Police chief reports on bomb threat, safe driving campaigns

Batesville Municipal Building, located at 500 E. Main St. (Image by Gena Tate, White River Now.)

By Andrea Bruner, White River Now

When the Batesville Police Department sent officers to a SWAT school in northwest Arkansas last month, Chief John Scarbrough couldn’t have imagined utilizing their training so soon.

About a week later, officers were dispatched to a bomb threat at Walmart, where Scarbrough said it was reported that the person who had placed the pipe bombs inside the store was possibly armed with a rifle and wanted to take an officer hostage for ransom.

The incident occurred on April 26, and due to the nature of the threat, the environment was deemed too hazardous for a standard search by patrol officers, Scarbrough told the Batesville City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday night.

“Consequently, I deployed the personnel who had recently finished SWAT School; they operated as a cohesive unit to clear and secure the premises,” he said. “Although the incident was ultimately determined to be a hoax, the situation underscored the immediate value of having a team proficient in specialized tactical maneuvers.”

Scarbrough explained that 10 officers – seven full-time and three reserves – completed the 56-hour SWAT school at Fort Smith April 13-17.

Alderman Lackey Moody asked if the city has a SWAT team, and Scarbrough said there is not a team locally, but these officers received free training in areas such as tactical medical training, operation planning, team movement, vehicle assaults, and other life-saving techniques.

The course and lodging were both free; the department only had to pay for meals and fuel, which were all within its training budget.

In his monthly report, Scarbrough noted there were 1,108 calls for service in April (compared to 1,288 in March, 917 calls in February, and 919 in January; 152 citations (compared to 255 last month, 140 in February, and 104 in January), and 167 warnings (254 in March, 153 in February, and 149 in January).

Other statistics from last month: 82 accidents in April (39 accidents in March, 43 in February, and 32 in January); 37 arrests (48 in both March and February, and 22 in January); 65 incident reports (67 in March, 72 in February, and 46 in January).

Scarbrough said the department conducted a Distracted Driving Campaign April 6-13 and conducted 38 stops.

Officers also conducted a 420 STEP Campaign April 17-20 and conducted 50 stops; this is a national initiative aimed at reducing drug-impaired driving around April 20 (the number 4/20 is associated with marijuana).

He said the entire patrol division has been trained on the use of the new Tasers, but fortunately has not had to deploy them yet, and the Peer Counseling Team recently conducted Level 6 Peer Training in Jacksonville.

In other business at the city council meeting Tuesday night:

* Fire Chief Mark McCollum said the Batesville Fire Department had opened the tornado shelter at Station 3 on White Drive on April 27 and 28, with an estimated 250 people and 150 people coming, respectively. Both days, the city sirens sounded to warn people.

McCollum presented a report showing major incidents for March and April. In a two-month period, the Batesville Fire Department had 28 fire calls, nine rescue calls, 24 public service calls, 36 non-emergency calls, 26 medical calls, 11 hazardous situations, and one undefined.

The department answered a total of 135 calls, with the others ranging from accidental alarms, electrical power lines down, elevator rescue, falls, motor vehicle accidents, suspicious odors, grass fires, wildfires, weather response, and well person check.

He said the department recorded 478 training hours, conducted nine plan reviews, and answered one Freedom of Information request.

Other highlights in March and April include talking to Southside’s Jobs for Arkansas Graduates program, meeting with the 100 Families of Independence County about storm safety, as well as participating in the Tip-A-Hero fundraiser at Colton’s and the Special Olympics Arkansas Spring Games awards ceremony, the Arkansas Fire Marshal’s Conference in Hot Springs, the Three Rivers Firefighters Association meeting at Cave City, and a public event at Batesville Montessori School.

He said the department also repaired the foam system on Engine 3 in-house, with a cost savings of more than $5,000.

One item not in the report he gave council members before the meeting was the tower truck being out of commission. That repair was not too bad, McCollum said, but “The rescue truck is another story,” he said. “We do keep another truck in case of things like this.”

The department does have a truck ordered, but it is still being built, McCollum said. He said the process is slow, but to switch to another manufacturer would cost another $75,000, and the department does not have the budget for that.

* Public Works Engineer Damon Johnson gave updates on the two major projects going on around Chaney Drive – the water treatment plant and intake structure, as well as the Riverside Park expansion. Both projects are making progress, he said.

The traffic light at the intersection of St. Louis and Harrison streets was recently damaged by lightning, and the city is waiting on parts to come in, although the light is still functional, Johnson said.

“Phases may run a little long even if the traffic is cleared,” he explained. “Not all of the cameras are fully functional, so it may take a few seconds longer” for the light to change, even when the traffic has cleared.

Johnson said the city had applied for a grant two to three years ago to transition three more traffic light intersections to a camera system, and with the funds secured, that upgrade will occur over the next 18 months.

He said the systems allow for better traffic flow, and the cameras are able to record data.

As for the sewer rehab project, he said crews have completed 70 percent of trenchless repairs but will soon start replacing lines that cannot be done via trenchless equipment, which he said could take four or five months.

Johnson said the city will open bids for a $1.4 million project on Pine and State streets. He said the city received approval three years ago for a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) grant, but the government did not release funds until recently.

* The council heard the third and final reading of an ordinance authorizing the council to remove appointed commissioners by a three-fourths vote of the council. The ordinance was adopted with an emergency clause, making the rule effective immediately.

* The council approved a resolution authorizing the submission of applications for federal TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) funds, which are available from the Arkansas Department of Transportation to improve or develop sidewalks.

The city plans to ask ARDOT for $500,000 to construct a 10-foot side path connecting the existing Greenway near the community center at Myers Avenue to the commercial district on Harrison Street through the new River Town development (on the site of the former country club).

The 20 percent local will be $125,100, bringing the project total to $625,100, and Elumbaugh said the subdivision owner has agreed to fund the local match.

* The council also approved a request from the parks department to spend approximately $7,400 from the perpetual maintenance fund for the indoor pool pump.

* Moody said the city’s planning and zoning commission continues to update the code book, but some areas, particularly the historical district, have changed dramatically in recent years, and the commission is struggling to keep up.

There were no comments from citizens. All council members were present.