock cell set up,  and the physical fitness center.

Jail Commander Pat Carr and Major Brian Frank gave an excellent presentation on the jail. We watched a video on the importance of jails in the community, how the public can influence decisions that are made, and why citizens should be aware of important issues so that they can make informed recommendations. We saw a slide show of the Sherburne jail. I am very impressed with the high level of technology available to our law enforcement officers and emergency personnel in Sherburne County. The meeting room we met in is also the Emergency Operations Center that can be quickly activated when necessary, such as an event at the Monticello Nuclear plant. There are computer workstations available for all of the various groups that would take part in handling an emergency. We also saw the less-lethal weapons that would be used to control inmates who were causing problems.

The last thing we did was to tour the jail itself. Our group was led by Jail Administrator, Angela Knutson. We saw two different pods were inmates housed. Things work the same way as they do with raising children–they more well-behaved they are, the more priviledges they receive. One benefit the jail staff has is that their reputation precedes them–the inmates pass the word about consequences for bad behavior and most inmates think before they act!

One of the most intriguing places we visited was the Control Center where all of the operations of the jail are monitored and where the doors are controlled. There are 173 security cameras in the complex, so escaping would definitely be difficult! The jail has a capacity of 667 inmates, so a well-defined protocol is necessary to keep things running smoothly.

I was not able to take pictures of the more sensitive areas of the jail, but here are some of the ones I did take:

After seeing the damaged caused last week in my former city of Murfreesboro, this is very timely information to review.

From Sheriff Joel Brott’s April Newsletter:

Did you know…About 1,000 tornadoes touch down in the United States every year?

Make sure you and your family are ready for severe weather -

Plan, Prepare, Practice, and Stay Informed

• Plan – Create a plan for your family.
• Prepare – Put together an emergency supply kit for your family.
• Practice – Make sure your family members know what to do in an emergency.
• Stay Informed – Listen to radio and television stations for updated storm information.

During a Tornado Watch

• Stay tuned to radio or TV for updates.
• Be prepared to take shelter at any time.
• Watch the sky for funnel-shaped clouds and pay attention to tornado danger signs including dark, greenish sky, large hail, and a loud roar similar to a freight train.
• Stay out of large, flat buildings with wide-open areas such as supermarkets or shopping malls.
• Stock your home shelter area with a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, water, and a first-aid kit.

During a Tornado Warning

• Head for the designated shelter or a central area on the lowest floor of a nearby building.
• In a high-rise, get to the lowest floor possible and go to an interior room.
• Leave vehicles and mobile homes at once. Seek shelter in a sturdy building.
• If you are caught outside, lie flat in a ditch and cover your head. Do not get under bridges or overpasses.
• Never attempt to outrun a tornado.

After a Tornado

• Watch out for debris—especially broken glass—and down electrical lines.
• Be careful when entering a tornado-damaged structure. Make sure the walls and roof are in place and the foundation is sound.

Resource: Sherburne County Are You Ready Workgroup

Today we began with Michelle Vlasak, the Zimmerman School Liaison Officer. Mark Huss and Jason Savage, Assistant Vice Principals, also visited with us. We learned about the school resource program and what Michelle’s responsibilities are both in and out of the school. She explained her roles of law enforcement, educator, and counselor and told us about some of the cases she has had to deal with in her job.

Next, Adam Boler his canine, Phoenix gave a presentation. Phoenix is trained to find explosives. Sgt. Boler placed a stick of dynamite in the room before we arrived and as part of the demonstration, Phoenix searched and found it. She is a beautiful black lab/pointer mix that was rescued from an animal shelter before being trained.

We went outside to see a canine demonstration with Phoenix, Deputy Todd Schuster and Kilo, and Deputy Clay White and Ares. Kilo and Ares are German shepherds from the Czech Republic. They demonstrated searching containers for drugs, a vehicle search, and suspect apprehension.

After the canine demonstation, Sgt. Bob Stangler, Jim Beal,  and Cole Petroske gave a presentation on the Sherburne County Emergency Response Unit, otherwise known as the S.W.A.T. team. There are 16 members of the ERU, each with specific training and specialties. They work with hostage situations and barricaded suspects, but also help in situations where a warrant needs to be served to a potentially dangerous person who might be armed.

We also we able to see their vehicle, tools, weapons, and ammunition and how they are used.