It starts with one call. A siren alerts the dispatcher at the Milan Police Department communication center. “Milan emergency,” he said.
Area dispatchers are the life line which communicates with a community’s first line of defense – the patrol division. “What goes on day and night on patrol, how we operate, some of the tools we use,” said Officer Brian Yuska. Officers Yuska and Frankowski with the East Moline Police Department trade in their squad cars for the classroom. In front of the Citizen Police Academy class they get down to the basics of their day to day job.
“People are surprised by the tools and weapons we have to carry and train and practice on,” added Yuska. He picks up a taser and triggers it to show light and sound it makes. Officer Yuska says he never knows when they’ll have to use it because a daily shift can cover everything from a traffic stop to a sobriety test.
Officer Frankowski demonstrates a field sobriety test on volunteer Megan Beckwith. She walks in a straight line, counting each heel to toe step, and turns to do the same thing in the other direction. “It kind of opens up your eyes, from my perspective, how tough it is and how they can tell that and how he was saying it’s second nature for them,” said Beckwith.
“She didn’t touch heel to toe on steps five and seven on the way back. Those are the clues we’re looking for,” said Officer Frankowski.
“When it comes to a crime scene clues can lead to conviction. That’s where the investigation division comes in. “The investigation process is a step process, you have to get from A to B to C to do it correctly,” said Lt. Martin Marlier with the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office.
Evidence like tool impressions or fingerprints can reconstruct a crime. Criminalist Mary Devine with Rock Island Police will take up to 200 pictures at one crime scene. She’s worked about 60 homicide cases in the last 25 years. “It is important to make a difference to be the voice of the victim,” said Devine.
This is real life not CSI – TV. “Two totally different things,” added Devine. However, success stories can be just the same. “We do say this is what we need. If this is the charge you want, this is the evidence I need,” said Norma Kauzlarich, Assistant States Attorney for Rock Island County. She walked the class through the process of working with area police departments to build a case and take it through trial.
Next the class got an inside look at what’s next for those on the wrong side of the law. The first stop for arrestees in Rock Island County is the booking room at the jail. There they take a mug shot, get their fingerprints taken, and change their street clothes out for an orange jumpsuit. In a given year, 10,000 to 12,000 people are booked at the jail. Some bond out in 20 minutes, others stay up to three years. “The jail is not a nice place to be. Why people would want to come back is real questionable,” said Kathy Hall, a Silvis Alderwoman in the program. Officers say the reality is, about half of first-time inmates do go back.
Next Wednesday, May 16th, the special series on the Citizen Police Academy continues with at look at the top cops on four legs. Bailey Deitz and the rest of the class meet a couple of K-9 officers and their partners. Plus, how they and other divisions or agencies are cracking down on drug issues in the Quad Cities area.